Schiaparelli SS26 Haute Couture Unravels “The Agony and the Ecstasy”

Summary:

• Schiaparelli’s SS26 Haute Couture Collection, titled “The Agony and the Ecstasy,” drew inspiration from Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel
• Key looks included the “Scorpion Sisters” and Isabella Blowfish, alongside gowns with feathers, resin bird heads and reptilian motifs

Schiaparelli’s Spring/Summer 2026 Haute Couture collection, titled “The Agony and the Ecstasy,” was inspired by creative director Daniel Roseberry’s transformative visit to the Sistine Chapel. Moving away from a focus on how garments look, Roseberry centered the collection on how they feel, drawing on the wild, vulnerable and romantic energy found in Michelangelo’s work. This revelation informed the season’s heartbeat: couture not as a literal story, but as an invitation to experience sensation. The collection embraced reptilian and arachnid archetypes – scorpion tails, snake teeth, and chimera-like silhouettes – woven into explosive, gravity-defying forms that balanced technical rigor with unchained creativity.

Among the range, the “Scorpion Sisters” featured jackets and bustiers embroidered with 3D scorpion tails, while Isabella Blowfish reimagined the Elsa jacket in transparent crin, dusted with crystals and organza spikes. Other noteworthy looks included gowns layered with thousands of hand-painted feathers, trompe l’oeil bird heads sculpted in resin, and bustiers mimicking crocodile and alligator tails. Neon sfumato effects in orange, blue and green punctuated the collection, adding vibrancy to lace, tulle, and velvet constructions. Each look carried a “hook,” a distinct identity that underscored the maison’s theatrical approach to couture.

Accessories amplified the fantastical narrative, bristling with sculptural bird heads crafted from silk feathers, resin beaks, and pearl cabochon eyes. These elements paid homage to Elsa Schiaparelli’s fascination with animal life, while the recurring keyhole motif referenced the maison’s iconic codes. Notable looks also utilized extensive handwork, such as a crested bustier covered in 25,000 silk thread feathers and a gown requiring 8,000 hours of embroidery, underscoring the collection’s celebration of couture as a vehicle for pure fantasy.

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