Social,cultural And/or Other Influences

Question 1

Social influence

Answer 1

Schiaparelli was a spirited and confident women who was known to be with provisions of her parent’s wealth-making her of high social class (and rich). This in return enabled her to have relations with famous artists-due to her exuberant and unusual confidence-and add post-surrealism into her coat. This also enabled her to afford to have a team whom helped her with her designs making them quicker and easier to make and involve a collaboration of designs.

Question 2

Cultural influences

Answer 2

She gained most of her inspiration from her good friend Salvador Dali who was a surrealist painter, his idea of tricking the eye and to create art that were of dreams and about the subconscious influenced Elsa. This can be said of her 1937 ‘Cocteau evening coat’ which features a visual pun, on the back.

The uncovering of the tomb of Tutankhamen 1922 introduced the use of gold, shiny materials which influenced elsa to include gold in her work to imitate their culture and symbolise luxury, wealth and prosperity. (Do I need to refer to dress)

Question 3

Historical influences

Answer 3

The devastating impact of WW1 changed fashion in order to forget the past and enjoy the good times- to create as much noise as one can to forget the past- this impacted the work of Schiaparelli, particularly her ‘Cocteau evening coat’ where the use of silk symbolised luxury and the wealth of empires.