Schiaparelli returns to his surreal roots in the new SS/22 Haute Couture collection Schiaparelli returns to his surreal roots in the new SS/22 Haute Couture collection
Schiaparelli's Haute Couture show was one of the most anticipated this Paris Fashion Week. In addition to being the Maison's first physical show since the start of the pandemic, the brand's popularity has also increased considerably in the past year.
Since Daniel Roseberry signed for the Italian luxury firm in 2019, the American has managed to revolutionize Haute Couture in a big way with a transgressive discourse supported by feminism and the anti-racist movement. His latest collections captured the attention of the public and personalities from the fashion world, which put Schiaparelli back on the radar.
For this collection, Roseberry has been inspired by how Covid-19 has affected society, but in a different way than other designers. As Omicron put a damper on our expectations of being at the end of the pandemic this winter, Roseberry escaped into space cinema with Dune, Prometheus, Interstellar and Arrival. We find this vision in the new show, which has left us with surreal garments that go back to Schiaparelli's origins.
In an interview with WWD, Roseberry revealed that he had purposely wanted to go against what was expected of him and the brand, and the results were more than spectacular. Although the color palette was more discreet than usual, highlighting black, white and gold, his designs were the opposite, with totally daring and avant-garde shapes and volumes.
Although a completely different take on what we've seen so far, it felt familiar thanks to the inclusion of many of Schiaparelli's trademark surrealist elements, albeit this time with a touch of science fiction and, on occasion, ceremonial.
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"I'm tired of all the artillery we throw on the red carpet. All those tricks of embroidery, volumes and colors serve to hide you or to make a somewhat cheap show. So, in all honesty, I have wondered if I really am able to make something that works without resorting to those elements", explained the designer.
The creative director places an emphasis on jewel-like dresses that include pieces of 24k gold leaf. These weightless sculptures are gilded with this material and embroidered with vintage cabochons and crystals from the late 1930s. One of the pieces that stands out the most is a corset detached from its center and brimming with long, quivering strands of metal or a total golden look reminiscent of Medusa, the gorgon of Greek mythology.
In addition to gold, another main element of the collection are feathers. In the collection we can appreciate a headdress reminiscent of the long feathers that decorate the head of the male birds of paradise.
On the other hand, astronomy plays a very important role in the collection thanks to the inspiration that science fiction movies have given Roseberry, appreciating accessories of celestial bodies such as a Saturn gold bag or earrings with large suns and planets, among others.
Creating this collection was a cathartic moment for the designer, marking a before and after in his work. "I design for people to feel something. When the clothes, the craft, the hair, the music and the wearer are in harmony, when everyone is trying to communicate something, we can remember why we love fashion, why I love fashion. It's not It's because, when done right, when it has something to say to us, it can help us feel the inarticulate. It's because it still has the power to move us," Roseberry said.
