Harrods aligns its retail experience with V&A's Schiaparelli exhibition
In London, the department store Harrods is dedicating an installation to Schiaparelli, following the “Fashion Becomes Art” exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A). By engaging with this cultural moment, the retailer is creating a dialogue between the shopping experience and artistic references.
Harrods is combining its in-store activation with the “Fashion Becomes Art” exhibition at the V&A, which runs until November 8, 2026. As the exclusive UK distributor for Schiaparelli, Harrods is positioning the French house beyond a purely commercial promotion.
“At Harrods, we believe the retail experience should go beyond simply offering products,” stated Alex Wells-Greco, director of visual creative at the department store, in a press release. “When fashion resonates with the city's major cultural moments, it creates an opportunity to tell richer stories and build deeper emotional connections with our visitors.”
The activation begins outside and continues into the store, along the path to the first-floor boutique. In a playful manner, the public is invited to view visuals through keyholes, stylised keyhole shapes characteristic of the French house's surrealist spirit.
The images are from the book Anglomaniac, dedicated to Schiaparelli. This book, published by Skira and edited by Thierry-Maxime Loriot, brings together nearly 50 British creatives. These include photographers; stylists; makeup artists; illustrators and performers inspired by the house's surrealist world, which blends artistic references, the subversion of everyday objects and sculptural silhouettes.
Harrods/Schiaparelli: a relationship dating back to the brand's beginnings
“As London hosts the very first Schiaparelli exhibition in the UK, it felt natural for us to celebrate this moment alongside the V&A,” said Simon Longland, director of buying at Harrods. “Through these activations, we are delighted to offer our customers the opportunity to discover the house's exceptional creativity, both within our store and in the city's broader cultural landscape.”
The activation highlights the creativity and the ties the house of Schiaparelli, founded by Elsa Schiaparelli, has maintained with London since the 1930s. During that period, the designer developed a British clientele and collaborated with prominent artistic and photographic figures, such as Cecil Beaton and Norman Parkinson.
Artists featured in the book Anglomaniac include Cecil Beaton, Norman Parkinson, Nick Knight, Tim Walker and Pat McGrath.
In 2023, Harrods opened the first Schiaparelli boutique in the UK market on its first floor luxury department. In 2025, this space was expanded to include an offering of ready-to-wear, accessories and jewellery. The boutique was designed by the house's current artistic director, Daniel Roseberry.
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