The Marriage Between Art and Fashion

We often view fashion as a form of art. The famous Andy Warhol once said, ‘fashion is more art than art is.‘ Revolving around the same sphere, the worlds of fashion and art are forever intrinsically linked. From Raf Simons and Sterling Ruby, Virgil Abloh and Takashi Murakami, to Saint Laurent and Vincent Van Gogh – the relationships between fashion designers and artists have been notable. By embracing the world of art to spark original styles, fashion designers are creating works on a broader scale than before.

Whether it’s Sterling Ruby, Jean Michel Basquiat or Richard Prince, art and fashion have forever been in a marriage made in dingy art studios and luxury filled apartments. Synonymous for being outlets of creative expression, fashion is to art what art is to fashion. Throughout history, we have seen many fashion designers borrow ideas from art movements or even collaborate directly with them. 

The two worlds of art and fashion share a bridge that forever connects them. Both deeply rooted in creative self-expression, for decades, fashion designers like Raf Simons, Walter Van Beirendonck and Dries Van Noten have turned to artists to convey contexts and storylines they just couldn’t tell through the medium of clothing. Luxury fashion brands have long collaborated with artists, from Helmut Lang’s collaboration with Hank William Thomas to Salvador Dalí’s daring collaboration with Elsa Schiaparelli, which may have invented the art slash fashion collaboration as we know it today. 

The art world has historically provided boundless inspiration for fashion makers – giving them a different perspective and lens through which they have created outstanding collections based on art collections and art movements. For instance, when it was time to design his first Haute Couture collection for Dior, Raf Simons turned to the art of Sterling Ruby for inspiration. He created a striking collection of couture pieces that utilise prints by the artist. The relationship between Raf and Ruby marks a long line of collaboration between fashion designers and artists, and this collaboration sees the fashion industry continuously falling over itself to fraternise with prominent names in the art world. 

Today, fashion and art continue to be at their peak in the fashion climate. Whether it’s the Basquiat estate selling his likeness to anyone who will pay or designers like the late Virgil Abloh working with contemporary artist Takashi Murakami, the art world’s impact on fashion makers cannot be understated. Fashion designers are big players in the world art world, either as collectors or as budding artists themselves. Helmut Lang, like Kenzo, turned to sculpting later in his career, and it is widely known that Virgil Abloh was inspired by the Dada movement’s pioneering artist Marcel Duchamp to create his “Figures of Speech” exhibition.

Mixing high and low materials with multimedia campaigns and celebrity endorsements has brought about untold popularity for both fashion makers and artists. As a result, the cross-pollination between fashion and art continues to energise both worlds to continue collaborating. 

Fashion’s links with the art world have long formed part of the creative process for designers. The alchemy of mixed cultural influences and artistic mediums has helped shape collections for many a luxury house. Art has always inspired designers to produce something novel and timeless. As the fashion industry continues to move away from the singularity of designers who only work with clothes as a medium, the proliferation of multi-hyphenate designers will continue.

Undoubtedly we are bound to see more designers turn to art as they look beyond their front doors for inspiration. Luxury fashion brands are investing in art. As they look for creative ways to bridge the gap between the arts, brands like Louis Vuitton, Prada and Hermes are commissioning pieces from well established and emerging artists. This only goes to show that fashion and art have always and will always work hand-in-hand. 

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