Accessories with Art

Look out in next few monthssss for Sze's Art pieces! Just some research to support the new collections better. Hope to hear from you soon.

Art is not just another hanging framed-up picture on walls but has made its debut on the runways and caught the fashionista’s public eye this season. Artist, designers, clothing stores and beauty brands are seen working hand-in-hand to bring real artistry into the fashion sphere. Fashion designers have for years been artistic but not rendered as skillful or received the same credulous appreciation as the one holding the brush. Both however, draw in the appreciation of the rich and famous. With their powers combined, these sorts of art and fashion pairing have helped each other reap in double the dollars.

In the recent catwalks, more than a few artist and designers have combined their creativity powers and use fabric as the new canvas as a showcase for their masterpieces. Through this story angle pertaining to art inspired wear, we will be looking at the modern day partners in this art and fashion movement, the styling varieties of their art be it brush strokes or paint splashes. The latest ingenious designers found using this resurrected fashion approach are D&G, Marni, Gucci, Fendi, Armani, Miu Miu, Louis Vuitton, John Galliano, Moschino, Victor & Rolf, Jimmy Choo, Luella Bartley and Marc Jacobs to name a few.

Leading the pack was fashion luxury giant Louis Vuitton who paired with modern artist Richard Prince. Prince followed in the footsteps of iconic artist Jackson Pollock’s modern abstract. Richard Prince created Jackson Pollock’s inspired splash paint onto canvases in a plethora of wonderful hues that grace the Louis Vuitton monograms today. This year’s spring/summer 2008 collection brings about a colourful collaboration that is a highly desirable, affordable and wearable piece of art. It contains a mishmash clutter of paint made out of intermingled myriads swirl and splashes of vibrant colors that weaves a constantly moving complex pattern of energy. Prince’s art which could have easily fetched millions if they were on paper instead of fabric is no short of a fashionable avant-garde collection of artwork to tote about.

Above: Nurses Naomi Campbell, Angela Lindvall, Claudia Schiffer, Stephanie Seymour and Natalia Vodionova draping Richard Prince’s infamous artwork for Louis Vuitton.

Following the craze are Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana (D&G) who found a wave of ideas for their latest collection while wandering through the Chelsea galleries in New York. During their spring 2008 show, gowns painted in elaborated splashes and strokes of abstract floral designs sashayed down the catwalk to a stunned and gasping audience. Dolce & Gabbana used their garments as blank canvases for young painters who were given due credit at the beginning of the show with a video accolade of brush strokes that seamlessly came alive from the screen to skirts. Like any masterpiece, this hand painted collection is only available is limited edition made in minimal quantities.

Above: Dolce and Gabbana’s artistic paint splattered dresses.

Aside from finding art in designer wear collections, art can also be found on the streets. Not all art inspired limited editions are in the thousands. On the contrary, street fashion brand Adidas worked with a renowned French street artist who’s cute and sexy graffiti character called “Fafinettes” brought a new wave of feminine hipsters to the otherwise male dominated street style. Adidas’ launch of its spring/summer 2008 Fafi Collection drew enormous attention to her art work.. Fafi also collaborated with many other apparel labels including LeSportSac and MAC. For LeSportSac, Fafi told a story of a girl who was looking for the magic in her life and discovers the tree that blooms LeSportSac bags. The joint venture brought together the colorful and comical likeness of Fafi and the hip utility of LeSportSac. Fafi’s art tantamount in the femininity scale with whimsical cartoons that portray and captivate the sophisticated fashion forward women of today.


Above: Fafi’s street like collection for Adidas, LeSportSac and MAC

Other similar artists like Fafi who have daringly ventured out of their nutshells include the likes of fashion illustrator Ruben Toledo who has worked with beauty giant Estee Lauder, Nordstrom and Tiffany’s. For his latest project, Ruben together with fashion photographer Ruven Afanador, painted a setting that went beyond the usual but fuses the whole setting into an impression for the sake of photography. Toledo painted not only the walls but the floors and even on the models to create an overall ambience that came alive.

Above: Ruben Toledo paint 20x30 foot walls for a fashion shoot for Nordstrom.

Prada too has jump onto the art wagon with their classy anime Fairy Bag’ which doned water coloured artwork drawings. Miuccia Prada has again proven to let her creativity shine through that of James Jean with these beautiful and stimulating pieces of art that are a far cry from her black and plain classics. These beauties are such a rare treasure and like their fairy characters- hard to find.

Above: Ethereal Prada totes with illustrations of nymphs and fairies.

Aside from fine art, illustrations and modern art, hugely acclaimed accessory label, Jimmy Choo collaborated with an artist of a different caliber. He worked together with US pop artist Richard Philips to fabricate two limited edition clutch bags. These prints divert from Choo’s usual fabulously glamorous bags and instead, punctuate a new sense of fun and allure into his already stunning collection of clutches.

Above: Jimmy Choo’s Pop Art Clutch

Judging from the myriad of artist and designers engaging in each other’s talents, this trend is to remain for a while. More designers and fashion houses are turning artsy. These take into account big names like Marni with its marine-colored brushstrokes which are a representative of modern artist Peter Doig's watercolors. Frida Gianni of Gucci included, curves towards East Hampton and Jackson Pollock's inconsistent splatters as inspiration. Where as, Karl Lagerfeld chooses the spherical Op Art patterns and Armani revisits the Impressionism era with modern florals. Art has definitely, without a doubt, conquered the fashion industry at all levels with its strong influence. And like any beautiful work of art, these worthy pieces are meant to be collected and treasured.

Above: Gucci's paint splatter dress.