There’s another job opening in the fashion world.
On Friday, Schiaparelli, the French house reintroduced last year by Diego Della Valle, chairman of Tod’s, announced it was parting ways with the designer Marco Zanini after a mere two couture collections, apparently because of disagreements about the aesthetic direction of the house.
Or that’s what it sounded like, anyway, reading between the seams.
What the company said, in a fairly brief announcement, was: “The House of Schiaparelli is looking toward its future while transcending the aesthetic codes created by Elsa Schiaparelli. It follows a dynamic where a contemporary spirit meets its founder’s daring personality.”
Mr. Zanini had been pretty wedded to those aesthetic codes, favoring exaggerated sleeves and jokey prints, dramatic gestures and elaborate hats.
By contrast, that little mention of “contemporary spirit” suggests to me that the owner may be looking for something more in line with the current move toward practical wardrobing that has found quite a lot of success in the hands of Nicolas Ghesquière and Hedi Slimane.
If so, however, I think it would be too bad. Schiaparelli, especially if it is to remain a jewel box of a Maison as opposed to a giant global brand, has the opportunity to be one of the few remaining homes of sartorial flights of fancy. It is in, as they say, its DNA. And while that doesn’t mean being grounded by heritage (Mr. Zanini’s problem), it also doesn’t mean falling right in line with general fashion world trend.
It needs its own identity and a designer with the courage (and corporate support) to make it unique. Who is that?
The house said merely that “a new creative director would be named soon.” It’s unclear what that means for the couture in January, but the brand’s “ambassador,” Farida Khelfa, is still in situ on Place Vendôme.
One thing is certain, however: For the next few weeks, the fashion world will engage in a frenzy of guessing about candidates for the post.
Lots of names have been floated in the past, among them Erdem Moralioglu and John Galliano, though Mr. Galliano is presumably off the table given he just took a job as creative director of Maison Martin Margiela. Personally, I’ve always thought Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte would be great candidates for the brand. They share the ability to engage with their own imagination that marked the work of the original Schiap.
Anyone else have another idea? Let the speculation begin!