FASHION & ART: A mutually beneficial proposition
For centuries, fashion and art have complemented each other perfectly. It is not uncommon for world-famous figures in the fashion industry to be inspired by fine art masterpieces and create outstanding collections. Sometimes, clothes and accessories becom
L’officiel Hommes Austria explored the prototypes, collections and events that have influenced the mutually beneficial alliance between fashion and art and the latest collaborations.
IN SEARCH OF INSPIRATION
Let’s start by travelling back in time – back to ancient Rome when clothes symbolised social hierarchy. Specific garments and colours were evidence of a person’s status. At the heart of Roman men’s costume were two types of clothing: tunic – the lower part, and toga – the upper part. The tunic was made of a rectangular piece of cloth and tied at the waist with a belt. The richer and more noble a man, the more prosperous and more exquisite the decoration of the product with embroidery and ornaments. A woman’s tunic was not different from a man’s, but its basis was drapery. Women wore a long sleeveless dress over the tunic. It would seem that this theme was left far behind, and reminders of it were majestic statues and mosaics from the ancient Roman era. However, in the early 20th century, Frenchwoman Madeleine Vionnet recreated a style that combined elements of Hellenic sculpture and architecture in clothing. With the help of draperies, geometric shapes and oblique cuts, the designer revolutionised modern fashion. Another fashion reformer is Cristóbal Balenciaga. The designer has always been particularly impressed by the Spanish Renaissance. The author looked for ideas in church objects and monastic clothing of that era. He also drew inspiration from the works of the Mannerist El Greco, particularly his painting “Cardinal Fernando Niño de Guevara”. He adopted the bright colours and the cut of the sleeves and collar of the clergyman’s garments. It was to open new horizons for functional fashion.
One cannot help but think of Christian Dior. In 1949, the couturier designed a Haute Couture collection for Springsummer. It included the iconic Miss Dior dress embroidered with flower petals of different variants of pink and
purple colours. In the dress, the fashion designer mimicked Monet’s natural aesthetic.
Among the design pieces of contemporaries, Pierpaolo Piccioli’s work for the House of Valentino is worth mentioning. The transition period from the Middle Ages to the Northern Renaissance is the starting point of his inspiration. In 2017, together with Zandra Rhodes, Piccioli created a special collection, taking images from Hieronymus Bosch’s painting “The Garden of Earthly Delights” as a basis.
“Venus Before the Mirror” by Peter Paul Rubens inspired the 2020 collection by designer duo Dolce & Gabbana. A love for the Baroque was one of the unifying moments for the two young assistants in the same Milan atelier in the 80s.
MORE THAN A FASHION BRAND
Collaborations between fashion houses and artists have become particularly popular in the last two decades. Most of the things born in these creative duos are in great demand. Such cooperation is beneficial to both parties because each increases the recognition and circle of buyers.
One of last year’s most extensive advertising and marketing campaigns was the collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. The project went beyond just a fashion collection; it became a multi-platform event covering various online and offline events. Every aspect of the collaboration was marked by the 94-year-old artist’s authorship, from the dots on the published Louis Vuitton luxury goods to the billboards and every piece of digital content. A massive sculpture of the artist herself was installed on the roof of the Louis Vuitton House on Place Vendôme in Paris. Kusama’s hyper-realistic figure doted the storefront window.
For Louis Vuitton, this is not the first collaboration with the artist; their first experience in 2012 was a resounding success. And if we delve further into the history of such experiences, the collection, which included flower and skull patterns by artist Takashi Murakami, was no less iconic. It included bags, suitcases, various accessories, and a unique Louis Vuitton-murakami Monogram Multicolore canvas, released in a limited edition. Murakami’s 2007 monographic exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles embodied the artist’s “super flat” philosophy. This decidedly postmodernist outlook allowed the bag’s design and the painting’s concept to share the same cultural value. At the centre of it all was the Murakami x Louis Vuitton shop, where the Louis Vuitton MOCA Hands collection, created especially for the exhibition, was on display. The commercial intervention in a museum exhibition blurred the boundaries of art and commerce. It is no coincidence that Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, declared that Louis Vuitton is more than luxury fashion. It is a “cultural brand”.
ART COLLABORATIONS 2024
These collaborations are now expanding. This year, we are pleasantly surprised:
1. LOEWE x Richard Hawkins For the presentation of LOEWE’S latest menswear collection at Paris Fashion Week, Creative director Jonathan Anderson worked with Los Angeles-based artist Richard Hawkins, who created digital collages set alongside arched stained glass windows. Seven of Hawkins’ paintings hung on the room’s back wall, creating the effect of an artist‘s studio or gallery.
2. Marc Jacobs x Cindy Sherman The iconic American photographer Cindy Sherman, famed for her creative selfportraits, starred in Marc Jacobs’ Spring/summer 2024 advertising campaign. To celebrate the luxury brand’s 40th anniversary, German photographer Juergen Teller captured images of Sherman. In one ensemble, Sherman portrayed a glossy blonde in a tweed suit standing in front of Marc Jacobs shop in Soho, while in another, she appeared as a scruffy brunette in black leather trousers.
3. JW Anderson x Christiane Kubrick JW Anderson’s Autumn collection is inspired by the interiors created by Christiane Kubrick for Stanley Kubrick’s psychodrama “Eyes Wide Shut”. Featuring blood-red velvet, satin cushions and illustrations created for the film, the collection not only embodies the intellectual property of cinema in graphic form but also draws inspiration from the entire concept of the film. The show notes describe it as “weird and perversely homely, plush and soft, everything is wrong”.
4. Skechers x Jgoldcrown Skechers enlisted James Goldcrown to adorn the brand’s fan-favourite trainers and sportswear with the artist‘s famous hearts.
5. Stella Mccartney + Sorayama After a successful partnership in 2021, Stella Mccartney and longtime friend, Japanese illustrator Hajime Sorayama, have teamed up again for a new fashion collaboration. Released for Spring/summer 2024, the limited-edition unisex capsule combines Sorayama’s avant-garde illustrations with Mccartney’s meticulous design approach to create a series of playful pieces. Sexy robots, silvery strawberries and “Platinum Dream” slogans appear in numerous silhouettes. All ready-to-wear items, as well as vegan bags, shoes and accessories, are made from 100 % environmentally friendly materials.