FASHION Magazine

Even in today’s highly experimental fashion arena, it seems like a fantasy that a shoe-shaped hat could ever be considered high fashion. That, however, was the fantastical world of Elsa Schiaparelli. A true original, “Schiap” was a dominant fashion force in the ’30s and ’40s, and was hailed as a genius by her contemporaries (a 1934 Time article listed her as even more influential than rival Coco Chanel). Best known for pioneering a sense of playfulness and whimsy in fashion, the Italian-born designer captured the time’s Surrealist zeitgeist in collaborations with artists Salvador Dalí and Jean Cocteau.

See some of Christian Lacroix’s best hits »

The year of Schiaparelli speculation has finally culminated with today’s announcement that Christian Lacroix will show a one-off couture collection for the brand this July. “Elsa is a sacred sphinx who will never cease to make us question things, all the while offering new puzzles by way of answers. My wish is to reinstate her at the centre of her fashion house and on the stage through which she seduced the world,” he told French news magazine L’Express today. For all those who were a little more than miffed over his own line’s demise in 2009, this might just be that match in designer heaven we can all agree on.

Known for his penchant for pure extravagance, Lacroix was long lauded as a titan of Paris Couture since his debut collection in 1987, though he was never quite able to capture ready-to-wear sustainability despite his many diffusion lines, prominence in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s and long-time cultural association with Absolutely Fabulous.

By Renee Reardin Heidi Klum is launching her first fragrance, appropriately(?) titled Shine. Meanwhile, Orlando Bloom replaces Miranda’s role in the modeling world while she’s on maternity leave. [E] Tod’s CEO, Diego Della Valle, has offered up the 25 million euro needed to renovate the Colosseum. After almost 2,000 years in business, we guess it […]

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