Elsa Schiaparelli's "Sleeping de Schiaparelli" Perfume Sachets
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU461090342
Elsa Schiaparelli
From her signature color Shocking Pink to her collaborations with Surrealist artists, the boldly original Elsa Schiaparelli transformed fashion from the late 1920s to the early ’50s. Experimenting with elements like trompe l’oeil images and colorful visible zippers, the Italian designer instilled a provocative avant-garde artistry in her clothing and accessories, including those created with Salvador Dalí, such as the lobster dress and a hat shaped like a shoe.
Born in Rome, Schiaparelli was a rebellious child who grew up among the city’s intellectual elite. She had a voracious appetite for reading and became interested in ancient cultures, astronomy and world religions. Schiaparelli studied philosophy at the University of Rome, and after publishing a collection of poems on love and sensuality that so mortified her conservative parents that they tried, unsuccessfully, to confine her to a Swiss convent, she left for London. A quick marriage to Count Wilhelm de Wendt de Kerlor brought her to New York, but it would be in Paris following her divorce that Schiaparelli embraced her artistic passions. She moved to the French capital city in 1922 with her young daughter and happened to meet master couturier Paul Poiret, who loaned the stylish Schiaparelli his clothes, sparking her own fashion interests.
Schiaparelli debuted her first collection of knitwear in 1927, and later that year, she designed a black-and-white pullover hand-knit wool sweater featuring a trompe l’oeil bowknot that captured the attention of the fashion world. Vogue called it “an artistic masterpiece.” The success led to her moving her house to 21 Place Vendôme in 1935 where thousands of garments were produced each year. Schiaparelli’s knitwear collections were later accompanied by revolutionary swimsuits and other clothing and accessories. Her inventive designs would include culottes — a radical statement in the 1930s when women still could cause a scandal by wearing pants — as well as printed fabric, such as the 1938 Tears dress with a print designed by Dalí making it appear as if the evening gown had been savagely ripped.
Schiaparelli was among the first designers to use materials like rayon and Lurex as well as explore wrap dresses and transparent raincoats. She also introduced unisex fragrances and brought her artistic partnerships into jewelry, such as bronze brooches made with Alberto Giacometti and fur-lined bracelets with Méret Oppenheim. As she wrote in her 1954 autobiography Shocking Life, women should “dare to be different.”
Despite her acclaim, her shop closed in 1954 after a tumultuous time during World War II. By then, fashion had moved on with Christian Dior's New Look, and the closure of Schiaparelli's business coincided with a comeback mounted by Coco Chanel, her archrival in the early days.
In 2006, Italian businessman Diego Della Valle acquired the brand and its archives, and the Maison Schiaparelli was reopened in 2012, back at 21 Place Vendôme where Schiaparelli's fearless and enduring work began.
Find vintage Elsa Schiaparelli hats, evening dresses and other clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: New York, NY
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Christian Dior Logo PochetteBy Christian DiorLocated in New York, NYChristian Dior Logo Brown Pochette edged and lined in brown calf leather. Practical size carryall for phone or wallet. One side has a extension ple...Category
1970s French Other
- Schiaparelli Surreal Shocking Pink Petit Coeur Guest SoapsBy Elsa SchiaparelliLocated in New York, NYSchiaparelli guest soaps shaped as bon bon hearts in a candy box, a salute to Schiaparelli's surrealist wit. 1950's USA. Excellent condition. L9", W 5" I gave to pink, the nerve of the red, a neon pink, an unreal pink, Shocking Pink" Yves Saint Laurent: Schiaparelli's pink was "an aggressive, brawling, warrior pink” Elsa Schiaparelli's "Shocking" Pink was a color which derived from a 17.27 carat rose colored Cartier diamond known as the Tete de Belier, belonging to her friend and client, Daisy Fellowes. Shocking Pink was used for the eponymous perfume "Shocking", which was launched in 1937. The packaging was designed by artist Leonor Fini and the bottle was based on Mae West's curvaceous figure. Her first shoe-hat, designed for her autumn 1937 collection, had a Shocking Pink heel. Salvador Dali loved the color so much he used it for one of his own works, “an enormous stuffed bear...Category
