01IN THE THIRTIES, TWO WOMEN RULED PARIS FASHION. ONE WAS COCO
CHANEL. THE OTHER WAS ELSA SCHIAPARELLI, WHO PUT A GIANT LOBSTER ON
A BALLGOWN, INVENTED A PINK SO LOUD SHE CALLED IT 'SHOCKING', AND
CALMLY STOLE CHANEL'S BEST CLIENTS.
02SHE TREATED FASHION AS ART. SCHIAPARELLI OPENED HER HOUSE ON THE
PLACE VENDOME IN 1935 AND RAN WITH THE SURREALISTS, MAKING CLOTHES
WITH SALVADOR DALI, JEAN COCTEAU AND MAN RAY. COCTEAU CALLED HER
SHOP 'A DEVIL'S LABORATORY'.
03THE LOBSTER DRESS IS THE LEGEND. FOR SUMMER 1937, SHE AND DALI
PRINTED A HUGE LOBSTER DOWN THE FRONT OF A WHITE SILK GOWN. WALLIS
SIMPSON WORE IT FOR CECIL BEATON'S CAMERA, AND A PIECE OF DINNER
SURREALISM BECAME FASHION HISTORY.
04AND THE COLOUR WAS A WEAPON. SCHIAPARELLI'S 'SHOCKING PINK', A HOT,
IMPOSSIBLE BRIGHT, BECAME HER SIGNATURE AND THE NAME OF HER PERFUME.
SHE DESCRIBED IT AS IMPUDENT AND LIFE-GIVING. A WHOLE MOOD, PACKED
INTO ONE IMPOSSIBLE SHADE.
05THE RIVALRY WAS PERSONAL. AS SCHIAPARELLI PULLED PARIS'S SMART SET
AWAY FROM HER, CHANEL SNIFFED THAT SHE WAS 'THAT ITALIAN ARTIST WHO
MAKES CLOTHES'. IT WAS MEANT AS AN INSULT. IT WAS ALSO, EXACTLY,
WHAT MADE SCHIAPARELLI GREAT.
06THAT IS THE LESSON SHE LEFT. SCHIAPARELLI PROVED CLOTHES COULD BE
WIT, PROVOCATION AND ART, NOT JUST TAILORING. EVERY DESIGNER WHO HAS
EVER SENT A JOKE OR A SURREAL IDEA DOWN A RUNWAY IS BORROWING FROM
HER PLAYBOOK.