1. Running Head: VISUAL ARTS AND ITS SISTER FASHION 1
Quincy Ibn Carter
Relationship between Fashion and Visual Arts
2. VISUAL ARTS AND ITS SISTER FASHION 2
Since the dawn of time visual arts (hand drawing, sketches, painting and sculpting) has
been a prevalent portion of history around the world. From the Stone Age to the current
age of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, visual arts can be found in a plethora of places.
According to the information researched, one of the biggest places for visual arts to be
found is in Fashion and in various design elements of fashion. Although fashion is
considered an art form, its kindred relationship with visual arts is intertwined to create
what designers of fashion consider to be "works of art". In this research we will examine
fashion designers who have turned garments into elaborate works of art. We will also
analyse how fashion designer have used actual pieces of famous artwork by famous artist
and incorporated those pieces into their designs. Finally we will study how designers
have taken famous paintings and re-imaged them with live models to recreate works of
art.
When examining how designers have turned their work into elaborate pieces of
artwork several designers come to mind. To begin with, Alexander McQueen has
transcended the realm of being merely a designer. McQueen is known for his over the
top, decorative, spectacles of designs that have been found on various celebrities and in a
multitude of museums worldwide. Take for example, his "Savage Beauty" collection, in
the words of current Creative Director of the brand Sarah Burton states " Savage beauty
is a celebration of the most imaginative and talented designer of our time. Lee was a
genius and a true visionary who pushed boundaries, challenged and inspired. He believed
in creativity and innovation and his talent was limitless" (Burton, 2015). In looking at
McQueen's Savage Beauty Collection one can be reminded that being an artist is about
pushing boundaries and looking beyond with is merely there. For this particular
3. VISUAL ARTS AND ITS SISTER FASHION 3
collection that has been produced it is beyond just fashion, it is fashion that has inspired
an assembly of individuals from both the world of fashion and that of the world of visual
arts. It can also be said that work of this magnitude can be viewed as taken traditional
artwork and tuning it into 3D artwork that allows for people to see the intricate workings
of what was purely a concept that someone thought to dream up.
In this portion of the research we analyzed how fashion designer have used actual
pieces of famous artwork by famous artist and incorporated those pieces into their
designs. While analyzing this portion of the proposal it is found that the use of works of
art in fashion is very predominant. In this instance the Mosaic from the Monreale
Cathedral, c. 1170 was used as a print Dolce and Gabbana, 2013 collection. Then
Katsushika Hokusai, c. 1830-32 painting appeared in and John Galliano for Christian
Dior, 2007 collection. More importantly on this matter Vase with 12 Sunflowers by
Vincent van Gogh, 1888 was implemented into Rodarte S/S 2013 collection (See Section
7c for reference). Just to name a few designers who have done this it seems to be
something that has been tested by several designers as a way to amplify the collections
that have been produced over the course of some years.
In conjunction with designers using artwork in their actual garments consider
when they recreate the works of art from famed artist. Alexander McQueen took the
famous painting of Queen Elizabeth the First and modernized it as it was used for the
brands 2013 collection. Likewise, Valentino used 17th-century Ruff in 'Two Sisters' by
Cornelis de Vos painting in their A/W 2013 collection. The works of Gustav Klimt who
is "known for the highly decorative style and erotic nature of his works, which were seen
as a rebellion against the traditional academic art of his time. His most famous paintings
4. VISUAL ARTS AND ITS SISTER FASHION 4
are The Kiss and Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer" (Blatty, 2016). Klimt work was spotted
in L'Wren Scott 2013 collection. The final artist founded in the recreation of their artwork
into fashion images is Roy Lichtenstein who had his image created into a reality by Mike
Ruiz.
Aside from looking at current pieces of artwork implemented into works of
fashion, the main focus of this research is to develop pieces of fashion that start off in the
realm of art sketches, going to full color and having its entire background be inspired by
painting, sculptures, and things of that nature and then producing the pieces into full
pieces of art work with a follow through from concept to actualization.
Mosaic from the Monreale Cathedral, c. 1170andDolce and
Gabbana, 2013
Queen Elizabeth,c. 1592 andAlexander McQueen,2013
17th-century Ruff in 'Two Sisters' by Cornelis de Vos, c.1615
andValentino, F/W2013
Katsushika Hokusai, c. 1830-32 andJohn GallianoforChristian
Dior, 2007
5. VISUAL ARTS AND ITS SISTER FASHION 5
Vase with 12 Sunflowers by Vincent vanGogh, 1888 andRodarte
S/S 2013
Gustav Klimt, 1901andL'WrenScott, 2013
Man Ray, 1924andJean Charles de Castelbajac,2011 Roy Lichtenstein(1964), Zink magazineby Mike Ruiz
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http://jmk.sagepub.com/content/33/3/245.abstract
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