Shocking Life - Elsa Schiaparelli
SCHIAPARELLI, Elsa. Shocking Life. London: J.M. Dent & Sons, 1954.
First British edition. The autobiography and the famous couturière. Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973) was one of the leading and most innovative fashion designers of the 1920s and 1930s. Her interest in surrealism led to numerous collaborations with artists like Berard, Jean Cocteau, Salvador Dali, Vertes, Van Dongen; and with photographers like Hoyningen Huene, Horst, Cecil Beaton and Man Ray. Schiaparelli dressed the most glamorous women of the era, from movie stars like Greta Garbo, Katharine Hepburn and Mae West, to royalty, most famously the Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson.
'Rome, Paris, New York, London, Moscow, Dublin, Hollywood, Bahia, royalty, politicians, artists, models, authors, film stars, social beauties, industrial magnates, land- and sea-scapes of sunshine and dreams - and her private family and friends - such is the kaleidoscope of her pages under the glittering searchlight of her incisive memory. The ensemble is that rare creation, a book which boldly reveals to its readers the hopes and ambitions, the successes and failures, the loves and hates and inner struggles of the sensitive human soul of a great artist.' (from the blurb).
pp. x, 230; 4 colour plates, b/w illustrations, tail pieces. Pictures by Picasso, Drian and Bérard, who also drew the tailpieces.
8vo, original Schiaparelli’s trademark ‘shocking pink’ cloth. Endpapers browned. Previous owner’s inscription to front endpaper. A very good copy in matching shocking pink dust-jacket (some edge-wear, a few short tears and chips with slight loss to spine ends and to top forecorner).
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