The UK’s first exhibition on Elsa Schiaparelli spans the 1920s to today, celebrating the innovative designer’s influence. It traces the fashion house’s groundbreaking origins and its evolution under current creative director Daniel Roseberry. 

Studio ZNA collaborated with exhibition designers Nebbia and curators Sonnet Stanfill, Lydia Caston and Rosalind McKever to shape a sensory journey into Schiaparelli’s multifaceted world. A monochrome scenography, layered with rich tactile textures, provides a balanced backdrop for over 400 objects on display.

Lighting plays a central role in articulating this environment. Soft, diffused washes are punctuated by precise highlights, revealing texture through gentle glows and expressive shadow play. Shifting perspectives unfold as visitors move through the looping galleries, where illuminated vistas, portals and thresholds subtly guide orientation, creating moments of pause and reflection.

The exhibition unfolds from luminous, jewel-like displays, including collaborations with Salvador Dalí, into a sequence of atmospheres. Pour La Ville evokes bright daylight with gentle overhead illumination and subtle shadows, while Pour Le Soir transitions into a dramatic evening setting with heightened contrast, dynamic sequences and theatrical colour.

In Jackets intimate lighting reveals the craftsmanship of each piece, from embroidery to buttons, with quiet precision. In contrast, the immersive Perfume space glows warmly, with concealed lighting and translucent displays. 

Additional AV coordination, combined with precisely placed spotlights, heightens the drama of each evening gown in the Finale. Using the moments of hyperfocus to create a suggestion of a camera iris opening and closing self consciously to zoom in and out from form to detail referencing work with Schiaparelli collaborators such as Man Ray.  

Together, the lighting weaves a cohesive narrative that elevates each object while unifying the exhibition into a richly immersive and memorable experience.