Elsa Schiaparelli’s simple measuring tape makes a poignant impact over the years.
Elsa Schiaparelli’s iconic measuring tape has long been a signature emblem of the Maison. Her omnipresent tool, significant in Schiaparelli’s work with Haute Couture, first appeared in her creations in 1937 on the bottle of her “Shocking” perfume.
The bottle was shaped like the hourglass torso of the actress Mae West for whom Schiaparelli had been designing for at the time, specifically for the star’s role in the film Every Day’s a Holiday. Unable to travel to the United States, a Paris-based Schiaparelli had West’s measurements converted into a bust that she was able to work with in her studio.
The Shocking fragrance’s bottle silhouette mimics the West-inspired mannequin body, along with the measuring tape draped across its shoulders.
Under the helm of Daniel Roseberry, the significance of the measuring tape persists in the spirit of Schiaparelli, often with a trompe l’oeil twist.
The tool is seen as the gilded embossed frame for leather goods, lining the edges of classic coin purses to impeccably crafted handbags. In other instances, the measuring tape takes form in embellishing and elevating the finite features of clothing, tracing the lapel of a jacket to show off the piece’s cut, or encircle the collar of the blouse, trailing down its attached ties.
In classic Schiaparelli form, the ordinary measuring tape is exalted into a clever code while defining the exquisite detail that has been synonymous with Schiaparelli for generations.
The bottle was shaped like the hourglass torso of the actress Mae West for whom Schiaparelli had been designing for at the time, specifically for the star’s role in the film Every Day’s a Holiday. Unable to travel to the United States, a Paris-based Schiaparelli had West’s measurements converted into a bust that she was able to work with in her studio.
The Shocking fragrance’s bottle silhouette mimics the West-inspired mannequin body, along with the measuring tape draped across its shoulders.
Under the helm of Daniel Roseberry, the significance of the measuring tape persists in the spirit of Schiaparelli, often with a trompe l’oeil twist.
The tool is seen as the gilded embossed frame for leather goods, lining the edges of classic coin purses to impeccably crafted handbags. In other instances, the measuring tape takes form in embellishing and elevating the finite features of clothing, tracing the lapel of a jacket to show off the piece’s cut, or encircle the collar of the blouse, trailing down its attached ties.
In classic Schiaparelli form, the ordinary measuring tape is exalted into a clever code while defining the exquisite detail that has been synonymous with Schiaparelli for generations.
