ST. PETERSBURG, FLA– Delight in the daring and irreverent works of two celebrated artists when Dalí and Schiaparelli opens at The Dalí, in St. Petersburg, FL on October 18, 2017. The exhibit – presented in collaboration by The Dalí Museum and Schiaparelli Paris – will feature haute couture gowns and accessories, jewelry, paintings, drawings, objects and photos, as well as new designs by Bertrand Guyon for Maison Schiaparelli. This will be the first exhibition dedicated to the creative relationship and works of Elsa Schiaparelli and Salvador Dalí – friends and collaborators that set Paris and the world ablaze with their groundbreaking visions.
Elsa Schiaparelli was regarded as the most prominent figure in fashion between the two World Wars. Her designs deliberately subverted traditional notions of women’s roles and beauty, embracing and exaggerating the transgressive nature of fashion. Schiaparelli explored bold Surrealistic themes in her designs, heavily influenced by artists, especially Dalí, with whom she often collaborated. The vibrant colors, experimental fabrics and elegant handmade decorations set her apart from other designers of the 1920s and 1930s. Some of the most notable clients for Schiaparelli’s haute couture designs included the Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson; heiress Daisy Fellowes; and actresses Mae West and Marlene Dietrich.
“We are honored to bring the vision and work of Elsa Schiaparelli to the Museum, not only as a collaborator-confidant of Dalí’s, but also as another example of a dynamic woman whose aesthetic and production constituted a cultural force,” said Dr. Hank Hine, Dalí Museum Executive Director. “Having recently opened the Frida Kahlo at The Dalí exhibition, which presents the painfully beautiful work of Frida Kahlo, we find a type of resonance between these two iconic women: they both reflected and influenced the times and social zeitgeist in which they lived and worked.”
Schiaparelli wrote that she “invented” her dresses, and the designs were known for their elegant and daring aesthetic combined with exquisite craftsmanship – a marriage of new ideas with traditional craft. Her designs were like the paintings of Dalí in that they combined renaissance precision with wild imagination and dreamlike visions. Their fashion and art both delighted and shocked the senses and that approach was a trademark of their collaborations; their works embodied a sense of freedom and possibility that enlivened popular culture during a tumultuous time.
In 1954, Schiaparelli closed her couture house and devoted herself to writing her autobiography – Shocking Life – written in the third-person, like Dalí’s own biography. After remaining quiescent for more than five decades, Maison Schiaparelli was reopened in 2012 at 21 Place Vendôme, the very place where Elsa Schiaparelli left it. Today, Schiaparelli continues the designer’s legacy by creating alluring and surprising designs for the Hollywood elite and private clients around the world. A selection of these new designs including fashion and jewelry pieces will be featured in the show.
The Dalí will be celebrating the exhibition with a grand fashion show and gala, bringing Paris chic to downtown St. Petersburg. The event will allow guests a glimpse into the secret world of haute couture. Held on Saturday October 14,2017, the black tie affair will begin with a fashion show featuring contemporary Schiaparelli designs followed by an elegant dinner reception. A more casual yet equally celebratory Sunday brunch will be held the following day. Tickets for both events are forthcoming; stay informed by registering for alerts at TheDali.org/Schiaparelli.
A variety of other events and programs will also accompany the show. Dalí and Schiaparelli will run through January 14, 2018, followed by the opening of Dalíand Duchamp, which premieres at The Dalí on Feb 10, 2018.
The Dalí and Schiaparelli exhibition will be accompanied by a catalog with essays by Dilys Blum, Curator of Costume and Textiles for the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Dalí Museum Curator of Exhibitions William Jeffett, Dalí Museum Director Hank Hine, and exhibition consultant John William Barger III.
The exhibition is organized by The Dalí, St. Petersburg FL in collaboration with Schiaparelli, Paris with loans from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum and others.
Images
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ABOUT THE DALÍ
The Dalí Museum, located in the heart of beautiful downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, is home to an unparalleled collection of Salvador Dalí art, featuring more than 2,000 works comprising nearly 100 oil paintings; over 100 watercolors and drawings; and 1,300 prints, photographs, sculptures and objets d’art.
The building is itself a work of art, featuring 1,062 triangular-shaped glass panels – the only structure of its kind in North America. Nicknamed The Enigma, it provides an unprecedented view of St. Petersburg’s picturesque waterfront. The Museum has attracted the world’s attention, and among the other distinguished awards it has received, it was listed by AOL Travel News as “one of the top buildings to see in your lifetime.”
The Dalí Museum is located at One Dalí Boulevard, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701. For additional information contact 727-823-3767 or visit TheDali.org.
ABOUT SCHIAPARELLI
Schiaparelli is a French couture house located 21 Place Vendôme in Paris, the very place where Elsa Schiaparelli had left it in 1954 when she decided to close it to write her autobiography Shocking Life.
Elsa Schiaparelli was the first designer to give a theme to her collections. She pioneered the fusion of art and fashion by collaborating with her artist friends such as Dalí and Cocteau. She invented shocking pink, the zipper in Haute Couture, trompe l’oeil garments, culottes and the newspaper print. Throughout her entire life, she has been an independent strong woman and a daring creative force pushing boundaries, building bridges between worlds that were previously not linked and anticipating more than once what would become mainstream culture.
Today Schiaparelli’s unique spirit of Haute Couture merging art, innovation, craftsmanship, quality and audacity enters a new chapter of its story. Created in 1927 by Elsa Schiaparelli, the house of Schiaparelli celebrates its 90th anniversary this year.
More information on Schiaparelli.com