FASHION reactivator

Marco Zanini for Elsa Schiaparelli

... that was quick (and a little surprising, too): Marco Zanini, who we learned last week is to be replaced with Alessandro dell'Acqua at the helm of Rochas, will be the new creative director of Schiaparelli.

Elsa Schiaparelli by Christian Lacroix,
presented during Haute Couture week in July 2013, photo: ParisVienne

Now, this appointment also puts an end to seasons and seasons of speculations regarding the creative vision that was to be adopted for the relaunch of the "belle au bois dormant" that was Elsa Schiaparelli's fashion brand. 

Surrealism it was ...

Diego della Valle, who is the mastermind behind all this, did take his time before making up his mind as to who would head his freshly revived high fashion brand - and there was quite a bit of name dropping before Zanini's definite appointment. In the course of these past few years we heard of Giles Deacon, Gareth Pugh, maybe even Peter Pilotto or Marios Schwab as "potential" designers for Schiaparelli.

Elsa Schiaparelli herself, as seen by Christian Lacroix.
Part of the Schiaparelli presentation in July, photo: ParisVienne

Monsieur Christian Lacroix, who presented a very faithful, surrealist and rather "museum piece/theatrical costume" Haute Couture collection for Schiaparelli could hardly be considered a serious choice in the long run (Lacroix has shifted the centre of his attention from fashion to theatre, or so we hear). 

Marco Zanini, who has been doing rather well (if a bit puffily) at Rochas over the past few years definitely belongs to a different league of fashion designers as he has shown his ability (and readiness) to familiarise himself with a creative legacy that is being handed over to him (I could find out for myself when I talked to him about his new post at Rochas, back in 2009).

What remains there to say but that I am much looking forward to Zanini's first Haute Couture collection for Schiaparelli in January and I definitely wish him the best of luck for his new task ...

TETE DE LION

... sorry guys, but I just HAVE to do this... After learning from Anne that for some, these cardboard cards replace status symbols like expensive cars and fluffy fur coats. Anne's words were of course inspired by Bryan Grey Yambao (as we now know). Now then, here comes mine, skilfully staged on a Parisian flocati carpet.

That said, it doesn't "count" the same way as BB's of course, because I wasn't invited as the author of this much ignored blog (ha, that would be fun!).

Anyhow, another thing I'm always asking myself when I get this kind of very elaborate show invitations: *who* is in charge of the beautiful hand-writing. Chanel, but also Dolce & Gabbana or Louis Vuitton invitations are always written in a very beautiful calligraphy. Maybe there is one little clerk sitting in an office all year who gets to write all the invitations when fashion week is on? Or maybe there is a hand-writing agency somewhere in Paris, or Milan?

Maybe someone knows ? ...



edit: So that's what the "tête de lion" was all about. The collection remained largely devoid of lion symbols, though.