1950s French Other
- Czech Gilt and Pate de Verre Mini Scent BottleLocated in New York, NYCzech mini scent bottle wrapped with gold filigree panels. Each panel has a bezel set faux lapis pate de verre rose with white cold enamel decoration. With gilt filigree and faux l...Category
1930s Czech Other
- Shiebler Victorian Perfume Flask PendantBy George ShieblerLocated in New York, NYShiebler Sterling Victorian Perfume flask pendant made originally for a chatelaine but can be used now as a pendant. It remarkably retains its original s...Category
1870s American Other
- Victorian Paste Set CombLocated in New York, NYVictorian comb in silver metal with elaborate etched design. Late 19th Century set with 4 large cushion cut pastes and a center cluster of round pastes....Category
Late 19th Century French Victorian Other
- Victorian Elaborately Carved Tortoise LorgnetteLocated in New York, NYVictorian tortoiseshell hand carved lorgnette from the late 19th Century. Carved with the typical curlicues of the period with beautiful openwork detailing. 1880s USA, Domestic Sales...Category
Late 19th Century American Victorian Other
- Elsa's Schiaparelli's 'Sleeping de Schiaparelli' Perfume SachetsBy Elsa SchiaparelliLocated in New York, NYSchiaparelli's Mint in Box, Sleeping perfume sachets.Of Sleeping blue silk satin, hand stiched with Schiaparelli's signature S. Still fragrent wrapped in the origional unopened celophane,tied with vibrant yellow ribbon. Excellent condition. "Sleeping," is one of many perfumes Schiaparelli designed, debuted for her summer 1940 collection. For her spring 1939 Commedia dell' arte collection, Schiaparelli had been inspired by Man Ray's 1939 painting...Category
1940s French Other
- Hermès Emerald Green Crocodile Bangle Bracelet Cuff 3HER1106By HermèsLocated in Dix hills, NYMeasurements: Length: 3 " Width: .5 " Height: 2 " OVERALL GOOD minus CONDITION ( 6.75/10 or B- ) Accessories: None Signs of Wear: Metal Exterior: Minor Scratches Interior: Some F...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Other
- Roberto Cavalli Pink and Gold Leather Key Holder, Fob, or Purse CharmBy Roberto CavalliLocated in Tustin, CAStriking and unusual, hand made in Italy, designer Roberto Cavalli, leather key holder, key chain, or purse charm in beautiful shades of pink and metallic gold. Accent that special ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Other
- Hermes Silver Tone Elephant Cadena Charm Pendant Collectible Limited 1992By HermèsLocated in 'S-HERTOGENBOSCH, NLAccessorizing with a classic Hermes pendant is a splendid idea! Adding a distinctive touch like a silver tone pendant not only enhances the elegance of your Hermes bag but also showc...Category
1990s French Other
- Chanel N°5 Factory Collection Limited Edition The Body Oil & Hair NewBy ChanelLocated in 'S-HERTOGENBOSCH, NLLimited Edition for collectors. Very hard to find. Chanel's Factory 5 collection is here, and it's another reason why I'm so in love with the brand. Chanel has a long history of t...Category
2010s French Other
- Louis Vuitton X Virgil Abloh Neon Monogram Skateboard, 2022By Louis VuittonLocated in Miami Beach, FLLouis Vuitton x Virgil Abloh Neon Monogram Skateboard, 2022 This is an authentic Louis Vuitton Neon Monogram Skateboard. Limited Edition f...Category
2010s Other
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
You Saw It at the Met Ball. Here’s What Camp Fashion Is Really About
This year's Costume Institute exhibition is all about embracing the eccentric.
The Met’s Latest Blockbuster Tells a Powerful Story through 230 Jewels
A captivating show at the Manhattan museum explores how jewelry has ornamented the body through the millennia — and redefines it as high art.