Shocking Life, Signed by Elsa Schiaparelli
[Signed by Elsa Schiaparelli] Schiaparelli, Elsa. Shocking Life. First American Edition. 1954. Book is in very good condition; dust jacket is in good plus condition—jacket shows taped repairs, a small chip to the upper spine, and fraying. This is a presentation copy to Jane and Hillen Koetter. It is inscribed, “To Jane + Helly with much love, Schiap.”
Ever wonder what becomes of a precocious child, someone like Kay Thompson’s Eloise? Well, sometimes she becomes one of the most whimsical, creative, and celebrated fashion designers of the century. In this memoir, the inimitable Schiap recalls her eccentric childhood in Rome, the terrible marriage that led to her fabulous career, the clever ideas that captured the imagination of fashion editors and clients alike, how she nearly toppled Coco Chanel from her throne, and her innovative collaborations with artists like Christian Bérard, Jean Cocteau, and Salvador Dali.
“I often wonder what is this urge that makes us want to travel. Why not be thoroughly grand and have the world brought to us?”
--Elsa Schiaparelli