Art & Fashion

Fashion designers have been influenced by art throughout history in varying degrees, whether drawing from a particular colour palette favoured by an accomplished painter, or boldly recreating iconic works of art and turning their collections into shows of moving masterpieces, art has regularly been a fruitful source of inspiration. But, the relationship between the two mediums hasn’t always been harmonious. In the 19th century, fashion seemed frivolous and trivial when compared with the attitudes toward art during the era. This notion has somewhat disappeared in the present day, and fashion holds a respectable position in many museums and art galleries. Some traditionalists, however, still view fashion as something that could never truly be art. This seems an unfair view when you consider that most of the criteria that art is subjected to; technique, concepts and aesthetic principals, can be found in many garments created by designers. In this series I will be looking at occasions where art has directly influenced the work of a fashion designer, beginning with the Lobster dress, a bold collaboration from the genius’ of Elsa Schiaparelli and Salvador Dali.