(L-R): Proenza Schouler, Valentino, Stella McCartney, Ann
Demeulemeester and Donna Karen
Is fashion art? It's the big question that has long been the subject of great
debate and while the definitive answer may never be forthcoming, one thing is
certain; right now, art is definitely fashionable.
Open any glossy magazine and you¡¯ll find yourself pondering the serendipity
of some fashionably arty item. Boutiques look more like art galleries. Must-have
shoes look more like a Damien Hurst installation than something to go for a walk
in. And even Kate Moss¡¯s mother has become an artist¡¯s agent.
Art is back in Vogue and we¡¯re not talking ¡®Water Colour Challenge¡¯.It was
Stella McCartney's collaboration with King of Kitsch, Jeff Koons, for her
current collection that really kick started the current trend for all things
arty. The American artist who sat front row to watch his clouds of bright pink
and orange sweep down the Paris runway in the form of billowing party dresses,
was also responsible for the iconic rabbit charm bracelets and necklaces which
fast became one of this summer¡¯s must have accessories.
¡°I wanted to inject a sense of fun on the runway. Jeff Koons is too cool for
school!¡± exclaimed McCartney who has previously collaborated with artists
including Gary Hume, David Remfry and Robert Crumb. ¡°I like his sense of humour,
his work is bold, sexy and inspired a lot of women.¡±
The collections for Autumn/Winter 2006 are set to continue in the same vein,
with abundant painterly references. So much so that when fashion editors who
attended the shows gushed about dresses being instant collector¡¯s items, there
was more significance to their words than ever before.
American designer Prouenza Schouler - whose creations have already been
snapped up by Arthouse icon du jour Chloe Sevigny - chose the chaotic squiggles
of abstract American artist Cy Twombly as inspiration for his collection.
Valentino sent supermodel Gemma Ward down his runway in a pair of graffitied
trousers reminiscent of African American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat¡¯s canvases
and designer Ann Demeulemeester showed drip effect fabrics in the style of
Jackson Pollock¡¯s later work.
Donna Karan, normally associated with minimalist and monochrome clothes is
another designer to have got swept away with her artistic side. ¡°I have a thing
for artists. I was married to one (the late Stephan Weiss), am inspired by them
and have worked with many of them during my career.¡± Says Karan, whose latest
collection of sleek tailoring could have been finished with the colourful
brushstrokes of a New York art student. ¡°I was inspired by the motion and
fluidity of New York art, be it the graffiti you see everywhere in the streets
or the amazing work hanging in MoMa and the DIA centre for arts.¡±
Back in London, accessory designer Lulu Guiness had plundered the archives of
the Tate Modern in search of inspiration for her new couture collection of
handbags. ¡°I took my inspirations from Couteau, Dali and Magritte - the
Surrealist era was my favourite time in fashion as well as art. The Tallulah
bag, part of my ¡®Surreal Glamour¡¯ collection is a subtle nod to Magritte who
used to write the names of objects underneath his images.¡± She added ¡°I have
always loved seeing the collaborations between designers and artists, especially
between Elsa Schiaparelli, Dali and Jean Cocteau.¡±
No fashion house embraced the art scene quite like British design duo Antoni
& Alison. They ditched the catwalk entirely and instead unveiled their
collection in the sculpture studio at Chelsea School of Art. Wearing artist¡¯s
smocks and sculptor¡¯s boiler suits, models were accessorized with brush or paint
palette pendants and shoes made of artist¡¯s rags. But surprisingly, the pair are
adamant that art and fashion are two very separate things.
¡°Aswell as being fashion designers, Alison and I are also fine art
photographers but we see a very clear difference between the two things. We
don¡¯t believe fashion is art - there are too many other reasons for it to exist
such as function and practicality, where as art is something simply to look at.
We were very inspired by how artists themselves dress, it¡¯s a look we find
really stylish and interesting.¡± said Antoni Burakowski.
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