ɛlsa skjapaˈrɛlli , a prominent figure in the world of fashion during the first half of the 20th century, was known for her innovative and often surreal designs that pushed the boundaries of traditional fashion. Born in Rome in 1890, skjapaˈrɛlli moved to Paris in the 1920s, where she would establish her namesake fashion house and become one of the most influential fashion designers of her time , rivaling even Coco Chanel. Her work was heavily influenced by the Surrealist movement, and she collaborated with artists such as Salvador Dalí and Jean Cocteau, incorporating their art into her designs.
Elsa opened the Maison skjapaˈrɛlli in Paris in 1927, which she successfully ran from the 1930s to the 1950s. Starting with knitwear, the designer’s collections were famous for their surreal and eccentric elements. In her collections, ɛlsa skjapaˈrɛlli touched on unconventional themes, such as the human body, insects, etc. She favored bright colors, including «shocking pink». skjapaˈrɛlli collaborated with Salvador Dalí to outfit Wallis Simpson (the Duchess of Windsor) in the then-scandalous lobster print dress created for her photo session before the wedding to the abdicated King Edward VIII.
The brand skjapaˈrɛlli was reborn in 2018, and today has once again become one of the most famous haute couture houses in Paris, with its head office on Place Vendôme.
A few words about where ɛlsa skjapaˈrɛlli lived at different times.
In historical times, royal nurseries were located along Rue de Berri. Later, countless townhouses, luxurious residences of the elite, and great minds were built here. Among them in 1871 was Princess Mathilde, daughter of Prince Jerome Bonaparte, historical daughter-in-law of Napoleon III.
As ɛlsa skjapaˈrɛlli believed, Fate led her to 22 Rue de Berry in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. She was a distant relative of Princess Matilda; besides, two plus two equals four, which is the designer’s lucky number. Therefore, the profoundly superstitious Elsa immediately bought the building in 1937 and turned it into a creative club for Hubert de Givenchy, Salvador Dali, and herself.
ɛlsa skjapaˈrɛlli moved into this Parisian house in 1937. It is the third residence for which she has collaborated with Jean-Michel Frank, the father of modern interior design and the renowned Jansen company. Although skjapaˈrɛlli was sociable and Frank was modest, they successfully collaborated and maintained good relationships.
Although Jean-Michel Frank’s interiors are usually associated with shapes and textures rather than color, he sometimes added rich hues to his work. He had his shop on rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré, where some lampshades were made in unusual shades of green, yellow, and red, which violated the designer’s rule that lampshades should always be simple and inconspicuous. He understood that bright colors work well in a white interior.
During the period when Jean-Michel Frank opened his new store, Elsa rented a vast apartment on rue Barbet-de-Jouy in 1931. The upstairs dining area gave off a supper club vibe with banquettes and black lacquered Directoire-style chairs next to black lacquered square tables. In his memoirs, Jean-Michel Frank says he first saw banquettes upholstered in blue chintz. The walls and chairs were minimalist white, the latter with extravagant white rubber cushions.
For more details, please check our video about Elsa Schiaparelli