Lobster craze

Have you heard of the Lobster Dress?

It was originally created in 1937 by Elsa Schiaprelli in collaboration with Salvador Dali, which can only give you an idea of the atmosphere in which it was designed (maybe some mayonnaise?). Initially it was meant to be a sundress, the length just below the knee, and with two lobsters crawling on the silky fabric among parsley leaves.
The final version looks far less frivolous, but is nevertheless impressive. It was very successful, perhaps in part thanks to Wallis Simpson, who was a great fan of the design, and was considered by many a fashion icon of her times.

Perhaps it would be too much to reproduce the dress as a whole, but even in 1930s there was a craze for the lobster design. And you could make your own version by adding just a few accessories. Like the  one featured here in Vogue. The one below is just one example of such detail, that can instantly turn any white dress into lobster dress. It is authentic from 1930s, really huge piece!

The original dress is available to view in the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
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Updated February 2026