"Shocking!" The Art and Fashion of Elsa Schiaparelli
September 28, 2003 - January 4, 2004
philamuseum.org

fig.: Dress 1937. Elsa Schiaparelli (French, born Italy, 1890-1975) Printed Silk Crepe. PhiladelphiaMuseum of Art. Gift of Mme Elsa Schiaparelli.

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Schiaparelli designed for the modern woman: she created the practical wardrobe for aviator Amy Johnson's solo flight to the Cape Town in 1936; the culottes for tennis champion Lily d'Alvarez that outraged the English lawn tennis establishment in 1931; and the interchangeable wardrobe that she herself wore on her extensive travels. She had a close relationship with the Parisian artistic community, posing for Man Ray and collaborating with such artists as Salvador Dali, Jean Cocteau, Alberto Giacometti, and Marcel Vertes for designs of clothing, fabric, embroidery, jewelry, and advertising.