Schiaparelli Stuns at Paris Haute Couture Week 2023

Haute Couture Week 2023 has been a visual feast for fashion lovers and one show that stood out was the Spring/Summer 2023 collection by Schiaparelli. The creative director, Daniel Roseberry, showcased a collection that was both bold and statement-making. Titled “Inferno”, the designer’s vision was inspired by the iconic poem by Dante Alighieri, “The Divine Comedy”, and the symbol of pride, the lion.

Roseberry stated in his show notes that the poem was a perfect metaphor for the torment that every artist or creative person experiences when creating. He also drew inspiration from the brand’s founder, Elsa Schiaparelli, and her fearless approach to design. The designer wanted to create a collection for a powerful woman that would give her the confidence to rise above her own insecurities.

The collection was filled with stunning designs, each one with a story to tell. Roseberry’s fascination with the Inferno was evident in his use of faux-taxidermy creations such as leopards, lions, and she-wolves, representing lust, pride, and avarice, respectively. He also used materials such as foam, resin, and other man-made materials to construct these life-like designs.

The designer also played with the slippery, house-of-mirrors quality of the Inferno, with paillettes made from leather-slicked slabs of tin and baubles made from wooden beads. The shimmer on the velvet column dresses was achieved through hand-painting, giving the impression of iridescence, much like a butterfly’s wings. Plastrons were sculpted from mother of pearl and lemon tree marquetry, and Roseberry’s personal favourite, a giant bust made of copper, was patina’d by hand (pictured above).

Roseberry’s collection was a play on surrealism, with lifelike creations that made everyone look twice. The designer concentrated less on deliberate artifice, such as hyperstylised anatomy bijoux, and more on blurring the lines between the real and the unreal.

Schiaparelli’s Spring/Summer 2023 Haute Couture collection was a feast for the eyes, with bold and statement-making designs that showcased the brand’s commitment to offering a different story each season. The collection was a tribute to both the founder, Elsa Schiaparelli, and the iconic poem by Dante Alighieri, “The Divine Comedy”, and was a celebration of pride, power, and confidence.