July 1, 2019 |
Daniel Roseberry is a poetic soul. The new designer at Schiaparelli believes modern couture should be an artistic endeavour governed by the uninhibited creativity of a child. So said the charming essay he left on everyone’s seat ahead of his first show for the brand. He designed this debut collection in seven weeks from New York, where he’d spent ten years working with Thom Browne. No surprises then to see the show open with impeccably tailored, menswear-inspired jackets some adorned with ropes of crystal.
From there came a parade of exuberant cocktail looks, in rainbow tinsel and swagged electric blue satin. Then the grand gowns with a hint of the avant-garde: there were ruby-encrusted bandeaus worn with vast ball skirts and a pink finale dress with extravagant volumes created by suspending light-as-air fabric on internal wires. The Schiaparelli archive featured lightly – crystal shell bra-cups for a fishtail gown. The mood was more new broom than heritage chic. Roseberry’s Schiaparelli is about arty, party dresses for modern girls.
Photographs by Jason Lloyd-Evans
