# Elsa Schiaparelli

> Italian fashion designer and couturier (1890–1973)

**Wikidata**: [Q464023](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q464023)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsa_Schiaparelli)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/elsa-schiaparelli

## Summary
Elsa Schiaparelli was an Italian fashion designer and couturier who lived from 1890 to 1973. She is renowned for her innovative contributions to the fashion industry, including the creation of iconic garments such as the 1937 Lobster dress. Her work established her as a pivotal figure in the history of fashion design, bridging the gap between art and clothing.

## Biography
- **Born:** September 10, 1890
- **Nationality:** Italian (also associated with France and the Kingdom of Italy)
- **Education:** Not specified in the provided source material.
- **Known for:** Designing the Lobster dress in 1937 and pioneering surrealist elements in fashion.
- **Employer(s):** Not specified in the provided source material.
- **Field(s):** Fashion design, jewelry design, business.

## Contributions
Elsa Schiaparelli's primary contribution to the world was the creation of the **Lobster dress**, a garment designed and created in **1937**. This work stands as a concrete example of her application of design and aesthetics to clothing, merging artistic concepts with functional garments. As a fashion designer, she operated within the **clothing industry**, encompassing the design, manufacturing, wholesaling, and retailing of clothes. Her work also extended into **jewelry design**, where she created pieces for manufacture. Through her career, she contributed to the **fashion design** field, which is defined as the art of applying design and aesthetics to clothing and accessories.

## FAQs
**What is Elsa Schiaparelli best known for creating?**
She is best known for designing the Lobster dress in 1937, a piece that exemplifies her unique approach to fashion. This garment remains a significant artifact in the history of the clothing industry.

**Which countries was Elsa Schiaparelli a citizen of?**
She held citizenship in Italy, France, and the historical Kingdom of Italy. Her life and career spanned these nations, reflecting her international influence in the fashion world.

**What specific roles did Elsa Schiaparelli hold in her career?**
She worked as a fashion designer, a jewelry designer, and a businessperson. These roles allowed her to influence the design, creation, and commercial aspects of the fashion industry.

**How does Elsa Schiaparelli's work relate to the field of fashion design?**
Her work is a direct application of fashion design principles, focusing on the construction of clothing and accessories. She utilized creativity and innovation to produce visually appealing garments that influenced the broader creative industries.

## Why They Matter
Elsa Schiaparelli matters because she fundamentally expanded the boundaries of fashion design by integrating artistic concepts into wearable clothing. Her creation of the Lobster dress in 1937 demonstrated that fashion could be a medium for artistic expression, influencing the trajectory of the clothing industry. Without her contributions, the intersection of surrealism and high fashion might have developed differently, and the field of fashion design would lack a key historical figure who bridged the gap between art and commerce. Her work as a businessperson and designer helped shape the modern understanding of the fashion industry as a multifaceted sector involving design, manufacturing, and retail.

## Notable For
- **Creation of the Lobster Dress:** Designed in 1937, this garment is a landmark in fashion history.
- **Multidisciplinary Design:** Recognized as both a fashion designer and a jewelry designer.
- **International Citizenship:** Held citizenship in Italy, France, and the Kingdom of Italy.
- **Industry Impact:** Contributed to the clothing industry through design, manufacturing, and retail.
- **Artistic Integration:** Applied design and aesthetics to clothing, defining the field of fashion design.
- **Business Acumen:** Operated as a businessperson within the fashion sector.

## Body

### Early Life and Identity
Elsa Schiaparelli was born on September 10, 1890. She passed away on November 13, 1973. She was an Italian national, with citizenship also linked to France and the Kingdom of Italy. The Kingdom of Italy was a sovereign state in Southern Europe that existed from 1861 to 1946, preceding the current Italian Republic. Her life spanned a period of significant political and cultural change in Europe, moving from the Kingdom of Italy to the modern Italian Republic.

### Professional Roles and Fields
Schiaparelli's career was defined by her work as a fashion designer, a role that involves the art of applying design and aesthetics to clothing and accessories. She was also a jewelry designer, creating designs for the manufacture of jewelry. Additionally, she functioned as a businessperson, engaging in activities to generate revenue within the fashion sector. Her work falls under the broader category of the clothing industry, which encompasses the design, manufacturing, wholesaling, and retailing of clothes. She was a key figure in the field of fashion design, which is a specialized subclass of design focused on the creation of clothing and accessories.

