Southampton Arts Center Welcomes Sold-Out Crowd For Exclusive Look At ‘Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art’

For one day only, Southampton Arts Center welcomed Lydia Caston, Exhibitions Project Curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, for an exclusive inside look at “Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art,” the acclaimed exhibition currently on view at the V&A. The 5 PM discussion quickly sold out in just 24 hours, prompting Southampton Arts Center to add a second session to accommodate overwhelming demand.

“We are grateful to Jamee Gregory and Audrey Gruss as trustees of the V&A Americas Foundation, as well as Lydia Caston, for bringing this extraordinary program to Southampton Arts Center,” said Simone Levinson, Chairperson of SAC. “The overwhelming response from our community reflects a strong appetite for world-class cultural programming. We look forward to expanding our partnership with the V&A to bring even more exceptional conversations, exhibitions, and experiences to the village in the years ahead.”

Co-hosted by Jamee Gregory and Audrey Gruss, Lydia Caston explored the landmark exhibition “Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art” to a packed audience. The beloved exhibition traces the evolution of Elsa Schiaparelli’s groundbreaking fashion house from the 1920s to present day under creative director Daniel Roseberry.

The show features more than 400 objects, including 100 couture ensembles, and 50 artworks, as well as accessories, jewelry, paintings, photographs, furniture, perfumes, and archive material. Featuring new research, the show highlights Schiaparelli as a pioneering force in fashion, art, and performance across Paris, London, and New York in the years between the world wars. The exhibition is the first to spotlight the London branch of Schiaparelli, its dynamic and independent clients, and the founder’s involvement in the satellite location.

Throughout the discussion, Caston spoke about Schiaparelli’s pioneering collaborations with artists including Salvador Dalí and Jean Cocteau and Daniel Roseberry’s contemporary designs worn by stars including Ariana Grande and Dua Lipa. Iconic works on display include the Jean Cocteau-designed Evening Coat gifted by The V&A Americas Foundation and Salvador Dalí’s only surviving 1938 Skeleton Dress, the 1938 Tears Dress and his famed hat resembling an upside-down shoe.

Jamee Gregory said, “Lydia Caston really succeeded in bringing The V&A to Southampton! The audience at The SAC was mesmerized by her fascinating insights into the life and times of Elsa Schiaparelli! Her fabulous slides from the exhibition made us all lust after each gown and dinner jacket-designs that work today! She proved that fashion can be art, and its allure timeless!”

Audrey Gruss commented, “One of the greatest privileges of the V&A Americas Foundation is helping bring the museum’s extraordinary exhibitions to audiences beyond London. Seeing a packed house reinforces how powerful these conversations can be, and we look forward to creating many more opportunities to share the V&A’s incredible collections.”

Schiaparelli’s couture house redefined the standards of style and beauty for the modern era. Today, from the Maison’s historic home at 21 Place Vendôme, creative director Daniel Roseberry is leading Schiaparelli into its next chapter, creating visionary designs that continue to shape and inspire global culture.

Those in attendance included Lynn Aloia, Maeve Bodden, Joanna Caston, Whitney Fairchild, Hilary Geary Ross, Jamee and Peter Gregory, Audrey Gruss, Kim Heirston, Peggy Mejia, Jennifer Weis Monsky, Anne Nordeman, Wynn Purson, Nacho Ramos, Chuck and Ellen Ward Scarborough, Susan Trincello, Madison Wright, Clelia and Thomas Zacharias, Bettina Zilkha and Robert Zimmerman.