life:
Elsa Schiaparelli: Chanel’s Rival
She came to prominence in the same era as Coco Chanel, innovating new silhouettes and clothing details that would influence stylish women around the world. But Italian-born designer Elsa Schiaparelli is a name often forgotten, thanks to the struggles of her fashion house after World War II. Here, see more photos of the woman and her innovative work, from knitwear to culottes. Pictured: Schiaparelli in one of her own designs, 1937. You can’t see it here, but the jacket she wears is a bright shade of magenta she called “Shocking.”
Fun fact: Elsa Schiaparelli was the originator of the wedge, a shoe that only continues to grow in popularity.
