While London’s Victoria and Albert Museum prepares for its massive retrospective, “Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art,” Creative Director Daniel Roseberry decided not to wait for the gallery doors to open. He presented his own deconstruction of reality on the runway at the "Carrousel du Louvre", turning the Fall/Winter 2026-2027 Ready-to-Wear collection into a triumph of wearable surrealism.
The collection's title — “The Sphynx” — evokes a creature symbolizing mystery and contradiction. The image, inspired by an archival brooch designed by Alberto Giacometti for Elsa herself, serves as a metaphor for the entire line. Roseberry explores the duality of womanhood: strength and vulnerability, structure and fluidity.
“For Elsa, a dress was never just a dress. It was a forum for self-expression and fantasy,” the designer notes.
In this new collection, this is expressed through a constant tension between business and dreams:
The Illusion of Weight: Traditional Aran knits sit alongside transparent tulle, creating the effect of a massive sweater that literally floats on the body.
Soft Architecture: Pleated silk dresses with a laminated finish forgo boning and corsets yet maintain a strict, almost sculptural form.
Trompe-l’œil (Optical Illusion): Fitted "leather" sheaths reveal themselves upon closer inspection to be a printed blend of silk and wool, while "salt and pepper" faux fur coats perfectly mimic the texture of denim.
Details: The Key to the Riddle
The central symbol of the collection is the "keyhole". For Roseberry, this isn't just a decorative element, but a reminder that every woman is a mystery. The runway, illuminated by a single spotlight, emphasized the cinematic nature of these details:
Golden Accents: 24-karat gold plates on blazer lapels, earrings, and even footwear featuring the signature "keyhole" silhouette.
"Measuring Tape:" The house’s legendary code adorns the Vendome jacket, crafted from felted wool and embroidered with glass beads using the "sfumato" technique.
"The Bestiary:" Roseberry reimagines Elsa’s love for nature through irony. The runway featured handbags on bronze "chicken feet," shoes with resin Doberman and cat faces, and jewelry with "fur" that was actually the finest sheepskin.
90s Nostalgia
The choice of venue with a classic runway layout served as an homage to the era of supermodels. For those who remember fashion before the internet, it felt like a homecoming; for Gen Z, it felt like exotic archaeology.
Opening the show with a men's three-piece suit with a popped collar and ankle boots whose heels were cast in the shape of faces, Roseberry confirmed: his Schiaparelli is for a "special breed" of people. Those ready to wear skirts that transition into tails or tops woven from unspooled cassette tapes and shredded CDs.
Schiaparelli Fall/Winter 2026-2027 is not just a wardrobe; it is a manifesto. Roseberry has successfully preserved Elsa’s DNA: creating clothes that make one feel alive inside a dream while remaining entirely comfortable in reality. It is a paradox that worked a century ago and, judging by the standing ovation at the Louvre, will work forever.
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