Curating Schiaparelli for Selfridges - Jennifer Gibson Jewellery

“Some projects begin with a plan.
This one began with a conversation.”

Earlier this year, before the V&A’s Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art exhibition had opened, I was meeting with my long-standing partners at Selfridges. It wasn’t long before our conversation turned to Elsa Schiaparelli, her extraordinary legacy and the exhibition that would soon open at the V&A. At the time, anticipation for the exhibition was already building.

“I had been fortunate enough to loan pieces from my private collection to the exhibition.”

Jennifer’s Jewels Exhibited at The V&A’s ‘Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art’ Exhibition

I had been fortunate enough to loan pieces from my private collection to the exhibition and was looking forward to seeing Elsa Schiaparelli’s work celebrated on the scale it so richly deserves. We spoke about how important this exhibition would be, not only for fashion lovers but for introducing new audiences to one of the most original creative minds of the twentieth century.

Of course, today many people know the House of Schiaparelli through Daniel Roseberry’s extraordinary work. His vision has brought renewed attention to the maison and introduced a new generation to its bold spirit. Yet during our conversation we found ourselves talking about Elsa.

The woman herself.

The visionary.

The rule-breaker.

The creative force whose imagination continues to influence fashion more than fifty years after her death.

The more we talked, the more we felt there was an opportunity to extend that story beyond the walls of the museum.

What if visitors inspired by the exhibition could discover Schiaparelli in another way?

What if, while London was celebrating Elsa’s life and work, they could encounter a collection that reflected her world and perhaps even take a small piece of that story home with them?

“What if, while London was celebrating Elsa’s life and work, they could encounter a collection that reflected her world and perhaps even take a small piece of that story home with them?”

JGJ CURATES SCHIAPARELLI FOR SELFRIDGES LONDON (8)

That was the moment the idea truly began

Together we developed a concept for a dedicated Schiaparelli collection at Selfridges Oxford Street. Not simply a display of jewellery, but a celebration of the creativity, wit and surrealism that made Elsa’s work so unforgettable. As the concept took shape, I found myself drawing upon my archive and searching for additions that would help bring the story to life. At the heart of the collection were original signed Schiaparelli jewels from the 1950s, rare survivors from a golden age of costume jewellery. Alongside them sat pieces inspired by Schiaparelli’s enduring visual language: sculptural lips, fantastical creatures, insects, Dalí-inspired designs, unexpected forms and jewels that blur the line between fashion and art.

Looking back, I think what excited me most was the opportunity introduce a new generation to the earlier world of Schiaparelli through the jewels themselves.

Selfridges is one of the world’s most iconic department stores. Millions of people pass through its doors each year. The idea that someone could be walking along Oxford Street, perhaps having just visited the V&A exhibition, and unexpectedly find themselves face to face with an original seventy-year-old Schiaparelli jewel felt rather wonderful.

There is a romance to that.

JGJ CURATES SCHIAPARELLI FOR SELFRIDGES LONDON (2)

“The idea that someone could be walking along Oxford Street, perhaps having just visited the V&A exhibition, and unexpectedly find themselves face to face with an original seventy-year-old Schiaparelli jewel felt rather wonderful.”

Pieces created to be worn, admired & enjoyed

These pieces were never intended to sit unseen in drawers or archives. They were created to be worn, admired and enjoyed as part of people’s lives. To offer visitors the chance to acquire an original piece of Schiaparelli history in such a setting felt incredibly special and, I suspect, is something unlikely to be repeated. As the collection came together, the project became even more meaningful for me personally. For a period of time, pieces from my own collection were simultaneously on display within the V&A exhibition whilst I was curating this accompanying collection for Selfridges. To see those two worlds sitting alongside one another felt surreal.

Elsa Schiaparelli

The V&A telling Elsa’s story through the rarest of museum calibre couture and jewellery. Selfridges allowing people to engage with that story in a different, more personal way. Both celebrating the legacy of the same extraordinary woman and the remarkable House she created. Walking into Selfridges and seeing the finished installation for the first time is a memory I treasure. Seeing the collection displayed so beautifully, accompanied by the story behind the edit and my own name attached to a project dedicated to Schiaparelli, was genuinely moving. Then came another unexpected delight. Selfridges chose to feature the collection across its own social channels, sharing the story of the collaboration and introducing Jennifer Gibson Jewellery to its audience. It was a wonderful endorsement and one that I felt immensely proud of.

JGJ CURATES SCHIAPARELLI FOR SELFRIDGES LONDON (6)

Yet what I am proudest of is something much simpler.

That through this project, more people have had the opportunity to discover and consider the work and legacy of Elsa Schiaparelli.

Not only the designer behind the famous name, but the woman whose imagination challenged convention, embraced humour and transformed fashion into art.

“For me, that is what costume jewellery has always been about. Every piece carries a story and many are wearable works of art.”

For me, that is what costume jewellery has always been about. Every piece carries a story and many are wearable works of art. Every collection tells us something about the people who created it, their imagination, their craftsmanship and the era in which they lived.

Occasionally, if we are fortunate, we are given the opportunity to help share those stories with others. This was one of those occasions.

With gratitude

It would be impossible to write about this exhibition without acknowledging the work of the curatorial team at the Victoria and Albert Museum. To bring together a body of work of this depth and rarity is one thing. To present it with this level of clarity is another. There is a real sense of care in how Elsa Schiaparelli’s work is positioned and understood throughout. Nothing feels overworked, nothing feels lost. My deepest gratitude and respect go to the curator Sonnet Stanfill and her team for creating something that not only celebrates her work, but genuinely deepens our understanding of it. It is exceptional.

“Under the direction of Daniel Roseberry, the house has found a new clarity.”

The bold gold jewellery, the sculptural forms, the surreal references, all unmistakably Schiaparelli, yet entirely current. What is particularly striking is how this has brought the house to a new audience. For many, this is their first real introduction to Schiaparelli. And it lands. This is not revival. It is continuation.

JGJ CURATES SCHIAPARELLI FOR SELFRIDGES LONDON (5)

A personal note

“Seeing two pieces from my own collection within this exhibition…is something I will never take for granted.”

As I reflect on this project, I am reminded that the most rewarding opportunities are rarely achieved alone.

This collection would not have come to life without the enthusiasm, support and vision of Shauna and her team at Selfridges, who embraced the idea from its earliest beginnings.

What started as a conversation about an exhibition became an opportunity to celebrate Elsa Schiaparelli’s remarkable legacy in a completely different setting, allowing visitors to engage with her world beyond the museum walls. I am enormously grateful for her passion for the concept and for the trust she placed in me to curate such a special collection.

I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to Sonnet Stanfill, Curator of Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art at the V&A. To have pieces from my private collection included within this landmark exhibition continues to be a tremendous honour. The exhibition is a beautiful and important celebration of Elsa Schiaparelli’s life, creativity and influence, and I feel privileged to have played a small part in helping tell that story.

“Both experiences have been rooted in a shared appreciation of fashion history, jewellery and the remarkable stories they have the power to tell. For that, I am deeply grateful.”

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