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Shocking Life: The Autobiography of Elsa Schiaparelli
304 pages, Hardcover
Published March 17, 2026
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About the author
Elsa Schiaparelli
9 books6 followersElsa Schiaparelli (September 10, 1890 – November 13, 1973) was a Parisian fashion designer of the 1920s and 1930s. She was born in Rome, Italy, of Italian and Egyptian heritage. She was a great-niece of Giovanni Schiaparelli, who discovered the canals of Mars.
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Review of advance copy
I bought this book from John Sandoe in London, before publication in the US.
I have always been fascinated by Schiaparelli's work and her influence on fashion in the 1930s.
The portrait of the person is just as interesting. The way she arrived at what became her career and then embraced it fully struck familiar notes.
In one moving passage she describes traveling by train through Italy thinking about what she could have become. As she describes each career in turn, it forced me to take stock and think of what might have been and also how lucky I have been.
There are definitely frustrating aspects to the book. For example, a timeline that would help place events in history is completely lacking. I am not saying narrative should be linear, but it is good to have the context of time. Sometimes, when we do get historic events, she is fast and loose with dates (for example D Day). Also, she refers to herself in the third person for most of it, but does lapse into the first person here and there. But it isn't terrible.
Ultimately I read this to become more familiar with her character and her soul, not to get an historical essay or a treatise on proper grammar, and that was infinitely more rewarding.
I have always been fascinated by Schiaparelli's work and her influence on fashion in the 1930s.
The portrait of the person is just as interesting. The way she arrived at what became her career and then embraced it fully struck familiar notes.
In one moving passage she describes traveling by train through Italy thinking about what she could have become. As she describes each career in turn, it forced me to take stock and think of what might have been and also how lucky I have been.
There are definitely frustrating aspects to the book. For example, a timeline that would help place events in history is completely lacking. I am not saying narrative should be linear, but it is good to have the context of time. Sometimes, when we do get historic events, she is fast and loose with dates (for example D Day). Also, she refers to herself in the third person for most of it, but does lapse into the first person here and there. But it isn't terrible.
Ultimately I read this to become more familiar with her character and her soul, not to get an historical essay or a treatise on proper grammar, and that was infinitely more rewarding.
Displaying 1 of 1 review