Evening belt
Design House Schiaparelli French
Designer Elsa Schiaparelli Italian
Not on view
Schiaparelli's summer 1940 collection steered away from war references, heavy in her spring 1940 collection, and presented more feminine styles. However, she did include several accessories inspired by the November 1939 invasion of Finland by the Soviet Union. In support of the Finnish nation, many couturiers offered Finnish-inspired designs. Schiaparelli's contributions included penguin print dresses, hand-knitted stockings and this belt loosely adapted from Finnish belts worn during celebrations. Finnish folk dress includes a belt with long streamers which fall across the wearer's skirt at front, such as the tasseled streamer on Schiaparelli's interpretation. Executed in brilliant gold tones, the heart and flower motifs, commonly seen in folk dress, sit beside the swans, a national symbol of Finland, and the date of the collection. Another example of this belt in a different color palette is also in the museum's collection (see 2009.300.1260).
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