In the twentieth century, the only one that stood between Coco Chanel and great success was one woman, Elsa Schiaparelli. Chanel literally tried to burn Schiaparelli, but I’ll touch on that infamous moment later. These two great rivals were the Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff of their time. However, today Schiaparelli's popularity seems to have diminished. Whether a fashion connoisseur or not, we all know the name Coco Chanel, but when it comes to Elsa Schappereli, many people draw a blank.
Schiaparelli was born in Rome in 1890 into a life of great privilege. Her father was an aristocrat with close ties to the king of Italy. Growing up, Schiaparelli found her family to be constricting; thus, in 1913, she escaped her family and moved to London. However, dreary London didn’t excite Schiaparelli enough, so she decided to explore America. Except, this time she brought along a companion, her new husband. Although again, following her usual pattern, Schiaparelli got bored this time not of just with America, but her husband as well. The two separated in 1920 when she would also give birth to their daughter, famously nicknamed Gogo. Schiaparelli and Gogo were off to Paris in 1922, where the pair would find a more permanent home. It was Paris where Schiaparelli really embraced fashion. After working for a stylist of sorts for several years in 1927, Schiaparelli released her first lin,e which became widely popular, even being featured in Vogue. The star of her line is her infamous Bow Sweater, which is often referenced in fashion today. This event marks the beginning of Schiaparelli's brief success.
In 1929, the Wall Street crash in America caused a domino effect across the globe. Many people were left jobless and financially insecure. However, many socialites in Europe seemed unaffected. While the rest of the world tried to stock up on food, these women were stocking up on Schiaparelli’s newest designs. The 1930s was the peak of Schiaparelli. She was making custom dresses for heiresses, royals, and all the other socialites of the world. Her most popular client was Duchess Wallis Simpson. The scandalous divorcee was apparently the main factor in her husband’s, King Edward VIII of England’s, abdication. But who am I to judge? What I can speak to is the fabulous designs that Simpson wore of Schiaparelli’s. If you were to know any of Schiaparelli’s designs, it may be the renowned “lobster dress” worn by Simpson. While Schiaparelli soaked in her success, someone else was jealous watching her rise to fame.
So why and how did Chanel try to burn Schiaparelli? Right before WWII, both women were attending a costume ball in Paris. Chanel, who had only made snotty comments about Schiaparelli’s Avant Garde designs, decided to resolve the conflict physically. Chanel, who wasn’t wearing anything notable, asked Schiaparelli, who was dressed as a surrealist tree, to a seemingly harmless dance. During the dance Chanel pushed Schiaparelli into a candle-lit chandelier, causing her to go up in flames. To Chanel’s dismay, her rival was not burned alive as the other guest put the fire out.
Not too long after this chaotic ball, Paris was overtaken by the Germans. The Nazis had conquered France, which left many people in a scramble to escape. Well, everyone but Chanel, a famous Nazi collaborator, is rumored to even be a nazi spy. However, not uncommon, as many other socialites and business people joined Chanel, turning against their country and joining the Nazi effort. Schiaparelli on the other hand worked with the Red Cross aiding in the relief effort; although, I can’t disregard the fact that some sources claim she may have turned a blind eye to Nazi business in Paris. But what happened to Schiaparelli after the war?
To Chanel’s relief, Schiaparelli’s brand never really recovered after the war. Women didn’t want Schiaparelli’s fun avant-garde designs anymore; they wanted something beautiful and elegant. It was in 1947 when Christian Dior released his new look that really marked an end to Schiaparelli’s designs. She tried to get along for a few more years before completely disappearing from the fashion scene. And in 1973, Elsa Schiaparelli died.
Prior, Coco Chanel died peacefully in 1971, believing that she had destroyed Schiaparelli and her brand. Or did she? In 2012, almost 40 years after Schiaparelli’s death, it was announced that her brand would be relaunched by its new owner, Diego Della Valle. The first collection, released in 2013, seemed to be a hit, as it was displayed in the distinguished Les Arts Décoratifs museum in Paris. Over the next couple of years, Schiaparelli would pass through the hands of several notorious creative directors before finally before being placed in the hands of Daniel Roseberry in 2019. It was Roseberry who took Schiaparelli to the red carpet. Celebrities such as Bella Hadid could be seen wearing the brand’s pieces at the Met Gala. So, did Chanel really get the last laugh? Well, not really. Ever since Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel’s longtime creative director, died in 2019, the brand has seen a steady decline. Many people have expressed a lack of interest in Chanel’s current designs, as they have nothing to offer. In 2023, Chanel reported a loss of sales in the Luxury sector. All while Schiaparelli seems to be on an upward incline. Schiaparelli may have died feeling unfulfilled, but her brand triumphantly lives on.
