Monday, December 28

Schiap


Gabrielle Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli both had enormous influence in all the spheres in which they orbited, and both left a permanent mark on the taste of our time. Elsa was born in Italy (Rome) in 1890. Elsa, nicknamed Schiap, was truly grand; her mother was a Neapolitan aristocrat, her father a renowned scholar and bibliophile. From childhood, Schiaparelli browsed through the priceless illuminated manuscripts curated by her father, developing a lifetime passion for the makers of fine art, many of whose talents she employed in the magnificent fashion house she created at an early age.


When got married when she was only 18-year-old, she gave birth to a baby and afterwards she divorced him, after a turbulent marriage.




“Women dress alike all over the world: they dress to be annoying to other women”

Schiap started her real career in New York, and, during the Jazz Age, she opened a small shop near the Place Vendome where she sold her first collection devoted to sportswear, then all the rage for liberated women.


She was in Place Vendome on this photo.

Inspired by the geometrical vocabulary of art deco and cubism, taking advantage of the flexibility of new synthetic fibers, and inspired by the paintings of Picasso, Braque, and Mondrian, Schiap created a sensation.

This is a famous sweater from 1927, she created this black sweater with a white bow at the neck and it was shown in the French Vogue. I have never seen before this. I thought this is Sonia Rykiel's creation. Isn't it cute?



In 1937 she created the back-to-front suit, and it was copied by Karl Lagerfeld in 1986.

Schiap's career didn't really survive World War II, since a shattered public was no longer in tune with the eccentricities of the Jazz Age.
In 1954 and Schiaparelli left her work and wrote her autobiography entitled “My Shocking Life”.



She died in 1973. Her fashion house was re-opened in 1977 and you can still buy things from (click) it.

I think she was a great designer, always added some humour in her designs.

31 comments:

  1. Wow she indeed was a great designer . I love the sweater so much ! Thanks for sharing :)

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  2. A great designer indeed... I love that quote: "women dressed to annoy other women."

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  3. Anonymous12:26 pm CET

    beautiful, she's been really brilliant for the years in which she worked, and gave a surrealist vision to fashion, becoming a source of instruction for all future generations of designers. She taught us that creativity is to go against the rules and that everything can become art,thanks for reminding me about her, is this coming from the beautiful book you received for Xmas? thank you for reporting also the website that I find really nice

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  4. ooh i love coco chanel, and it was really intersting to read about schiaparelli as well, as she isn't as prominently famous as chanel. i love thos pink shoes btw! =)

    http://pinkchampagnefashion.blogspot.com/

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  5. Those pink shoes are DIVINE. ;)
    I loved learning more about her. Thank you so much for this biography! She was an amazing designer.

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  6. Anonymous5:01 pm CET

    I adore her, she is so amazing and its really funny that her and coco had a little rivalry too

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  7. Hi there-a very good post, thanks for sharing this, its great to read about both Elsa and Coco!!

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  8. Enjoy reading about the fashion history~Great post darling!
    xo*

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  9. Just like a fashion fairytale... I loved it! Many kisses.

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  10. That was a great post...I really enjoyed reading about her. Great photos too!

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  11. my gosh, love those shoes!
    thanks for sharing this story to us.

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  12. I hadn't seen that sweater either...it's so funny how good ideas last so long, because that could easily be Sonia Rykiel now or these guys: http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/12/sweatergasm/

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  13. Hi Janet and Happy Monday to you ;)

    I checked a few minutes ago directly her website. Her signature is already too gorgeous ;) ... what a fun website!!!! And these pink shoes with the little gold buttons ... lovely!!!

    Have a beautiful day or better to say evening!

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  14. Gorgeous bio and photos, darling J!
    I learned a lot!

    xoxox,
    CC

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  15. great post dear,she was amazing!

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  16. so interesting to learn more!

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  17. Thanks Y'all! :-)

    @Leah - but this is true...don't U think?

    @sioux - I am glad U like my post from Schiap but this isn't coming from the Vintage book, I received for Xmas. But my new book reminds me of Ela...this is a reason... I posted. ;-)

    @WendyB - Haha! Oh, yes!


    X♥X♥

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  18. I absolutely worship Coco - loving this post darling!! :)

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  19. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful post with us! You must be having a ball with your new book. I love it!

    xo,
    Christina
    Fabulous Finds Gal

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  20. I love reading about other designers. thanks for this history lesson :)

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  21. the dress to annoy other women hmmm that's an interesting way to look at it for sure!!

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  22. Elsa is one of my favorites and I was so thrilled to see the D&G collection that was inspired by her - one of my favorites.

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  23. Amazing shoes!


    colormenana.blogspot.com

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  24. Hello! I loved this post!! I love her history, she was an icone for sure and she will be forever!! I loved to read it! kisses!

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  25. those shoes are so cute! and that quote by her about dressing to annoy other women is so funny but oddly inspiring!

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  26. luv the shoes pic dear...nice review :)

    http://novitaristiana.blogspot.com/

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  27. what an amazing post, darling! thank you :)
    xoxo

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  28. I love the write up on Schiaparelli. I learn about her in school.

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  29. such enormous inspiration the both of them!
    xx
    marian

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  30. Schnappy8:29 am CET

    Hát a hölgyet konkrétan nem ismerem, de a nyakkendős pulcsija tetszik! :)

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