Fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli was born on September 10, 1890, in Rome, Italy. She passed away on November 13, 1973. She grew up in a wealthy family with an archaeologist father and an aristocratic mother. In 1914, she married the London theosophist William de Kerrol, and accompanied him to the United States when he moved there for work. They settled in Greenwich, where she became acquainted with artists such as Man Ray and Marcel Duchamp. After divorcing her husband in 1922, she moved to Paris and worked in the fashion industry. Her talent was eventually discovered by Paul Poiret, and she began her career as a designer. In 1927, she opened a small boutique at 20 Université. It was there that she unveiled her first collection, "Display No. 1." In one of her pieces, the "Bow Knot Sweater," she used an optical illusion technique to knit a design resembling a tie. This piece was featured in Vogue, garnering attention not only from Europe but also from the United States. She continued to produce avant-garde pieces, including the "Aeroplane," inspired by the all-metal Boeing 247's launch, the "Zipper Dress," which emphasized zippers, and "News Fashion," featuring newspaper pages printed on fabric. She continued to produce graphic and playful pieces, including the "Shoe Hat," modeled after a high heel, and the perfume "Shocking," whose bottle resembled Hollywood actress Mae West's figure. The vibrant pink color she frequently used in her work soon became established in Paris, eventually becoming known as "shocking pink." Meanwhile, her connections with artists she had known since her time in the United States intensified, and it was around this time that her work began to be influenced by surrealism. Her signature work is a collection incorporating designs by painter Salvador Dali. This collaboration saw Schiaparelli produce a number of works that were considered sensational at the time, such as the "skeleton dress," in which quilting made ribs and spines stand out. With the outbreak of World War II, Schiaparelli emigrated to the United States. After the war, she resumed her career in Paris, but retired in 1954. Her fashion house also closed, but in 2007, the Tod's Group acquired it and revived it. Christian Lacroix presented a couture collection in honor of her achievements in the 2013-14 Autumn/Winter season. Marco Zanini currently serves as creative director.