Rare Elsa Schiaparelli Documented Surrealist Lady Bug Cuff Bracelet
About the Item
- Creator:
- Metal:
- Dimensions:Height: 1.5 in (38.1 mm)Width: 1.5 in (38.1 mm)Diameter: 2.63 in (66.81 mm)
- Style:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1930
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU4617792272
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: Riverdale, NY
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Victorian Mixed Metal Lily of the Valley BangleLocated in New York, NYVictorian Mixed Metal Lily of the Valley Bangle form the late 19th Century. Sterling bangle with applications of pink and green gold florals which are applied over the engraved desi...Category
Antique 1880s British Victorian Cuff Bracelets
Materials14k Gold, Silver
- French Gilt Ball Chain Wide Cuff BraceletLocated in New York, NYStriking French bright gilt ball chain wide cuff bracelet. Marked France. Excellent Condition. 1980's France. Length 7 3/8" x Width 2.25".Category
Vintage 1980s French Cuff Bracelets
MaterialsGilt Metal
- Extraordinary Modernist Biomorphic Artisan CuffLocated in New York, NYWonderful and amazing Biomorphic Artisan Cuff, handmade in brass by a talented jeweler in the 1950's. This wonderful unsigned cuff was undoubtledly created by a very fine studio jeweler. The quality is extraordinary and the amazing design falls into Artist-Jeweler territory. When worn this piece transforms from every angle. Rendered in patinaed brass ( which we have left unpolished). Dimensional and sculptural like the tiered rice paddies of China or the undulating plateaus of Gibbings Mesa...Category
Vintage 1950s American Modernist Cuff Bracelets
MaterialsBrass
- Art Deco Carved Bakelite Clamper CuffLocated in New York, NYArt Deco Carved Bakelite Clamper Cuff from the 1930's. Hand carved black bakelite with ornate rose and leaf designs. Spring closure. 1.25" wide. Interior opening 2.25" x 1.65". 1930'...Category
Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Cuff Bracelets
- Hand hammered Cuffs, Claire Deve for Claude Montana AW 1981By Claire Deve for Claude MontanaLocated in New York, NYPair of Hand hammered cuffs by Claire Deve for Claude Montana. Handmade in brass with leather lacings. Designed to be worn on upper arm or wrist. Autumn Winter 1981 France. Excellent...Category
Vintage 1980s French Artisan Cuff Bracelets
MaterialsBrass, Gold Plate, Gilt Metal
- French Retro Aquamarine Paste CuffLocated in New York, NYUnusual French Retro Aquamarine Paste Hinged Cuff from the 1940's. 3 large curved links are set with aqua oval pastes in pierced settings. Marked France. Almost 2" wide by 7". 1940's...Category
Vintage 1940s French Retro Cuff Bracelets
MaterialsGilt Metal
- Shield Cuff Solid 18 Karat GoldBy Tinguely BijouxLocated in Boston, MAFluid and bold solid 18 karat gold cuff. Pairs with Shield Ring. Also available in Silver and White Gold by special order.Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Cuff Bracelets
Materials18k Gold, Gold
- Neha Dani Blue Moonstones, Diamonds Set in White Gold Aialik Cuff BraceletBy Neha DaniLocated in New York, NYThe Aialik Cuff Bracelet is created from 11 pieces of Custom cut Blue Moonstones with a total weight of 163 Carat along with 10.36 Carat Round Diamonds and set in 18K White Gold. Ne...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Contemporary Cuff Bracelets
MaterialsDiamond, Moonstone, Gold, 18k Gold
- Neha Dani Natural Baroque Pearl, Brown Diamonds, Rose Gold Karesa Cuff BraceletBy Neha DaniLocated in New York, NYThe Karesa Cuff Bracelet unfurls like a leaf to showcase an 8.98 Carat Natural Baroque Pearl, nestled in the core. 18.2 Carat Brown Diamonds accent the bracelet made of 18 K Rose Gold.Category
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Contemporary Cuff Bracelets
MaterialsBrown Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
- Neha Dani Tanzanite and Diamonds on Gold with Blue Rhodium Annali Cuff BraceletBy Neha DaniLocated in New York, NYAnnali Cuff Bracelet reflects the underwater with a 7.2 Carat Oval Tanzanite Cabochon and 6.5 Carat Full Cut Diamonds. The sculptural cuff by Neha Dani is made of 18K Gold and Custom...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Contemporary Cuff Bracelets
MaterialsDiamond, Tanzanite, Gold, 18k Gold, Rhodium
- Solid 14k Gold Cuff Bracelet: Triangle to Square TransformationBy Wesley Kloss Fine JewelryLocated in Cleveland, OHThe Flow Cuff Bracelet in solid 14k gold begins as a triangle and evolves into a square at its opposite end. This elegant bracelet can blend seamlessly into any style or become a bri...Category
2010s American Contemporary Cuff Bracelets
Materials14k Gold
- Solid White Gold Cuff Bracelet Flow Triangle to SquareBy Wesley Kloss Fine JewelryLocated in Cleveland, OHThe Flow Cuff Bracelet in solid 14k white gold begins as a triangle and evolves into a square at its opposite end. This elegant bracelet can blend seamlessly into any style or become...Category
2010s American Contemporary Cuff Bracelets
Materials14k Gold, White Gold
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.