3 min readOn Schiaparelli, the love of fashion, and fear of death
This might sound weird/amazing to some, but I need to wear Schiaparelli before I die.
In my existential post about career choices, I shamefully missed on mentioning a field I love. Fashion. Duh. Rightfully, you might be questioning me here: “If you forgot, is it really that big of an interest?”. Yas, yas it is. In my current battle with generalized anxiety, and occasionally depression, it’s tragically easy to forget what you love. You feel me?
Fashion fascinates me like nothing else. Not to say that my other passions fascinate me less, just not the way the art of clothes does – an art form that is at the same time elusive as it is louder than a baby screaming.
In another previous post where I discuss Oliver Burkeman’s brilliant book on time management, the theme of mortality has a voice. As much as I do my best to apply these lessons, thoughts of the future sometimes prevail. My relationship to death isn’t exactly enlightened. Like most, I fear it. There are many reasons why I feel this way. At the core of it, I love life too much. I love my people too much. It’s hard not to fear something that would take all of this away, despite all trials and tribulations.
Fashion is an essential part of (my) life
Talking to a close friend yesterday, I finally gave voice to something that gives me anxiety. Full disclosure! In fearing death, I worry that I’ll die before I ever get to wear even just one outfit from designers I love. The underlying desire here is to get closer to the mind of these amazing creators, have them trust me with their works of art and, occasionally, have a cocktail together while strutting. Basically what Florence Pugh is doing with the heartwarming genius Pierpaolo Piccioli, creative director at Maison Valentino.
If there was one fashion house on my bucket list, it would absolutely doubtlessly be the French couture house Schiaparelli. Founded by Elsa Schiaparelli in 1927, it has left many historical marks on the world of fashion through surrealistic and bold designs. Her creations redefined how clothes were made and what they expressed. Elsa Schiaparelli had a unique vision as much as she was a dedicated collaborator, drawing great inspiration from surrealism and its visionaries. Her BFF days with Salvador Dali resulted in legendary pieces like the lobster dress and the Shoe Hat.
Dramatic much? Not when you genuinely love fashion. When I look at the beautiful creations that by some alien magic flow out of Schiaparelli’s current creative director Daniel Roseberry, I can’t help feeling anxious. Because of how much I want to get closer to them, and how unlikely it feels that I ever will. The thought of never getting to wear a piece like this makes me sad.
I’m perfectly aware of how privileged of a feeling this is. But it’s there. The prospect of death brings with it the pain of saying forever goodbye to loved ones, and to simple joys like drinking tea and swimming at sunset – needless to say, the idea of those losses cuts the deepest. But it doesn’t take away that Schiaparelli and Valentino and Christian Siriano move my soul – they will always be on my bucket list. Well, “always”. It would break my fashion heart if I never got there.
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