The Schiaparelli-Dali collaboration took a daring turn with the famous torn-print dress. Presented in the 1938 Le Cirque collection, this evening gown was printed with a trompe-l'œil motif that gave the illusion of shredded animal flesh, accentuated by fabric appliqués. For some, it represents a "punk" expression several decades before the movement emerged. It was worn with a "circus tent" headdress.

This creation is reminiscent of two paintings by Dali: Necrophilic Spring from 1936, which was part of Schiaparelli's art collection, and Three Surrealist Young Women Wearing the Furs of an Orchestra (1936). These paintings depict women whose body and clothing contours are so blurred that it is impossible to distinguish between their flayed skin and the tears in the fabric of their dresses.