I will admit that the fashion history section of the V&A felt like a bit of a let down after leaving the Dior exhibition. Dior: Designer of Dreams was so meticulously planned, I suppose anything would. However, I still discovered several gems in this section. As you walk through it, you will find several notable designer pieces just tucked away. And of course, as any fashion museum should, it included a few different Schiaparelli pieces. This is a summer evening dress from Schiaparelli’s Parachute collection, and is quite stunning in person!
Elsa Schiaparelli is a designer I knew admittedly little about a year ago. This dress was produced for the Parachute Collection, which was the Spring/Summer collection of 1936. Schiaparelli’s fashion house began in 1926, so by this point she had been designing professionally for a while. While I could do without the necklace, I have to say, I love the almost Regency-esque vibe of this dress. Although many of the pieces from the 20th century section feel almost busy, the simplicity of this dress truly makes it stand out. Now if only I was six feet tall and could wear it…
According to the V&A’s Context Notes:
The “Stratospheric” and “Aeroplane” silhouettes of the Parachute collection for summer 1936 (which was presented February 1936) were inspired by parachutes and aerodynamics. On a visit to Moscow, Schiaparelli had been fascinated by the sight of Russian citizens parachuting from a specially set up tower. As a child, she had jumped out of a window using an umbrella as a parachute, so this was also reflected in her designs for this collection. Another influence was Leonardo’s parachute drawings.
If I have learned nothing else in my fashion history journey of the last year and a half, it is that a designer’s personal history always plays a role. Like Christian Dior’s time spent in gardens as a child affecting his designs, Schiaparelli’s own past does seem to come up again and again in her designs.
What do you think of the Schiaparelli Parachute dress?
Cheers,
The Historian
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin’
