Elsa Schiaparelli
was born into a wealthy Roman family. She was a difficult child to
manage, always wanting to be noticed, which often involved dangerous
antics. Although young girls from well-to-do families were expected
to find husbands to take care of them, Elsa again went her own way
choosing to marry a charming conman, Dr. Kerlov, although he used
several other names. The marriage didn't survive, but learning to
live by her wits gave Elsa skills she needed to succeed in the
competitive world of couture fashion.
This is a
wonderfully comprehensive biography of Elsa from her early years
through her success in the couture business and into her old age. My
favorite parts were her early years getting insight into how her
youthful development led to her ability to succeed in a difficult
world. I also enjoyed the descriptions of her fashion experiments.
There is no question that she was extremely creative, using feathers
and man-made fabrics that other designers eschewed and making them a
sensation. The pictures in the book are abundant and do a good job of
showing her creations. It's much easier to understand the scope of
her work when you can look at the dresses.
Several parts of the
book become rather gossipy, particularly the end. I enjoyed learning
about her friends and lovers and how she teamed up with artists of
the era, but it's a long book and the gossip became a bit tedious.
If you're interested
in fashion, or in how the 30's were affected by the coutures, this is
an excellent resource.
I reviewed this book
for the Amazon Vine Program.
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