Schiaparelli rises from fashion death to Paris haute couture

Fashion label Schiaparelli completed its remarkable resurrection Tuesday when it was inducted into the elite ranks of Paris haute couture houses.

The historic brand founded by the Elsa Schiaparelli, the great rival of Coco Chanel in the 1930s, closed its doors in 1954, the year that Chanel returned to the business after her wartime hiatus. It only returned to the podiums three years ago after the name was bought and revived by the the boss of the Italian brand Tod's, Diego Della Valle.

The French Couture Federation said it was also adding the 41-year-old French designer Julien Fournie to its highly-prized register.

The designation is protected by French law and attributed exclusively by the ministry of industry to selected houses whose clothes are tailored to each client.

With its handmade pieces solely within the price range of the world's richest women, haute couture exists only in Paris and is regarded as the pinnacle of fashion. Only 15 fashion houses have the right to call themselves haute couture. The others are Chanel, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, Maison Margiela, Giambattista Valli, Franck Sorbier, Adeline Andre, Alexandre Vauthier, Alexis Mabille, Maurizio Galante, Stephane Rolland and Yiqing Yin.

Another 20 are regarded as "guest members" of the club.