Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art celebrates Elsa Schiaparelli’s revolutionary fashion legacy.
When you think of a fashion legend, one of the first names that comes to mind is the aristocratic Italian-born French couturière Elsa Schiaparelli, who didn’t just establish a new visual language for modern fashion — she also challenged prevailing notions around femininity, beauty and elegance.
Her approach was rooted in viewing clothes as more than mere decoration, but as opportunities for humour, illusion, performance, and exploration. “For me, fashion is not a craft but an art,” said Schiaparelli.
Celebrating the designer’s iconic legacy, London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (the V&A) has organized the Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art exhibition in collaboration with Maison Schiaparelli. The exhibition opened on March 28, 2026, and runs to November 15.
This exhibition, the first in the U.K. dedicated to Elsa Schiaparelli, celebrates the impact made by the designer and the haute couture house she founded in Paris in 1927 and traces the maison’s development ranging from the 1920s until today under the creative direction of Daniel Roseberry.
The exhibition is neatly divided into four major themes. The first focuses on Schiaparelli’s creative take on contemporary fashion, ranging from casual and daytime attire to formal wear and complementary items. The second examines her artistic connections with writers and artists in Paris during the interwar period. The third reflects on her broader global influence beyond Paris, focusing specifically on London. The final theme is a look at Maison Schiaparelli’s influence on the modern era as embodied by Roseberry’s innovative vision for the brand.
The exhibition pays tribute to one of the pioneers of fashion and an exceptional fashion house, one that has always viewed fashion as art.
