Compensation for loss: Ethics and practice in the conservation of two Schiaparelli evening coats and the replication of missing ornamental elements

The article documents the collaborative effort of textile and objects conservators working to conserve the Philadelphia Museum of Art's, Philadelphia, PA, USA, collection of Elsa Schiaparelli's fashion. Known for her avant‐garde designs, Schiaparelli was the premiere arbiter of style during the 1930s. Many of the collection's objects required conservation for a major travelling retrospective show. From the outset curatorial direction mandated the designer's original intent be adhered to as closely as possible. The re‐presentation of many of the outfits’ original and presumed original appearance was considered paramount. Whereas her contemporaries used ornament to enhance a dress, Schiaparelli designed garments to enhance the ornament. She covered her designs with multicoloured stones, metal plates and sequins. In several cases many of these decorative elements were missing prior to treatment. Conservation work carried out to replicate missing ornaments is discussed; examples include buttons cast in epoxy resin from extant metal originals and gelatin paillettes imitated using modern poly vinyl chloride sequins. The ethical implications of adding non‐original material to historic artefacts are also examined.