The relationship between fashion and art goes back a long time. This association continues to the present times as well. Many contemporary fashion designers and artistic clothing brands that we see now have been influenced by textures and colors. The world of fashion has often turned to the visual arts for inspiration.
History of Fashion and Art
Fashion and art are intrinsically linked. You will see this in the many catwalks show art directions to modern clothes designs to the boutique houses creating their labels. Dolce & Gabbana’s fashion shows have been inspired by paintings from the time of the Italian Renaissance. The work of Alexander McQueen clearly shows the love of this British fashion house for Elizabethan silhouettes. The worlds of haute couture and painting have often collided. The influence is undeniable.
It is not surprising. After all, the collaboration between them benefits both. Contemporary fashion is often looked down as a frivolous form of applied art. Contemporary clothing and brands can gain respect from this association. The artist too gains. The work can reach a more populist, wider audience.
There are many examples of this association between fashion and art. The work of Hieronymous Bosch, best known for bringing out the morality from the medieval times, is a great example of art historical reference. The famous 15th-century triptych The Garden of Earthly Delights has inspired many designers like Alexander McQueen, Raf Simons, and Zandra Rhodes.
The Italian Renaissance is another example. You will see Renaissance-inspired fashion in the silhouettes and bold shapes the mimic 15th and 16th century Italian paintings. However, even before this new interest in the Renaissance in the modern fashion world, designers like Marie Grazia Chiuri, Pierpaolo Piccioli, and Dolce & Gabbana were already doing experiments with this era of art. They were coming out with unique haute couture looks. Many of their pop art fashion work was taking the world by storm as well.
Renaissance paintings and fashion have been reinterpreted in works like the taffeta and chiffon gowns, Shakespearean ruffs, and the detailed floral prints of Juliet Sleeve. Bejewelled headpieces and headbands are also in vogue now. Dolce & Gabbana has also designed dresses that are emblazoned with paintings of masters like Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli, and Giovanni Bellini for their Alta Moda show of 2018.
What Is Considered Contemporary Art?
Contemporary art style is everywhere now. To understand this better, we need to first take a look into what exactly is contemporary art.
The term “contemporary art”, in a strict sense, refers to any art that is created by the artists of today. It refers to different styles of contemporary art, such as paintings, photography, sculptures, video art, installations, and even performances that are produced or staged today. The time when exactly contemporary art started is however debated. It is generally accepted though that its starting point would be somewhere in the late 1960s or the early 1970s.
Modern-day artists respond to various things, including cultural influences, and what they see around them to create their work. Many include technology and are also influenced by the history of art and the creation of the masters to make artistic aesthetic clothes. You can attend contemporary art events organized by different-level.com to understand this association and the influence of art on fashion better.
What Is Contemporary Fashion?
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How do we define contemporary fashion? We can say that it is the production of modern clothing and accessories by the many contemporary clothing brands from around the world. Different designers and brands focus on various aspects. Some even on environment-friendly factors!
Present-day fashion designers or fashion designer artists create products to targer the Millenial and Fen-Z customers (those in their late 20s and 30s). The approach is modern, but often, the clothing doesn’t come with a high price tag.
Alexander Wang is a prominent designer who introduced what we today refer to as contemporary fashion. Wang’s work has influenced many other designers of our times. Wang also collaborated with many costume or dress brands and also retailers to ensure that his work was attainable and affordable to most people.
There are many names that come to mind when we talk about present-day or contemporary fashion, such as –
- Nicolas Ghesquière
- Phillip Lim
- Ganni
- Jonathan Anderson
- Trademark
- Staud
- Nastygal
- Nanushka
- N°21
Modern Fashion Brands and Contemporary Artists Collaborations
Image courtesy: different-level.com
When fashion and art come together, it pushes boundaries, creating expressions that often influence cultures around the world. Here are some of the interesting collaborations in the fashion designer art world –
- Louis Vuitton and Richard Prince – For their Spring/Summer 2008 collection, Richard Prince, Marc Jacobs, and Louis Vuitton brought back the artist’s iconography to life. The models were made to wear see-through nurse dresses while walking down the runway. The art of Prince was also reflected in the LV bags.
- Alexander McQueen and Damien Hirst – It was the skull iconography, which prompted Alexander McQueen to approach Damien Hirst for a tie-up. Hirst came up with 30 designs to celebrate their 10th anniversary. They were taken from the Entomology series. Here, the insects and butterflies that can be seen in Dante-inspired aesthetics are presented for the creation of skull motifs.
- Yves Saint Laurent and Piet Mondrian – Piet Mondrian inspired the iconic and classic Yves Saint Laurent dress. It was released for the Autumn 1965 season.
- Elsa Schapiarelli and Salvador Dalí – This is one of the earliest collaborations between an artist and fashion designer. The result – the elegant and quirky Organza Dinner Dress with Painted Lobster.
- Vincent Van Gogh and Saint Laurent – The collaboration gave us the 80s style jacket for women that symbolized the power of dressing. It has bold shoulders and a structured silhouette.
- Marni and Rop Van Mierlo – Marini has collaborated often with illustrators and artists like the Dutch artist Rop Van Mierlo.
- Yeezy and Vanessa Beecroft – Vanessa Beecroft has collaborated with Yeezy, Louis Vuitton, and even Kanye West.
Fashion Industry’s Most Popular Artists
Art in fashion is very common now, which is why we see artwork on clothes or footwear everywhere. Some of the most popular artists include,
- Andy Warhol
- Roy Lichtenstein
- Takashi Murakami
- Jeff Koons