PFW: The Multitudes Of The Schiaparelli Ladies

Since introducing a ready-to-wear offering last year, Daniel Roseberry has done what few people would’ve believed was possible: brought the madcap wonder of Elsa Schiaparelli’s world to the, I use this term loosely, ‘everyday’ woman, without diluting the maison’s allure. And if his Fall/Winter 2024 collection is anything to go by, he’s only just getting started.

Suiting kicked off the show at Place Vendôme in Paris, with a marle grey two-piece look—sans bra or shirt—in a much more relaxed silhouette than we’re used to seeing. But house motifs were found upon a closer look; in tape measure embroidery along the lapel, gilded buttons and mini keyhole cut-outs. Schiaparelli for the office? Who would’ve thought?

A brand that has garnered a cult following for its formidable founder and exceptionally worthy successor, the strength of Roseberry’s eye is evident in the way ready-to-wear does not feel like an inhibited alter-ego of his couture work but rather an extension that contributes to a more holistic picture.

With no major celebrities in sight for the front row, it makes sense that Roseberry was taking a different approach this season. As he told an outlet before the show, the American designer takes cues from what the women in his life actually want to wear.

Nods to his Texan upbringing were also in plaited faux hair ties, riding caps, gold-capped cowboy points and Jockey-like silhouettes. Elsewhere, a ribbed skirt and sleeveless turtleneck co-ord appeared first as leather and refined long-sleeve dresses imprinted with anatomical ribs, a puffer jacket with ‘abs’ and sleek sets rendered in acid-wash denim offers the tongue-in-cheek wit appreciated by Schiaparelli woman, in prêt-à-porter form.

“What they want from us is still this humour, this creativity, but made effortless,” he said, adding elsewhere that this expansion sets out to touch other parts of his customer’s lives. “You need to be able to think about the everydayness of the brand as well. Not just the extraordinary moments.”

After all, people, not even Elsa Schiaparelli herself, don’t just exist in couture. They exist in their errands, going out to dinner, taking out the trash and beyond. And though much of the luxury clientele might delegate these tasks—or, at least, save the Schiaparelli for special occasions—a brand that doesn’t think about the dualities of its customers is doomed to disappoint. One of the few designers who can keep up the fantasy of fashion in trying times, Roseberry certainly does not disappoint. In fact, even when pieces still err on the inaccessible to us laymen, something still speaks to us.

This story first appeared on GRAZIA International.