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Opening May 10, the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute's exhibition "Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations" will explore the link between 1930s era Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli and her modern-day counterpart Miuccia Prada. Both designers have been informed by the whimsical motifs of surrealism. Schiapparelli created the iconic lobster dress, shoe hat and insect brooch, and Prada created lip-print skirts, tromp l'oeil jackets and, for spring 2012, shoes with "flames" and "headlights" inspired by cars. Both designers were influenced by contemporary artists of their time -- Schiaparelli by Salvador Dali and Jean Cocteau, and Prada by Anish Kapoor, Dan Flavin and others featured in her Milan art space and museum, the Prada Foundation.
Pictured is a shoe from the spring 2012 Prada collection.

Surrealism

( Courtesy of Prada )

Opening May 10, the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute's exhibition "Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations" will explore the link between 1930s era Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli and her modern-day counterpart Miuccia Prada. Both designers have been informed by the whimsical motifs of surrealism. Schiapparelli created the iconic lobster dress, shoe hat and insect brooch, and Prada created lip-print skirts, tromp l'oeil jackets and, for spring 2012, shoes with "flames" and "headlights" inspired by cars. Both designers were influenced by contemporary artists of their time -- Schiaparelli by Salvador Dali and Jean Cocteau, and Prada by Anish Kapoor, Dan Flavin and others featured in her Milan art space and museum, the Prada Foundation. Pictured is a shoe from the spring 2012 Prada collection.