Art and fashion are two things I care very much about. I find connections between the two of them a lot. There is a lot that they can draw from one another, in terms of inspiration, and sometimes they might even be inseparable. Here are some examples of that.
From Rothko's colorblocking, in his Blue, Green, Blue on Blue Ground...
To color blocking in simple American Apparel t-shirt....
____________
Another Rothko painting came to mind when I saw this bold striped and color blocking dress from Urban Outfitters. The reds, greens and yellows, and the geometric shapes in the dress reminded me of a painting hanging in Vassar's own Frances Lehman Loeb Center gallery, Rothko's No. 1.
____________
The tonal grays that dominate John Singer Sargent's In the Luxembourg remind me of the soft and textured grays in this leather and suede jacket...
_______________
Rodarte's Fall 2010 collection was a genius integration of different patterned fabrics and colors, mostly staying in the warm, pinky color pallet.
This combination of colors and textures could be considered an abstraction of clothing, just like the abstraction in impressionism. Compare it to Winslow Homer's watercolor In the Garden. The looseness of fabric in Rodarte's work mimics the looseness of Homer's brushstroke. The color pallets alone are enough to evoke a similar light and airy feeling.
Obviously we can't all afford off the runway, but luckily enough, retailers pick up on quick on runway trends, and are fully embracing these soft, pastel color pallets and floral prints, like in this dress from Urban Outfitters. 
It only seems perfectly fitting that the work of new-on-the-scene Leeann Marshall of Project Runway fame reminded me directly of contemporary artist Tara Donovan's installation Nebulous, that I saw at Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. Leeann Marshall uses fabric to sculpt the unique shapes of her garments, just as Tara Donovan uses scotch tape to build up nebulous-like forms on the floor.
Like I mentioned before, impressionism like the work of Monet could inspire millions upon millions of floral, spring prints like these two dresses from Urban Outfitters. See the resemble from these two dresses to Monet's lillypads?
You rarely see vertical stripes in clothing, because they can be quite unflattering, but if you are thin/brave enough to wear this crop top, then you are probably not too worried about whether vertical stripes are making you look too big. But, anyways, vertical stripes are striking. These light pink stripes reminded me of the notorious cell-bar candy pink stripes of Mary Cassatt's Five O'clock Tea. 
This season runway shoes have been topping all new heights and breaking all sorts of norms with innovative designs. Look at Christian Siriano's Fall 2010 shoes. Tall, eye catching, and incredibly detailed. The heel has an intricate and architectural quality almost like Corinthian style columns used in Roman architecture. These particular columns belong to the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. See the similarities?
Obviously we can't all afford off the runway, but luckily enough, retailers pick up on quick on runway trends, and are fully embracing these soft, pastel color pallets and floral prints, like in this dress from Urban Outfitters. ________________
It only seems perfectly fitting that the work of new-on-the-scene Leeann Marshall of Project Runway fame reminded me directly of contemporary artist Tara Donovan's installation Nebulous, that I saw at Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. Leeann Marshall uses fabric to sculpt the unique shapes of her garments, just as Tara Donovan uses scotch tape to build up nebulous-like forms on the floor.
Like I mentioned before, impressionism like the work of Monet could inspire millions upon millions of floral, spring prints like these two dresses from Urban Outfitters. See the resemble from these two dresses to Monet's lillypads?You rarely see vertical stripes in clothing, because they can be quite unflattering, but if you are thin/brave enough to wear this crop top, then you are probably not too worried about whether vertical stripes are making you look too big. But, anyways, vertical stripes are striking. These light pink stripes reminded me of the notorious cell-bar candy pink stripes of Mary Cassatt's Five O'clock Tea. 
_________________
I had to bring Rodarte back into it, because the last runway look of the the Fall 2010 collection held a striking resemblance to Whistler's iconic Symphony in White No.1, The White Girl. The emphasis on the shoulders, the flowing, airy translucent skirt of the dress are all common traits of the two dresses. They both have a very memorable quality.
___________
This season runway shoes have been topping all new heights and breaking all sorts of norms with innovative designs. Look at Christian Siriano's Fall 2010 shoes. Tall, eye catching, and incredibly detailed. The heel has an intricate and architectural quality almost like Corinthian style columns used in Roman architecture. These particular columns belong to the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. See the similarities? 
________________
After the designer's death, the Alexander McQueen 2010 Fall collection was a much awaiting collection this season. It did not disappoint. Here are just two looks.
The garments brought to mind a Baroque style with it's rich maroons and golds. I thought of one of my new favorite paintings, Tenth Street Studio by William Merritt Chase. The rich decoration and pallet of the interior of this painting looks just like the runway environment of the collection and the intricate fabric embellishment of McQueen's final works. The art and the clothes make a very dramatic statement.
______________
Another place where you can find art and fashion interacting with one another is in editorial photo shoots.
Here is one picture from W magazine's Art and Commerce shoot, where the model poses in Marc Jacobs dress and Bruno Fisoni Shoes with sculpture La Riviere by Aristide Maillol and M/M's Agent scintillant, gonfle a l'helium in the Jardin du Carrousel in Paris.
This picture is from a shoot by Karl Lagerfield in Voque Germany where he styled model Claudia Schiffer like Frida Kahlo. An artist always knows how to make a lasting statement. Those eyebrows certainly stay in my memory.
Last but not least, the iconic Carrie and Big, in couture, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Great models, great concept, great clothes, surrounded by great art. Mixing Ancient art and modern dresses makes for a beautiful editorial concept.
This was long winded, and probably didn't make too much sense. But I like art, and I like fashion, so hopefully that will tie things together a little.
No comments:
Post a Comment