From showing the Twisted Ivy Productions team my costume ideas to the reaction they produced on performance day, it became apparent to me that the shoe hats were the stars of the show. Due to the dream-like and surrealistic world the play was set in, I was looking for unusual items to include in costume. The extravagant characters of the Ugly Sisters allowed me to add clashing prints and bold colours. I discovered the idea of the shoe hat when researching into a surrealist ballet performance of Cinderella by The Australian Ballet.

(DanceTabs, 2013)

The Ugly Sisters were wearing shoe hats, which I thought looked incredible and reflected their vain and egotistical personalities. I then began to research into the making of a shoe hat to see if it was possible for me to make, in which I discovered the designer Elsa Schiaparelli. In 1937, Schiaparelli collaborated with the surrealist artist Salvador Dali. ‘The idea came from a photograph taken in 1933 by Dali’s wife Gala, showing the artist wearing a woman’s shoe on his head and another one on his shoulder.’ (Palais Galliera, 2016)

(The Historialist, 2016)

The shoe hat designed by Dali and created by Schiaparelli was originally made by black felt with a red heel. ‘Schiaparelli was notorious in the 1930s, her embrace of Surrealism—along with its confrontational fusion of ugly and beautiful’ (Collectors Weekly, 2015) was the basis of her work and the shoe hat is no exception to that. This fusion of ugly and beautiful is central to the characters of the Ugly Sisters, therefore I found this item to be extremely appropriate.

My adaption of this iconic hat was made out of paper mache and decorated with bold and clashing colours with polka dots. I took inspiration for the decoration from what I would expect a pantomime dame would wear, something ridiculous but they would believe to be beautiful. I am extremely proud of the product I produced and pleased on the impact these hats had on stage.

Photography by Phil Crow

(Flickr, 2016)                                                                         (Flickr, 2016)

Works Cited

Collectors Weekly. (2015). A Shock of Schiaparelli: The Surreal Provocateur Who Forever Altered Fashion. [online] Available at: http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/a-shock-of-schiaparelli/ [Accessed 21 May 2016].

DanceTabs. (2013). Australian Ballet – Alexei Ratmansky Cinderella premiere – Melbourne. [online] Available at: http://dancetabs.com/2013/09/australian-ballet-alexei-ratmansky-cinderella-premiere-melbourne/ [Accessed 21 May 2016]. 

Flickr. (2016). Every Rose. LPAC Lincoln University. [online] Available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/61839232@N02/26491991683/in/album-72157668477406316/ [Accessed 21 May 2016]. 

Flickr. (2016). Flickr – Photo Sharing!. [online] Available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/61839232@N02/27027368801/in/album-72157668477406316/ [Accessed 21 May 2016].

Palais Galliera. (2016). Shoe hat, Elsa Schiaparelli in collaboration with Salvador Dalí | Palais Galliera | Musée de la mode de la Ville de Paris. [online] Available at: http://www.palaisgalliera.paris.fr/en/work/shoe-hat-elsa-schiaparelli-collaboration-salvador-dali [Accessed 21 May 2016].

The Historialist. (2016). TheHistorialist: 1937 | THE SHOE-HAT BY ELSA SCHIAPARELLI & SALVADOR DALÍ – FEAT. ANDRE PERUGIA. [online] Available at: http://www.thehistorialist.com/2014/12/1937-shoe-hat-by-elsa-schiaparelli.html [Accessed 21 May 2016].