Schiaparelli FALL 2024 COUTURE

 

"I had this dream of finding a forgotten couture collection in the basement of Elsa’s country house.” - Daniel Roseberry, Creative Director of Schiaparelli.

This dream, a yearning for the grandeur and artistry of Schiaparelli's golden age, informs Roseberry's latest haute couture collection. While he's never been confined by the brand's heritage, this season he explicitly embraces the 1950s, a time he finds "fresh and simple," and infuses it with his own unique vision. 

The show itself, staged in the basement of the Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild, evokes the intimacy and elegance of those bygone couture shows. Models glide through the dimly lit, chandelier-lit space with a stately grace, making eye contact with the audience, which includes celebrities like Doja Kat and Kylie Jenner, adding a touch of modern magic to the scene.

Roseberry, with his bold vision, reinterprets the 1950s, a period considered the pinnacle of haute couture, pushing the boundaries of the brand's potential. He aims to "show the elasticity of the brand," and the collection certainly does just that. The opening cape, with its broad shoulders and silver lozenge embroidery resembling shimmering feathered wings, is a testament to his ambition. A black party dress with its tulle skirt in a permanent can-can kick flip, revealing an underside lavishly embellished with coppery pink rhinestones, is a playful nod to the era's glamour. 

Roseberry is aware of his "meme weaver" reputation, acknowledging his last couture's viral robot baby. But this is Schiaparelli, a brand synonymous with surrealism and bold statements, so the high-heeled shoe cups of a pink silk duchesse bustier dress, a tribute to a famous Elsa Schiaparelli hat, are a testament to that legacy. A mostly sheer gown, a reinterpretation of the "naked dress", features a 3-D rose neckline, a motif echoed in a slithering satin cocktail dress adorned with pillow-stuffed thorns, a perfect blend of surrealism and alluring seduction. 

Roseberry's collection is a celebration of the body, a departure from the more ethereal silhouettes of previous seasons. One standout piece is the lace bustier gown with an absinthe green bow-front skirt, a surefire red carpet stunner.

This collection is a vibrant, modern reimagining of Schiaparelli's legacy, a testament to Roseberry's creative vision and a testament to the enduring power of this iconic brand.