art and fashion blur

I suppose it says a good deal about me when I confess that the inspiration for this entry came from the March edition of Elle magazine... But in scanning through the coverage from major fashion shows and new trends, I found that recurring artistic references and inspirations were in abundance. Prada, Gaultier, and Escada's new lines draw on the colors and patterns of art nouveau in fin-de-siècle Paris, while Marc Jacobs and Miu Miu reference the surrealist movement with their fantastical and slightly bizarre new concoctions. For those of you who are decidedly less invested in the new spring lines, I understand that this may seem completely ridiculous and inconsequential, but bear with me... Because in thinking about how these designers are obviously incorporating art historical movements, I began to think about how much fashion and art actually overlap.
We invest in name brands or designers in much the same way as artists and galleries, generally giving preference to the more established and respected of those (such as Chanel, Damien Hirst, the Gagosian galleries...). These names carry significant social and cultural meaning and one's association with them indicates social and even intellectual status. People are prepared to pay exorbitant sums for an original or limited edition work of art, just as some are for a couture dress. In fact, couture fashion is the highest artistic expression of the fashion industry. The potential influence and social impact of both industries is also substantial. In fashion, key fashion houses dictate a season's latest trends which are most fully expressed in their couture creations and then translated into a ready-to-wear lines, and eventually the structure and patterns are recreated by stores such as Forever 21 and Target and become the latest trend available to just about everyone. Similarly, major artistic trends are integrated into broader social currents and affect contemporary aesthetics. Important artists and designers even collaborate at times, further manifesting the connection between fashion and art. Examples include photographer Jurgen Teller shooting Marc Jacobs advertisements, Richard Prince working with Louis Vuitton, and renowned architect Frank Gehry designing a line of jewelry for Tiffany.
And to quote the reality show, The Real Housewives of New York City, "fashion is wearable art." As much as I hate to reference the show, I do like the quote...

Prada, spring 2008 (I covet...)




Jurgen Teller shooting Dakota Fanning for Marc Jacobs







Richard Prince and Louis Vuitton

image of the week

Marcel Duchamp, The Fountain, 1917

aesthetic differences

I find the development of different cultural aesthetics endlessly interesting. This fascination was recently renewed by my glorious trip Central America last week (my life is oh so difficult, I know). While visiting these beautiful places, I could not help but to notice the different styles and crafts that are so particular to the region. The bright, unabashed colors and intricate patterns were often intoxicating to me. I was constantly distracted by new things at each market place, which wore on my companions' nerves...

But after reveling in the Caribbean aesthetic for days on end, I begin to wonder what is the American aesthetic? Do we have one? Does Polo count? I'm sure that I'm not being fair, but I don't suppose that one has to be while writing on a blog. I do believe it is very important to think about these things because whether we like it or not we are very much informed by our own cultural aesthetic and standards of beauty or desirability- though whether we wholly subscribe to them or not is a very different matter.


Some touristy shots that actually have nothing to do with what I just talked about...






Jealous? Should be...