At Schiaparelli, a necklace is never just a piece of jewelry. Gold plays the leading role, and sculpted hands, eyes, or noses blur the line between fashion and art. Why do these anatomical fragments keep reappearing, and what do they say about the fashion house?
Elsa Schiaparelli loved the unexpected. In the 1930s, she collaborated with Salvador Dalí and Jean Cocteau, already sprinkling her collections with stylized ears, lips, and profiles. Her taste for visual playfulness has become a lasting part of the brand's DNA. When the fashion house was reborn inthe 21st century, these symbols reappeared as nods to its founder.
At Schiaparelli, gold metal is not just a simple plating. Daniel Roseberry, creative director since 2019, sees gold as a living material capable of rivaling the light of catwalks and museums. He covers earrings, necklaces, and clutches with it to recall Elsa's baroque audacity while modernizing her codes. In the Fall/Winter 2025-2026 collection, gold takes on a lighter feel, forming chandeliers that nestle stylized eyes and noses.
Why these details of our anatomy? First, because they embody the surrealist vision of the House of Schiaparelli. A hand resting on a collarbone becomes a protective gesture, an eye suspended from an ear evokes inner vigilance, a sculpted nose recalls the freedom to experience the world in one's own way. Roseberry emphasizes that each piece of jewelry is an organ, as essential as a heart or a lung. The result challenges the viewer: where does the body end and the ornament begin?
In addition to these golden body parts, there is the keyhole, a small oval opening designed by Elsa as a bag clasp, which has become a symbol of curiosity. Today, it appears on buttons, buckles, and pendants, suggesting that there is a mystery behind every outfit. This ongoing interplay of symbols creates a grammar that the brand adapts from season to season without ever repeating itself.
By punctuating its creations with iconic motifs, Schiaparelli creates an instant mythology. The jewelry is not merely decorative: it tells a story of courage, lucidity, and curiosity. To wear an eye is to promise to see; to slip on a hand is to promise to act. Gold serves as a binding agent: it gives these little fables the sparkle of a talisman that you slip into the hollow of your heart and that the world immediately recognizes.
These anatomical fragments recur because they remind us that creation only has meaning in relation to the person wearing it. At Schiaparelli, each piece of jewelry is a visible piece of the soul, a small proof that the body and mind are still in dialogue. Far from being a silent luxury, gold becomes the living language of this vision: it captures the light to better express our share of mystery and audacity.
