Bertrand Guyon looked deep into the Schiaparelli archives for its Fall/Winter 2016 Haute Couture collection, going all the way back to the summer of 1938, when Elsa Schiaparelli created her infamous Circus collection. Like Ms. Schiaparelli, Guyon found inspiration in the spectacular art today, referencing American sculptor Alexander Calder’s “Cirque Calder” with swinging acrobats, circus clowns, joyous elephants, and rearing horses placed onto structured jackets. Surrealist iconography—bold lips, big eyes—graced bulbous bloomers, as energetic jacquard added the Schiaparelli spirit to each look. The collection also called on the heavens, placing celestial symbolism onto ethereal silk dresses. Elegantly tailored suits embellished with gold detailing and black sequins provided a nice contrast to the more feminine dresses, while a bold silk taffeta jumpsuit with a turquoise velvet bustier and a giant burgundy heart recalled the founding designer’s signature color: shocking pink. As seen in the gallery exclusive to Document above, all the elements of Schiaparelli, in fact, were there—the colors, the motifs, and the fantasy—proving that her legacy still steals the show.

View Slideshow
Tags