Schiaparelli brings silicone to couture in futuristic Paris collection
- Jul 13
- 3 min read
Actor Emma Corrin also showcased avant-garde fashion on the front row of Haute Couture Week in Paris.
Schiaparelli displayed a futuristic vision at the opening of Haute Couture Week in Paris, with creative director Daniel Roseberry introducing sculptural silicone into couture.
Celebrities sitting front row included singer Bad Bunny, and actors Emma Corrin and Michelle Yeoh. From the fashion world, Anna Wintour, Zendaya’s stylist Law Roach and designer Vera Wang also turned out to show their support.
Titled The Abyss, the autumn/winter 2026/27 collection marked one of the house’s most experimental shows to date, combining traditional couture craftsmanship with synthetic materials in a presentation that explored the tension between reality and artifice.
Roseberry often takes his cues from the animal kingdom, such as a black gown featuring a giant lion’s head made of faux fur, first seen in the spring 2023 couture collection. The brand’s original designer, Elsa Schiaparelli, was equally known for her own surreal take on animalia – most famously Wallis Simpson’s scandalously sheer lobster dress.
But for this collection, Roseberry took inspiration from more otherworldly creatures, with the show name perhaps taking inspiration from James Cameron’s 1989 sci-fi film.
Florals were depicted against silicone corsets, curling tentacles were imagined through latex, and coral-inspired collars were attached to illuminated LED, plastic jackets.
At the centre of the collection was Roseberry’s continued experimentation with materials, most notably his development of what he described as ‘silicone silk’ – a lightweight, sheer variation of silicone designed to mimic the fluidity of fabric while retaining sculptural structure. The material was used to challenge the building blocks of couture, pairing traditional techniques with synthetic innovation.
Amelia Gray, model and daughter of former Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star Lisa Rinna, were among those presenting the looks, walking in the show wearing a silicone pink and pearl corseted midi dress that combined delicacy with an artificial edge.
Roseberry said the collection was driven by uncertainty and creative surrender, describing The Abyss as an exploration of the “call of the void” – the moment when control gives way to instinct.
It’s difficult not to see this collection as a reaction to the AI boom, as tech has been trickling its way into fashion recently – most notably through Kylie Jenner’s collaboration with Meta to create fashion-forward ‘Meta Glasses’.
Founded in 1927 by Elsa Schiaparelli, the house has long been associated with surrealism and avant-garde design. Since taking the helm in 2019, Roseberry has built on that legacy, attracting high-profile clients including Nicole Kidman, Demi Moore and Kylie Jenner, who are drawn to the label’s blend of elegance and eccentricity.
Earlier this year, the label dressed Dua Lipa in a Bianca Jagger-inspired ivory suit and sculpted bustier for her London wedding to Callum Turner, underscoring Schiaparelli’s continued role in prominent fashion moments.
The show’s front row was suitably star-studded, with Puerto Rican singer and rapper Bad Bunny sporting the colour of the season in a butter yellow double-breasted suit with idiosyncratic Schiaparelli gold buttons, a plaited gold tie and a Western-style belt with boots to match.
The 32-year-old is continuing his relationship with the brand – at the Grammys earlier this year, he wore the first-ever custom haute couture menswear look designed by Daniel Roseberry.
Emma Corrin, 30, wore a futuristic feathered blazer from Schiaparelli’s spring/summer 2026 haute couture collection, featuring pointed talon-like details and a wing collar, featuring feathers in colours graduating from pistachio to lilac to coral.
Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh, 63, opted for a more pared-back Roseberry design, in an off-the-shoulder black design with a monochromatic feather trim. The Wicked star paired the dress with a classic Schiaparelli ‘Face Bag’ in black calf skin leather and hammered gold brass.
