By: Riya Chaturvedi and Alex Gomez
Artwear - often referred to as Art Wear or Conceptual Fashion - is the collision of art and fashion where the unconventional and creative minds are celebrated and encouraged. As a distinct subcategory of fashion, artwear is an expressive playground for designers to experiment and push the envelope of artistic and creative expression. Few others besides those extremely invested in fashion design know about this particular style, as it is often overlooked because of its frequently impractical and expensive nature. Artwear often features references and homages to famous artists as well as subtle odes to historical events. Notable features of artwear include illustrated graphics, non-fiber materials, visually exciting patterns and colors, unconventional silhouettes, and a variety of handmade textiles. Artwear essentially utilizes a model as a canvas to display and showcase artistic visions within a creative domain. The style exhibits the ingenuity of its designers, presented through a passion and love for the creation of textiles and art through thread.
Recently, influencers have prompted the transfer of artwear from the runway to the streets, with artwear pieces currently appearing in popular clothing stores. Artwear creations play with shapes, colors, and illusions. This style creates a wearable work of art that often communicates a deeper meaning. Though the silhouettes sometimes seen on the runway are impractical for daily wear, the colors, prints, and illusions introduced by artwear are being created in more accessible and comfortable styles.
Schiaparelli, a wildly famous fashion house, is well known for their artwear. Schiaparelli, an Italian fashion brand, has been well established in the fashion industry for decades, even rivaling Chanel at one point. You may not notice, but you probably see a lot of Schiaparelli designs on your favorite celebrities.
One of the most beautiful recent looks was on model Bella Hadid at the Cannes film festival this year. This look featured a long black gown with a deep neckline which had a breathtaking gold “lung” necklace. This combination of metalwork and the conceptual idea contribute to the categorization of this piece as artwear. The designer Daniel Roseberry was inspired heavily by surrealism, especially Salvador Dali. He wanted clothes to make the wearer think about how they move through the world. This year’s Met Gala showcased many stunning examples, with celebrities such as Grimes, Gabrielle Union-Wade, and Tessa Thompson sporting artwear by Iris van Herpen. Van Herpen’s styles often feature mesh with intricate designs and swirls. Unsurprisingly, Van Herpen has inspired similar ideas that have become popular in fashion and on social media. With colder weather right around the corner, textures such as knitwear and crochet works have grown in popularity on social media. Loupy Studio, based in Norwich in the United Kingdom, hand-makes unique crochet designs that feature abstract shapes. Some of Loupy Studio’s works resemble liquid drips, giving the appearance of paint swirling across the body. A similar example of artwear translated into common fashion and trends can be seen through the rise of patterned tights. Artwear designer Kaisa Kucharska uses hot glue to create stunning lace pieces that resemble colorful hot glue swirls. Maison Soksi, an Italian fashion brand, has become popular because of its stunningly artistic and playful tights. Linda Hachim, co-founder of Flare and Sage Hill alumna (‘20), created her own line of “funky tights” as well, and features polka dots, swirls, and other patterns featured in her brand Dyenamic. Additionally, mesh and sheer fabrics pay homage to artwear in their own way. Wearers can be creative in how they style the pieces, and can choose to layer them however they please. With a range of styles, it becomes easy for the average fashion enthusiast to dip their toes (literally and figuratively) into the world of artwear. Sheer clothing and creative cutouts go hand-in-hand with negative space in art. Negative space is found in every art form to bring balance to a piece - it is no different in fashion.
Though there may be an absence of fabric, the gaps create a new, artistic look. Designer Caroline Reznik offers beautiful looks, creating shapes using cutouts and a range of see-through materials.
Luckily for fashion lovers, these concepts are easy to wear in daily attire. The fashion brand I AM GIA is especially known for their use of cutouts in products, creating tops with intricate backs and pants with dynamic waistlines. These styles have become so popular that they have been featured not only on social media but also in pop culture. In HBO’s hit show Euphoria, a main character, Maddy Perez, is seen wearing her purple set, which includes cutouts that make the outfit iconic.
In addition to clothing, the fashion industry has felt the impact of artwear in jewelry. Brands such as Egon Lab and BhavyaRameshJewelry design rings that are worn on the fingertip to embellish the nail. Headpieces have also made a comeback. Many artwear-based outfits include the ornamentation of the head, whether it be jewelry, a hat, or a modern hairdo. On the runway, artwear headpieces often tie the look together and often tie a look together.
Some up and coming designers in artwear emerge straight from fashion and art schools. These young designers show us the future of fashion and conceptual thinking. Scarlett Yang from Hong Kong, who is studying at Central Saint Martins in London, created an inspired collection combining bio design, digital fabrication, and 3D generative simulation. This collection used unconventional materials to comment on sustainability. Another student, Soohee Park, found inspiration from women’s empowerment, using the concept of a girl evolving into a young woman to create her collection which features intricate, uber feminine silhouettes. Artwear is a new way for fashion students to find a more idea-based project with endless possibilities or for an art student to explore their ideas in a new medium. Due to a newer focus on conceptual design, we anticipate more artwear from designers of the future.
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