The Victoria and Albert Museum has opened the first exhibition ever staged in the United Kingdom dedicated entirely to Maison Schiaparelli, celebrating the legacy of one of fashion’s most influential and unconventional designers.
Opening on 28 March 2026, the exhibition explores the work and cultural impact of Elsa Schiaparelli from the 1920s to the present day, tracing the evolution of the fashion house through to its modern reinvention under creative director Daniel Roseberry.
More Than 400 Objects On Display
Titled Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art, the exhibition features more than 400 objects, including 100 fashion ensembles and 50 artworks.
The showcase also includes jewellery, accessories, furniture, perfumes, archive material, paintings and photography documenting the history of the iconic couture house.
Among the exhibition’s highlights are some of Elsa Schiaparelli’s most celebrated surrealist creations developed in collaboration with artist Salvador Dalí.
These include the famous 1938 Skeleton dress, the Tears dress and the shoe-shaped hat, all regarded as defining works of twentieth-century fashion design.
Focus On Fashion, Art And Performance
The exhibition examines Schiaparelli’s role as a pioneering female entrepreneur and explores her collaborations with major artists including Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, Man Ray and Eileen Agar.
Curators also highlight the designer’s connections with performance, theatre and film during the years between the two world wars.
The V&A said new research carried out for the exhibition establishes Schiaparelli as a key figure linking fashion, art and performance culture across Paris, London and New York.
The exhibition additionally explores the history of Schiaparelli’s London branch and its independent clientele, an aspect rarely examined previously.
Modern Schiaparelli Also Featured
The final section of the exhibition focuses on the contemporary revival of the fashion house under creative director Daniel Roseberry.
Roseberry’s designs, including couture creations worn by celebrities such as Ariana Grande and Dua Lipa, are displayed alongside archival Schiaparelli pieces.
The exhibition demonstrates how the Maison continues blending surrealism, sculpture and haute couture in the modern luxury fashion landscape.
V&A Celebrates One Of Fashion’s Great Innovators
V&A Director Sir Tristram Hunt described Elsa Schiaparelli as one of the most daring and inventive designers in fashion history.
He said the museum’s extensive Schiaparelli archive and fashion collection made the V&A a fitting venue for the landmark exhibition.
Schiaparelli chief executive Delphine Bellini said the exhibition celebrates the designer’s enduring influence on fashion, art and global culture while showcasing how Daniel Roseberry continues to reinterpret her surrealist vision for a new generation.