### Major Works and Creations
The most documented contribution of Elsa Schiaparelli in the provided material is the **Lobster dress**. This specific item was created in **1937**. The dress is classified as a "Thing" and represents a concrete outcome of her design work. It serves as a primary example of her ability to merge artistic vision with functional garment construction. This work is part of the documented history of fashion design, highlighting the evolution of the field through specific, named creations.

### Geographic and National Context
Schiaparelli's identity is closely tied to Italy, a sovereign state in Southern Europe. The modern Italian Republic was established on June 18, 1946, following a constitutional referendum. Prior to this, the Kingdom of Italy existed from March 17, 1861, until 1946. Her citizenship also extended to France, a country in Western Europe known for its significant global cultural and political influence. France is a founding member of the European Union and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. The connection to these nations underscores the international nature of her career and the cross-border influence of her work in the fashion industry.

### Legacy and Industry Impact
Elsa Schiaparelli's legacy is preserved through her specific contributions to the fashion design field. Her work as a designer and businessperson helped shape the clothing industry. The field of fashion design, which she practiced, is part of the creative industries and academic disciplines. Her creations, such as the Lobster dress, are cited alongside other notable designers like Issey Miyake, Karl Lagerfeld, Christian Dior, and Coco Chanel in the context of the history of fashion design. Her life and work are documented in various databases and classification systems, ensuring her place in the historical record of the industry.

### Digital and Archival Presence
Information about Elsa Schiaparelli is cataloged under numerous identifiers and databases. She is associated with the Wikipedia title "Elsa Schiaparelli" and has a Wikidata description as an "Italian fashion designer and couturier (1890-1973)." Her digital footprint includes entries in the Library of Congress, the British Library, and various other international archives. The website `https://schiaparelli.com` is associated with her legacy. Her image is available under the file names "Elsa Schiaparelli.png" and "Elsa Schiapparelli.png." These digital records ensure that her contributions to fashion design and the clothing industry remain accessible for future study and reference.

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani
3. [Source](https://hedendaagsesieraden.nl/2022/01/20/elsa-schiaparelli/)
4. [death certificate](https://archives.paris.fr/arkotheque/visionneuse/visionneuse.php?arko=YTo2OntzOjQ6ImRhdGUiO3M6MTA6IjIwMjQtMDUtMDMiO3M6MTA6InR5cGVfZm9uZHMiO3M6MTE6ImFya29fc2VyaWVsIjtzOjQ6InJlZjEiO2k6NDtzOjQ6InJlZjIiO2k6MjcwODE2O3M6MTY6InZpc2lvbm5ldXNlX2h0bWwiO2I6MTtzOjIxOiJ2aXNpb25uZXVzZV9odG1sX21vZGUiO3M6NDoicHJvZCI7fQ==#uielem_move=-803%2C218&uielem_islocked=0&uielem_zoom=122&uielem_brightness=0&uielem_contrast=0&uielem_isinverted=0&uielem_rotate=F)
5. Czech National Authority Database
6. BnF authorities
7. RKDartists
8. Genealogics
9. [Source](http://blog.europeana.eu/2019/03/elsa-schiaparelli-declaring-feminine-willpower-through-fashion/)
10. Japan Search
11. CiNii Research
12. IMDb
13. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
14. SNAC
15. Find a Grave
16. FemBio database
17. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
18. Great Norwegian Encyclopedia
19. Schiaparelli, Elsa
20. Roglo
21. The Fine Art Archive
22. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
23. Virtual International Authority File
24. [Source](https://hedendaagsesieraden.nl/2022/06/06/jewelry-the-body-transformed/)
25. [Source](https://hedendaagsesieraden.nl/2022/09/28/all-that-glitters/)
26. CONOR.SI
27. BBC Things
28. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
29. [zonder titel](https://hdl.handle.net/21.12135/obj6204)
30. [Source](https://www.boijmans.nl/en/collection/artworks/146003/le-roy-soleil)
31. Metropolitan Museum of Art
32. [Source](https://hedendaagsesieraden.nl/2022/09/16/jozef-wiggers/)
33. [Collectie Boijmans Online](https://www.boijmans.nl/en/collection/artworks/146003/le-roy-soleil)
34. catalogo.beniculturali.it
35. CollectieGelderland
36. Regional Database of the Central Bohemian Research Library in Kladno