08/08/2026
Finally made it to the Schiaparelli Exhibition at the V and A and one of the dresses by the current designer, Daniel Roseberry, stopped me in my tracks - well, rather in my meandering, through this wonderful extravaganza. In an earlier post I mentioned that my father was a fashion designer (women’s) before joining my mother in Elaine Phillips Antiques. In 1958 he designed my mother’s wedding dress seen in the first image of their wedding day at the Queen’s Hotel in Leeds. Fast forward to 2026 - hey presto! The hunt for this black and white photograph which I knew from many previous viewings, took me down the rabbit hole that is our family hoard of photographs from four generations. My father, practically on his own, at the Trevi Fountain before influencers and the now imposed charge! The cup he won at Leeds College aged 18 for fashion design. His design book from that time. Him as a well turned out toddler. With his father who was also in the rag trade as a pattern cutter in Leeds. My grandpa looking very dapper with his best friend. With my grandma circa the 1920’s/30’s. And so back to the exhibition - I was struck by how many designs have been reproduced over the years in similar forms and are eminently wearable. The boots - so reminiscent of designs the 20th/21st century. The creations of today’s Schiaparelli - works of art - but the one I coveted and stupidly didn’t photograph was a navy blue opera coat with a simple sequin collar - perfection.
