LONDON - The story is notable in so many ways it makes my head spin.
Recently while having a conversation about the relationship between art and fashion, an artist expressed their worry regarding the dilution of the artistic enterprise, if it were to become 'too comfy' with fashion!
The artist fumed that their work was being 'vulgarised in the rag trade'... a conversation that required me to take valium and pain killers soon afterwards!!
I am from that generation of designers who think very hard about new sets of relationships between people and spaces and how people work with artwork. I would contend that fashion is a form of art, because it clearly takes influence from art. The widely accepted definition of art – a visual expression of one’s skill and imagination – goes hand in hand with the world of fashion.
The commercial element of fashion is one that has developed as a result of modern day consumerism. The argument against fashion being art is nonsensical. It would be akin to denying that music is an art form on the basis of pervasive commercialisation in the music industry.
Most poignantly, fashion should be considered art because of its importance for some people who design and dress according to their imagination and emotions.
This could be dictated by culture, other forms of art, or even having a bad day. Fashion design and the wearing of clothes channels personal feelings and skills that give it meaning to those involved in these processes.
Throughout the world, fashion is increasingly mixed with the museum world and the number of fashion exhibitions in art museums is inevitably growing, proving once again that fashion and art are merging into one discipline.
While a relationship between art and fashion has always existed, over the last decade, collaborations between luxury brands and contemporary artists have gone beyond mere artistic partnerships towards a new kind of luxury branding.
And, this in turn has had an impact on the contemporary art world itself.
The worlds of art and fashion have always shared a common bond.
This connection between art and fashion, which existed even before recorded history, continues to grow, adapt and reflect the trends through our present day.
The hard part is figuring out where art ends and fashion begins and vice versa.
Fashion designers use their skills and abilities to create intricate, beautiful and interesting pieces of clothing.
People are drawn for whatever reason to a certain piece of art work, much as they are drawn to a certain fashion designer or article of clothing.
Art and fashion both communicate a non-verbal message to those around us. When you look at a piece of artwork or a famous painting you see the outward appearance of it but there also remains a deeper hidden message that needs to be explored further. This thought can be extrapolated to cover the world of fashion. As you clothe yourself you are basically piecing together a work of art through your style. Art and fashion both represents a form of symbolism. However, in art each visual symbol carries an even deeper meaning that cannot be understood by simply looking at it at face value. By moulding the two disciplines, fashion is also beginning to take on these same characteristics as well.
The connection between art and fashion is more widespread. We are experiencing a revolution and a fusion of the two entities as the lines between them are becoming even more blurred. As this fusion continues to evolve and change, the fashion industry leaders will undoubtedly reach out to their artistic brethren even more with an olive branch. It is not about people serving art and fashion, but rather about art and fashion being a slave of the people.
Many seem to think that such a partnership is negative, but I beg to differ. Both businesses, albeit different, are helping one another through a common language: creative expression. The common thread between fashion and art has nothing to do with craft and technique. It’s not so much that fashion is becoming more like art or revealing itself to be art, but that fashion and art seem to be collapsing into one another.
While a definitive answer to the question may never be reached and the tug of war between both sides will certainly persist, perhaps it’s best to think of art and fashion as having a symbiotic relationship — two different entities that feed off of one another. And, in light of the current economy, perhaps the art and fashion world need each other now, more than ever!
*Pamela is a Zimbabwean fashion journalist and fashion accessory designer based in the United Kingdom. She is currently in the running for the prestigious Vogue and Muuse Award for Best International Emerging Fashion Accessory Designers. She can be contacted on pamsamasuwo@live.co.uk