Lions and Leopards and Wolves, Oh My!
Courtesy of CNN
Written By: Sidney Howell
The fashion house Schiaperelli has earned a reputation of being shocking and thought-provoking thanks to its new head designer, Daniel Roseberry, who breathed new life into the couture house. Schiaperelli’s spring/summer 2023 show lived up to this reputation, but caused a great deal of controversy as well.
Schiaperelli’s show was one of the first of Paris fashion week, which started on January 17th. Lining the front row was a myriad of stars, ranging from Kylie Jenner to Doja Cat. Kylie Jenner was decked out in a black gown with a faux lion’s head resting on her right shoulder, but Doja Cat stole the attention as she showed up bejeweled in over 30,000 red Swarovski crystals. Kylie Jenner’s dress, which was so fresh off the runway that Irina Shayk wore it in the show, became the center of controversy.
Images courtesy of Elle & Dezeen
Three lifelike animal heads were featured in the Schiaparelli show- a lion, leopard, and she-wolf- and grabbed the attention away from Roseberry’s other stunning creations. The three animals were representative of Dante’s Inferno, where Dante met these animals as he journeyed through the nine layers of Hell. These creations were not made from real animals, but rather were created from foam, resin, faux fur, and were hand painted. The animal heads received a firestorm of hate online, with people saying they glamorized trophy hunting. Others came to the defense of this design, with PETA stating that the animal heads were “fabulously innovative” and highlighted the beauty of animals.
Looking past these controversial designs, Schiaperelli’s show was filled with wonder and imagination. From elaborate breast plates made from mother of pearl, to whimsical capes, and silhouetted pinstripe suits, this show became larger than life. Roseberry and his team worked with other masters in order to design, sculpt, and adorn the collection. The rest of Roseberry’s designs also drew inspiration from Dante’s Inferno, with Roseberry conveying the trials and tribulations he has gone through in his own career; Roseberry said this show represents his “agony of wanting to surprise.” Above all, Roseberry wanted to connect to women and exaggerate their femininity. As Roseberry stated, “This is not like a couturier dressing women up like dolls. It’s more speaking about that feminine energy.”
Images courtesy of Insider