‘Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations’

Schiaparelli, who worked in Paris from the 1920s until her house closed in 1954, was associated closely with the Surrealist movement and created iconic pieces such as the ‘tear’ dress, the ‘shoe’ hat, and the ‘bug’ necklace. Prada, who holds a degree in political science, took over her family’s Milan-based business in 1978, and focuses on fashion that reflects the eclectic nature of Postmodernism.Inspired by Miguel Covarrubias’s satirical 'Impossible Interviews' for Vanity Fair in the 1930s, curators Harold Koda and Andrew Bolton orchestrate conversations between these iconic women to suggest new readings of the designers’ most innovative work. Film director, screenwriter, and producer Baz Luhrmann is the exhibition’s creative consultant, and has created a series of filmed elements for the exhibition. The production design for the films is by Luhrmann's long-time collaborator, Catherine Martin. The exhibition design is realised by Nathan Crowley, who was also creative consultant for the Met’s exhibitions ‘Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy’, and ‘American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity’. All mannequin head treatments and masks are designed by Guido Palau.