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Shoe Hat

Hat
1937-1938 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Elsa Schipaparelli's shoe hat of 1937-38 is the best known of the surrealist pieces made in collaboration with the artist Salvador Dali. The hat derived from a drawing by Dali, which in turn evolved from a 1933 photograph Gala Dali took of her husband wearing a woman's shoe on his head and another on his right shoulder.

Schiaparelli created her most directly surrealist works with Dali. This includes, in addition to the shoe hat design, the whimsical 'Tear' dress (T.393-1974) and the skeleton dress (T.394-1974) both dating from 1938 and now in the V&A's permanent collection.

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watch Introducing Elsa Schiaparelli Fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli (1890 – 1973) was one of the most remarkable couturiers of the 20th century, known for her subversive, sometimes overtly surreal designs. In this film, Sonnet Stanfill, Senior Curator of Fashion & Textiles, takes a closer look at some of Schiaparelli's mo...

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleShoe Hat
Materials and techniques
Wool felt and silk velvet
Brief description
Hat in the shape of a shoe, Schiaparelli, 1937-38, France
Physical description
Hat of blue wool felt in the shape of a shoe, with fuchsia pink velvet heel.
Dimensions
  • Length: 32cm
  • Height: 26cm
Production typeLimited edition
Object history
This hat belonged to Gala Dali and was inherited by her daughter Cecile Eluard. The Museum purchased it from a friend of Cecile Eluard, to whom it had been given.

Purchased by the V&A in 2009 [2008/702]
Subject depicted
Summary
Elsa Schipaparelli's shoe hat of 1937-38 is the best known of the surrealist pieces made in collaboration with the artist Salvador Dali. The hat derived from a drawing by Dali, which in turn evolved from a 1933 photograph Gala Dali took of her husband wearing a woman's shoe on his head and another on his right shoulder.

Schiaparelli created her most directly surrealist works with Dali. This includes, in addition to the shoe hat design, the whimsical 'Tear' dress (T.393-1974) and the skeleton dress (T.394-1974) both dating from 1938 and now in the V&A's permanent collection.
Collection
Accession number
T.2-2009

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Record createdJanuary 20, 2009
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