Fashion is often examined through the lens of a variety of disciplines which include art history, design, film and media studies, literature, cultural geography, history, economics, and marketing.
There is however an ongoing controversial debate as to whether fashion should be viewed as a work of art. Our answer to this is, yes! Fashion should absolutely be viewed as a work of art!
Fashion like art can be a form of creative expression to reflect larger themes; to be a part of a greater conversation. So how do we interpret designs that are created in collaboration with artists, if not as works of art?
The symbiotic relationship between the two disciplines has been widely demonstrated through Influential collaborations between artists and the tastemakers of the fashion world.
Here are some examples of earlier collaborations -
- In 1917 Picasso became a set and costume designer for the ballet Parade conceived by the French writer Jean Cocteau. His bold and boxy costumes were a jumble of urban structures, like skylines sprouting legs. They resembled the angular forms in his cubist paintings.
- In 1937 Spanish surrealist, Salvador Dalí, and legendary Italian fashion designer, Elsa Schiaparelli, teamed up to create a silk summer evening dress featuring a print of an oversized lobster that dangled down from the waist, worn by American socialite Wallis Simpson for a photoshoot in Vogue magazine.
- In 1965 Yves Saint Laurent attempted to commodify the soulful grid aesthetic of Dutch abstract artist Piet Mondrian, with a series of six day-dresses in Mondrian’s distinctively austere style.
- Kartell has collaborated with fashion designer Jeremy Scott from Moschino for a couple of lamps. The brand also worked with J.J. Martin to create custom printed fabrics for the DoubleJ collection. President and CEO of Kartell, Claudio Luti says “In the end, fashion, art and design are always connected and influence one another.
- Maison Margiela’s John Galliano tasked artist Benjamin Shine to transform a white bonded cotton coat into a smoky and ethereal wearable tulle portrait for Maison Margiela’s Artisanal Spring 2017 Collection. The fashion house released a statement about its artisanal influence saying "It's really important to have the Artisanal line. Where would the world be without the essence? We need the essence; only then can we exploit that ready-to-wear and accessories."
This is why dressing ourselves and dressing a room have similar tenets. Luxury Fashion Brands recognise that, like an artisan handbag, a well-appointed home has lasting power. It is why we have fashion brands launching home lines or collaborating on capsule collections with established home brands; Ralph Lauren Home, Off White furniture, Target collaborating with Missoni, to name a few.
