Delphine Bellini on Reviving A Sleeping Beauty Into Fashion's Hottest Brand

How do you bring a legendary brand back from the dead?

When Delphine Bellini joined Schiaparelli in 2014, the fashion house had been dormant for over 60 years. There were no customers, no modern business, and no blueprint for success—just the legacy of one of fashion's most visionary founders. A decade later, Schiaparelli has become one of the most influential and talked-about brands in luxury fashion.

In this conversation, Delphine shares with Maria what it actually took to pull off that transformation: convincing people to believe in a vision before the results existed, partnering with creative director Daniel Roseberry to redefine the house for a new generation, and resisting the pressure for quick wins in favor of building something exceptional.

All that and more on this episode of Pretty Tough.

Pretty Tough is produced in partnership with VOX MEDIA.

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00:00:00 Intro: The unexpected journey to leadership
00:01:48 Dressing superstars: The experience behind the Golden Globes
00:03:00 Balancing legacy and the future of Schiaparelli
00:05:13 Elsa Schiaparelli’s avant-garde history and influence
00:06:23 Defining the brand identity without traditional logos
00:08:08 The collaborative design process: Creating "selfish details"
00:10:35 Building a dormant brand: The conviction to take time
00:13:28 Applying lessons from luxury cruises to haute couture
00:15:20 Performance, struggle, and the athlete-creative connection
00:16:33 Leading young talent through passion
00:17:35 The leader as a facilitator: Navigating collective roles
00:19:10 Discovering Daniel Roseberry’s creative vision
00:20:45 Aligning creative magic with business needs
00:22:27 The psychology of the showroom experience
00:23:55 Why Schiaparelli shows are deeply emotional
00:25:00 The CEO's role behind the scenes of a runway show
00:26:27 Managing controversy: The lion head show and beyond
00:28:35 Future expansion: Ready-to-wear, fragrance, and exclusivity
00:32:38 Maintaining personal balance, discipline, and routines
00:35:10 Lightning Round: Unlearning, perfectionism, and confidence

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