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Shocking! The Art and Fashion of Elsa Schiaparelli

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A theatrical studio photo by George Hoyningen-Huene graces the cover of Shocking! The Art and Fashion of Elsa Schiaparelli. Elsa Schiaparelli, the subject of the black and white photo, wears a white gown, feather boa, and an armload of pearls. Shocking pink type announces to the reader that Shocking! Is not an ordinary book about an ordinary fashion designer.
Shocking! documents the recent exhibition of Schiaparelli's designs at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Seen as historical artifacts, her work is as inspirational as it is quirky. Written by Dilys E. Blum Curator of Costume and Textiles at the Philadelphia Museum of Art Shocking! is thoughtful and scholarly. Schiaparelli was an innovative and a visionary fashion designer prolific from the late 1920's to the mid 50's. Known for her associations with artists such as Salvador Dali, Jean Cocteau, Man Ray, Marcel Duchamp, she produced practical clothing as well as surreal masterpieces such as a shoe hat, lobster dress, and gloves with appliquéd fingernails. Some of her innovations which we take for granted include: externally placed zippers, synthetic fabrics, bright colors especially shocking pink, odd mixes of materials together, and architectural silhouettes.
Packed with more than 300 modern and archival of photos of her clothes there is a never-ending source of vibrant visual stimulation within the pages of Shocking! As a side bar for interior design purists, her showrooms were designed by Jean-Michel Frank and there are interesting archival photos of his work. For those interested in fashion history this book is a must have.

This book is filled with beautiful photographs from the Philadelphia Museum of Art's exhibit. If you can't get to the museum, don't worry. The exhibit can come to you. Well worth the reasonable price for so many photos and sketches. Inspiring for anyone who considers sewing an art form. Schiaperelli was truly an artist and a master of her craft. She created innovative and eccentric designs, while celebrating the female figure and without compromising form and function. I couldn't be happier with this book.

This is one of the best books about a prominent fashion designer.
Elsa Schiaparelli's work is intelligently analyzed and the book is beautifully illustrated with color and black and white photographs of her designs as well as her domestic and retail interiors. Her collaborative work with artists including Dali and Cocteau is also covered, with photographs of the fruits of their work (eg Surrealistic designs for prints and embroidery).
Six of Schiaparelli's most important collections are covered in detail, including the Circus, Lucky Stars and Music in the Air collections.
Schiaparelli's influence on other designers is fascinating to observe. Most notably on the work of Yves Saint-Laurent in the eighties (strong colors, opulent embroidery) and on John Galliano in more recent years (newspaper prints, trompe l'oeil draping)
This book is a must for all students of fashion design and fashion history.

This is a fabulous book, beautifully illustrated and written with much care and research. Schiaparelli is a neglected figure compared with her contemporary and great rival, Coco Chanel, but this book should go a long way towards redressing that balSance.

Very pretty and informative book about Schiaparelli's design. Reading this book I felt like during my fashion design practise at PPUPPY couture house - charming, excited and in love with fashion.