Schiaparelli Spring/Summer 2026: Dancing in the Dark

Daniel Roseberry’s Schiaparelli has always lived somewhere between the strange and the sublime, and his latest collection, Dancer in the Dark, proves that the designer is still a master of walking that fine line. Presented at the Centre Pompidou before its temporary closure for renovation, the show  was said to jave unfolded like a dream sequence. It was one part surreal fantasy, one part fashion experiment, with every look begging to be examined twice.

The title, Dancer in the Dark,  itself made it all very intriguing. Few  wondered whether Roseberry was referencing  Paris’s infamous, burlesque dancer past? Either way, the Schiaparelli woman of this season is not afraid to take centre stage. She’s the performer and the performance, commanding attention through movement, detail, and the power of craftsmanship.

Roseberry’s approach balanced control and abandon. Some garments were tightly constructed, with scrunched necklines and sculptural forms that looked almost engineered. Elsewhere, fabrics moved like whisper, as in the sheer black dress that floated weightlessly with each step. The contrasts; gold paintbrushes weighing down tailored pieces, eggshell hats that looked too delicate to touch, and lace cut-outs that kind of gave off the look of peeled skin or burnt fabric. It was like polka dots, but reimagined in a not so prissy and cute way. No, these circular cut-outs were daring, worldly and artistic. The rich divorced aunty of polka dots.

This season also revealed Roseberry’s evolving take on ready-to-wear. He is often criticised for being “too couture,”  but now it feels like a strength. His designs combine fantasy and functionality. Tailored skirt suits featured their padding on the outside, a cheeky reimagining of structure itself. Ribbed knits came alive with dramatic ruffles, while pencil skirts curved unexpectedly, creating sensual, asymmetric lines.

Roseberry’s Dancer in the Dark is an ode to contradiction: strength and softness, art and anatomy, the seen and unseen. We love to see designers play around with contrast, it always makes for a far more interesting  experience. As the lights dimmed, what stayed was not just the beauty of the clothes but the feeling that Schiaparelli remains, at its heart, a celebration of curiosity and the magic that happens when fashion is fearless.