Daniel Roseberry’s work for Schiaparelli took center stage at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden’s annual gala on Monday evening. Guests gathered at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall in surrealist gowns, chain-detailed dresses and accessories featuring the gold motifs and facial forms associated with the fashion house.
Roseberry received the Hirshhorn’s Leader in the Arts Award. Even guests who did not wear Schiaparelli designs honored him with gilded accessories. Speaking to Vogue, he said he has long sought to blur the boundary between fashion and art, describing the award as an unexpected recognition of that effort.
The designer also reflected on the family members and artists who have influenced his perspective, including his grandmother, mother, uncles and sister, Liz Fox Roseberry. He spoke warmly of recently meeting artist Jeff Koons, whose work he has admired for years.
Art collector and philanthropist Komal Shah wore a design Roseberry had created for her for the Time100 Gala. She said the piece incorporated 3,000 paintbrushes, representing the artists gathered at the event, and called Roseberry one of the finest artists imaginable.
Actress Emily Blunt introduced Roseberry, praising his talent, warmth and work ethic. She recalled wearing one of his designs to the Oscars and said her father had described its sculptural shoulders as avant-garde. Blunt also mentioned the couture look Roseberry let her wear to the premiere of The Devil Wears Prada 2.
In his acceptance speech, Roseberry looked back on his path from Texas to the couture ateliers of Paris. He said he had come to understand that pursuing his own dreams was not the costly part; instead, he described the pressure of setting aside his true self to meet others’ expectations.
The gala also recognized outgoing Hirshhorn director Melissa Chiu for her leadership over the past 12 years, including the completion of the museum’s renovated Sculpture Garden by Hiroshi Sugimoto. The evening featured dinner and a performance by Latin pop band Santos Bravos, who performed a medley before closing with their song “MHM.”
Sources: Vogue.