Schiaparelli Exhibition Review | Costume Designer's Perspective — PATRICK JACK DESIGNS COSTUME DESIGNER / STYLIST LONDON

Why Schiaparelli Still Inspires Me: A Visit to the V&A

An afternoon with Elsa Schiaparelli and Daniel Roseberry.

There are few things I enjoy more than wandering around a museum with absolutely nowhere else to be.

No deadlines. No fittings. No production meetings. Just time to look, absorb and become inspired.

Whenever I travel, or even when I have a rare free afternoon in London, I almost always end up in a museum or gallery. It's one of the places where I feel my creativity gets quietly refuelled. Inspiration rarely arrives when you're actively searching for it. More often than not, it finds you while you're standing in front of something extraordinary.

This week, that moment happened at the Schiaparelli exhibition. Myself and the Glam Squad from Taskmaster ( My Chrissie, Jane, Pippa & Sara) gathered in sunny West London for Artsy afternoon and catch-up.(let me tell you, when you all work in Film & TV - it can be incredibly hard to align schedules - but we did it!)

Walking through the exhibition felt like stepping inside someone else's imagination. It wasn't simply a display of beautiful clothes—it was a celebration of fearless creativity. From the very beginning, Elsa Schiaparelli challenged what fashion could be. She blurred the lines between fashion, art and storytelling in a way that still feels remarkably modern almost a century later.

What fascinated me most was seeing the evolution of the house itself. The exhibition beautifully charted the journey from Elsa Schiaparelli's original vision through to Daniel Roseberry's contemporary interpretation. Rather than simply recreating the past, Roseberry has managed to honour her legacy while bringing his own perspective to the brand. It never felt like two separate stories. Instead, it felt like one continuous conversation across generations.

As a costume designer, that's something I really admire.

Fashion shouldn't sit still.

It should evolve, surprise us and occasionally make us question what we're looking at.

That's exactly what Schiaparelli has always done.

One thing that has always drawn me to Elsa Schiaparelli's work is her obsession with detail. Every embellishment, embroidery and silhouette felt intentional. There was humour hidden in her work. A little absurdity. A touch of theatre. Nothing existed purely because it looked pretty—it all contributed to a much bigger story.

As someone who spends their life telling stories through costume, that really resonates with me.

The exhibition also reminded me just how fearless she was as a collaborator. Her work with Salvador Dalí remains some of the most iconic fashion ever created. Together they produced garments that felt closer to surrealist artworks than traditional couture. The famous Lobster Dress, the Skeleton Dress and the Shoe Hat are perfect examples of what happens when different creative worlds collide.

Those collaborations continue to inspire creative industries today.

It's something I often think about when working with directors, photographers, production designers, hair and makeup artists. The strongest ideas rarely belong to one person. They happen when talented people bring completely different perspectives together.

Something else that struck me while walking around the exhibition was remembering that Elsa Schiaparelli never followed the traditional route into fashion. She didn't attend one of the great fashion schools or train through the conventional couture system. Instead, she found her own way, driven by curiosity, instinct and an incredible imagination.

I find that hugely inspiring.

In a creative industry, it's easy to believe there's only one path to success—that you need the right qualifications, the right contacts or the perfect career plan. Schiaparelli's story reminds us that creativity doesn't always follow a straight line. Sometimes the most original ideas come from people who aren't afraid to ask different questions or approach things from an entirely new perspective.

Perhaps that's why her work still feels so fresh today. She wasn't constrained by what fashion was supposed to be. She simply created what fascinated her.

As someone who works across costume design, styling and creative direction, I think that's a lesson worth holding onto. Some of the most exciting projects I've been involved with have happened because people from different creative backgrounds came together, each bringing their own way of thinking. Originality often comes from looking beyond your own discipline, staying curious and giving yourself permission to experiment.

For me, that's one of the biggest takeaways from the Schiaparelli exhibition. Creativity isn't about following someone else's blueprint—it's about having the confidence to create your own.

Another aspect that fascinated me was Schiaparelli's approach to textiles. She constantly experimented with materials, embroidery and surface decoration, pushing craftsmanship into entirely new territory. Looking closely at the garments, you begin to appreciate not just the design, but the extraordinary number of skilled hands required to bring each piece to life.

It's a reminder that true luxury isn't simply about expensive materials.

It's about imagination.

It's about craftsmanship.

It's about people.

I left the exhibition feeling exactly as I hope to whenever I visit a museum—not wanting to recreate what I'd seen, but wanting to create something new because of it.

That's why I still visit museums.

Not to copy.

Not to research.

But to remind myself that creativity has no limits when you're willing to take risks.

If you're ever looking for inspiration, don't immediately scroll Pinterest or Instagram.

Go somewhere that makes you slow down.

You never know what idea might be waiting for you.

Did You Know?

Elsa Schiaparelli (1890–1973) was one of the most influential fashion designers of the 20th century and a leading figure in Surrealist fashion.
She was one of the first designers to collaborate closely with artists, most famously Salvador Dalí, but also Jean Cocteau and Alberto Giacometti.
Her signature colour, "Shocking Pink," became so iconic that it was trademarked and is still synonymous with the Schiaparelli brand today.
The famous Lobster Dress (1937), designed with Dalí, remains one of the most recognisable dresses in fashion history.
Schiaparelli was an innovator in textile development, experimenting with synthetic fabrics, unusual embellishments, zips as decorative features and unexpected materials long before they became mainstream.
After closing in 1954, the House of Schiaparelli was revived in 2012. Since 2019, Creative Director Daniel Roseberry has led the brand into a remarkable new era, creating couture that honours Elsa's bold imagination while introducing it to a new generation.

📍 Currently on My Radar

Museum:The Schiaparelli exhibition—an unforgettable celebration of fashion, art and imagination.

Book: Shocking Life by Elsa Schiaparelli. Her autobiography offers a fascinating insight into the mind behind the designs.

Listening To: A relaxed jazz playlist in the studio. Perfect for sketching and slowing down.

Creative Prompt: The next time you visit a museum, don't ask yourself "Do I like this?" Instead ask, "Why does this make me feel something?" The answer might surprise you.

Enjoyed this post?

If you like costume design, fashion history, museum discoveries, behind-the-scenes stories and creative inspiration, I'd love to have you along for the journey.

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And if you've visited the exhibition yourself, I'd love to hear what caught your eye.

Stay in the Spot.

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