You needn’t have gotten an A in high school anatomy to appreciate the wildly unforgettable Schiaparelli Fall-Winter 2021 ready-to-wear collection. The French fashion house’s creative director, Daniel Roseberry, unveiled the label’s upcoming lineup on Monday, March 8, via a short film and a 35-piece lookbook. Prioritizing the couture brand’s “dedication to the unexpected, the risky, and the exuberant,” the designer presented silhouettes that pay tribute to the female figure, handbags decorated in gems that form the shape of a human face, and jewelry so bold that it nearly takes on a life of its own.
During Haute Couture week last January, the designer debuted sculpted body part-like silhouettes, à la Kim Kardashian’s couture Christmas outfit, but for the Fall 2021 season, breast and nipple embellishments reign supreme in the form of molded leather bralettes, gold-quilted leather breasts on a strapless dress, and a wool handbag baring a C-cup. “Elsa Schiaparelli believed that anatomy was not just a point of inspiration, but a playground,” Roseberry notes in a press release provided to GRAZIA USA. “I believe that as well. That combination, of wit and wonder, is what defined her work—I hope it defines mine as well.”
The styles predominantly come in shades of black, white, and navy. They’re what Roseberry calls “a series of uniforms that the wearer can embellish with as much (or as little) as she wants.” Nevertheless, Schiaparelli makes a strong case for going all out with jewelry and accessories. In the detail shots below, a model wears a somewhat uncanny molar-inspired ring on every finger. In another, a woman sports oversized padlock earrings (a tribute to the house’s codes). Perhaps the most epic piece of all is a gold ear-shaped phone case that we’re willing to bet will make its way to the top of every fashion lover’s wishlist.
In addition to the label’s play on human anatomy, there’s also a newly imagined version of the gold dove brooch Lady Gaga debuted on Inauguration Day. The accessory took the internet by storm (namely, for its similarities to The Hunger Games Mockingjay symbol), so it’s no major surprise that the pin weaves its way into the upcoming collection, as seen in Look 11 of the lookbook. Gaga’s version may have been practically as large as an actual dove, but Roseberry reimagined them in smaller, more wearable sizes for FW21.
Click through the gallery ahead for a look at the Schiaparelli FW21 collection in its entirety.
And experience the collection’s accompanying short film ahead.
