Hat

Schiaparelli's design career was forced to pause because of World War II. In 1945, she returned to Paris and dove in to designing once again. Until she retired from designing couture in 1954, her collections continued to reveal hints of her Surrealist ideas as well as her creative unconventional design aesthetic. Although not as avant-garde as her pre-war collections, the garments and accessories she offered still proclaimed the indubitable mark of Schiaparelli's hand. This hat from 1950 illustrates the enduring Surrealist tendencies, as it looks markedly like hair, both in the fabrication and the shape. It references the current time, 1950, in the particular sculptural shape, reminiscent of rock and roll pompadours worn by such stars as Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Little Richard. It also possesses a certain chic that only Schiaparelli seemed to know how to imbue.