Schiaparelli Ditches Signature Corsets in New Collection, Seeks to "Move Forward"

Schiaparelli Ditches Signature Corsets in New Collection, Seeks to "Move Forward"

In a surprising move, 98-year-old fashion brand Schiaparelli, synonymous with viral internet moments, has ditched its signature corset-like silhouettes.

Instead, the label has introduced shorter bustiers and diagonally cut evening dresses in an attempt to "move forward" in the fashion world.

Schiaparelli has long been associated with bold and controversial internet moments, such as Kylie Jenner's realistic lion headdress, Bella Hadid's gold necklace resembling lungs, and even a robot baby made of electrical wire and crystal.

Last Monday, as Paris Haute Couture Week opened, there was speculation about the presence of the star of the label's most controversial recent moment—Lauren Sanchez.

Lauren Sanchez Breaks the Rules: Schiaparelli Client Pays for Couture

Last month, while heading to a pre-wedding party with Jeff Bezos, the former TV journalist stepped out in an off-the-shoulder gown featuring a tight corset covered in glitter. Before she even got off the taxi boat, online fashion sleuths identified the dress as a Schiaparelli couture design.

For those wondering who actually buys couture, the answer came floating down Venice's Grand Canal.

Behind the scenes, Daniel Roseberry, Schiaparelli's creative director, described Sanchez as a "client." This means she paid for her dress, rather than borrowing it as is common among celebrities. The dress is believed to have cost around $100,000 (£73,000), which is probably "small change" for the world's third-richest couple.

“It was an amazing moment to dress a client in one of the most important moments of her life,” Roseberry said. “That’s always special. She wore it because she wanted to. As a client.”

One of the dresses featured a saddle-shaped bodice.

The brand didn’t share any photos of Sanchez, and when asked what this kind of exposure meant for the brand, Roseberry described it as “different.” “I was in Paris at the time, so I didn’t see it as widely, but my friends in the States were messaging me to say it was all over the news and on CNN and stuff like that,” he said.

The front row on Monday was filled with a mix of other wealthy clients—some of whom brought their own lighting assistants—and A-list stars. Pop star Dua Lipa wore a white gown covered in glittering, fish-like scales, while rapper Cardi B was nearly covered in sequined fringe.

Rosberry described dressing celebrities as “mission critical” for the brand. “We’ve never paid anyone to wear Schiaparelli, and that’s something I don’t think any brand that operates that way could say. And I think that’s what makes it even more powerful,” he said.

Lauren Sanchez wears a Schiaparelli design in Venice for her three-day wedding to Jeff Bezos.

An Archive-Inspired Collection: A Blend of Melancholy and Futurism

The American designer, who has been at the helm of the brand since 2019, said the inspiration for this season's couture collection came from a series of photographs he found in the house's archives, taken in Paris before the German invasion of France in 1940. "There's something about that era that was both melancholy and energetic at the same time," he said. His goal, he said, was to make "the archives feel futuristic in some way."

On the runway, the label's signature corset-like silhouettes were abandoned. Instead, shorter bodices, including one shaped like a saddle, and diagonally cut evening dresses were featured.