Tirelessly inspired by the world of art, designers and luxury brands have never hesitated to draw inspiration from the works of the greatest artists, some even going as far as to reproduce true works of art on textiles and thus, blurring the boundaries between the two disciplines, fashion and art. The proof by five.
Elsa Schiaparelli and the surrealism of Dali
Since the 1930s, Elsa Schiaparelli 's collections have been punctuated on many occasions by collaborations with Salvador Dali. The exuberant Italian owes to the wild imagination of Dali creations on-real such as the powder dial "phone dial", the "hat-shoe", or the "skeleton dress". Without doubt, the most famous creation remains that of the Lobster dress, presented during the Haute Couture Summer 1937 collection.
Far from being a one-way collaboration, it is rather an exchange between two artists. In turn, Dali is inspired by the innovative creations of Schiaparelli . In his painting " Nightwear and day " in 1936, he layered on the canvas two emblematic creations of Schiaparelli: zip dresses and shoulders very marked.
With Elsa Schiaparelli, the boundaries between art and fashion are so blurred that her contemporary rival, Coco Chanel, describes her as an " artist who makes clothes ". She is surrounded by the greatest artists of her time, including Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso and Jean Cocteau. Today, after 90 years of existence, the Haute Couture house has lost none of its attraction to art as evidenced by each of its collections , often punctuated with trompe-l'oeil prints dear to the designer. .
The iconic lobster dress revisited at the Schiaparelli Spring-Summer 2017 show. Photo Credit: Catwalking - Getty Images
Yves Saint Laurent and the abstraction of Mondrian
The emblematic Mondrian dress imagined by Yves Saint Laurent in 1965 immediately creates the event during the autumn-winter Haute Couture fashion show "Tribute to Mondrian". Directly inspired by the abstract work of the painter Piet Mondrian, it shows the pronounced taste for the art of the one who is already nicknamed " the little prince of fashion ".
Unlike the style of the time, Saint Laurent offers straight and colorful dresses that jostle codes . Although it is part of a collection of ten pieces inspired by the Dutch artist, the dress Mondrian is the only one that will mark so much the spirits.
A great collector of art and patron, the French couturier immerses himself regularly in the works of the artists he cherishes. The result is creations such as the dress in tribute to the American painter Tom Wesselman in 1966, the one inspired by the paintings of Matisse in 80, the cape in tribute to George Braque in 1988 or the cubist dress inspired by Picasso.
The model Katoucha scrolls in a dress inspired by Pablo Picasso during the show Yves Saint Laurent spring-summer 1988.
Photo credit: Pierre Vauthey - Getty Images
Gianni Versace and Andy Warhol's pop art
The creator of the Versace house was a lover of modern art. His Spring 1991 collection is the perfect example: on the catwalk, dresses and coveralls with prints inspired by Andy Warhol's colorful canvases , such as Marilyn Monroe's famous two-tone portrait, follow one another.
Naomi Campbell in 1991 at the Versace show.
Photo credit: George Rose - Getty Images
A quarter of a century later, Donatella Versace paid tribute to her brother during the Spring-Summer 2018 Parade by republishing from the archives of the house these dresses with a decidedly pop art spirit.
Miuccia Prada and street art
Passionate about contemporary art, Miuccia Prada collaborated with six artists for her Spring-Summer 2014 show, including artists El Mac, Mesa, Gabriel Specter and Stinkfish as well as illustrators Pierre Mornet and Jeanne Detallante. Their works have not only invaded the walls of the place where the parade took place but also the bags and clothes of the Italian brand. By appropriating the urban art in this way, the designer managed to get the seam down in the street .
An illustration of the Barcelona street artist Mesa on the Prada dresses of the spring-summer 2014 parade.
Photo credit: Imaxtree
In 1995, together with her husband, she created the Prada Foundation in Milan, which aims to offer another vision of contemporary art while supporting it. Miuccia Prada, nicknamed " the intellectual of fashion ", infuses in each of his collections his love for art and explores all its facets as evidenced by his 2018 spring-summer parade inspired by the world of comics.
2018 spring-summer parade inspired by American cosmics. Photo credit: Daniele Oberrauch - Imaxtree
Louis Vuitton and contemporary art by Jeff Koons
Since 2014, the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris has also supported contemporary artistic creation, both French and international, and aims to make it accessible to as many people as possible. In the history of collaborations between the world of luxury and that of art, that between the French leather goods company and the American plastic artist is undoubtedly the most controversial. Some critics even question the legitimacy of Jeff Koons as an artist.
In this series entitled "Masters" , the masterpieces of Leonard De Vinci, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh or Paul Gauguin put on the bags and accessories of the Parisian malletier. A tribute to the biggest names in painting that contemporary artist Jeff Koons wanted to make by transforming Louis Vuitton bags into master paintings. A double work of daring art that provokes debate. But after all, Georges Braque did not say that " art is made to disturb "?
