Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art
V&A South Kensington, London
March 28 – November 08, 2026

On 28 March 2026, the V&A opened the first exhibition ever staged in the UK devoted to Maison Schiaparelli. Spanning the 1920s to the present day, the exhibition charts the history and impact of one of the 20th century’s most innovative fashion designers, Elsa Schiaparelli. The show traces the origins of the House, from its first, paradigm-shifting garments to its present-day incarnation in the hands of its creative director, Daniel Roseberry.

Featuring new research undertaken by art and fashion curators, the exhibition establishes Elsa Schiaparelli as a key innovator in the fields of fashion, art and performance across Paris, London, and New York in the years between the two world wars. It highlights the history of a female entrepreneur and showcase her celebrated, yet rarely seen creations. The exhibition is the first to spotlight the London branch of Schiaparelli, its dynamic and independent clients and the founder’s involvement in the satellite location.

Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art comprises over 400 objects, including 100 ensembles and 50 artworks, as well as accessories, jewellery, paintings, photographs, furniture, perfumes and archive material. Highlights on display include the 1938 Skeleton dress, the only known surviving example (a part of the V&A’s permanent collection), as well as the 1938 Tears dress, along with a hat resembling an upside- down shoe, all conceived in collaboration with artist Salvador Dalí. Artworks by Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, Man Ray and Eileen Agar are also on display, as well as several of Schiaparelli’s designs for film and theatre productions. Daniel Roseberry’s spectacular creations-including looks worn by Ariana Grande and Dua Lipa-bring the exhibition to a dramatic close.

Schiaparelli’s couture house redefined standards of style and definitions of beauty of the modern age. Today, from the original Schiaparelli premises at 21 Place Vendôme, creative director Daniel Roseberry leads the storied Maison into its next chapter, establishing an oeuvre that shapes and inspires global culture. Sir Tristram Hunt, Director of the V&A, said: “Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art will celebrate one of the most ingenious and daring designers in fashion history. The V&A holds one of the largest and most important fashion collections in the world, and the foremost collection of Schiaparelli garments in Britain. Schiaparelli’s collaboration with artists and with the world of performance make the Maison and its founder an ideal subject for a spectacular exhibition at the V&A.”

Delphine Bellini, CEO of Schiaparelli, said: “Elsa Schiaparelli’s fearless imagination and radical vision redefined the boundaries between fashion and art. This exhibition celebrates her enduring influence through iconic collaborations with 20th-century masters and a pioneering fusion of creativity and commerce. With its unparalleled collections, expertise in fashion and design, cultural reach, and ability to bridge tradition and innovation, the Victoria and Albert Museum offers the perfect setting to showcase her legacy alongside Daniel Roseberry’s creations, which carry her surrealist spirit forward blurring lines with bold, sculptural designs that both honour and reinvent her vision for a new century.”

more. www.vam.ac.uk