The Schiaparelli Boutique opened in 1935:
The Schiap Boutique, the very first of its kind, has since been copied not only by all the great Paris couturiers but the idea has spread all over the world, especially in Italy.
It became instantaneously famous because of the formula of 'ready to be taken away immediately'. There were useful and amusing gadgets afire with youth. There were evening sweaters, skirts, blouses and accessories previously scorned by the haute couture.(From Shocking Life: The Autobiography of Elsa Schiaparelli)
Shocking Life is the unconventional autobiography of an unconventional woman. It's full of anecdotes and stories (including a rather hectic account of Schiaparelli's wartime adventures!) On the flip side Shocking Life is a bit lacking in dates and details—so you mostly get Schiaparelli's impressions of events, not the whens, wheres and whys they happened. (Schiaparelli also has a rather confusing habit of dropping in and out of the third person in the course of her narrative, typically referring to herself as 'Schiap'!)Because of this, it's not the best book to read if you're looking for an insider's view of the fashion industry. However, it does contain plenty about Schiaparelli's approach to fashion, including her account of creating her original trompe l'oeil jumper, and descriptions of her disagreements with the Chambre syndicale de la haute couture parisienne. (Surprisingly, she agreed with her arch-rival Chanel about the positive benefits of being copied, and the futility of trying to prevent design piracy.) On the whole this is a fast-paced and entertaining read, if not a deep and analytical piece of writing.
Shocking Life: The Autobiography of Elsa Schiaparelli
ISBN: 9781851775156
V&A Publications, 2007
First published by J.M. Dent & Sons in 1954
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