9 masterpieces of brilliant artists that inspired great fashion designers and created unique collections

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Throughout history, fashion and art have gone hand in hand to create a great combination. Many fashion designers have borrowed ideas from artistic movements for their collections, which has allowed fashion to be interpreted as an art form that mainly serves to express ideas and visions. Influenced by this, some internationally renowned fashion designers have created outstanding collections based on the artistic movements of the 20th century.

1. Madeleine Vionne

Born in north-central France in 1876, Madame Madeleine Vionne was known as "the goddess of style and queen of tailoring." During her stay in Rome, she was fascinated by the art and culture of the Greek and Roman civilizations, and was inspired by ancient goddesses and statues. Based on these works of art, she shaped the aesthetics of her style and combined elements of Greek sculpture and architecture to give a new dimension to the female body. With her skill in draping and slanting dresses, Madeleine revolutionized modern fashion. She often consulted works of art such as The Winged Victory of Samothrace for her art collections.

The similarities between the masterpiece of Hellenistic art and Vionne's muse are striking. Deep draping of the fabric in the style of the Greek chiton creates vertical streaks of light flowing down the figure. The sculpture was created in homage to Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, and is admired for its realistic depiction of movement. The flowing drape of the Vionnet design is reminiscent of the movement of billowing fabric that adheres to Nike's body. Dresses can be like living beings with a soul, like a body. Like the Winged Victory of Samothrace, Madeleine created dresses that awaken the human essence hidden deep within. Classicism, both an aesthetic philosophy and a design philosophy, gave Vionne the opportunity to convey her vision in geometric harmony.

She was also fascinated by contemporary art movements such as Cubism. Madeleine began incorporating geometric shapes into her creations and adopted another method of cutting them called bevel cutting. Of course, Vionne never claimed to have invented the oblique cut, but only expanded its use. As women made great progress in the struggle for their rights in the early twentieth century, Madeleine defended their freedom by abolishing the long-lasting Victorian corset from women's everyday wear. Therefore, she became a symbol of the liberation of women from the constraint of the bustier and instead released new, lighter fabrics that literally flowed on women's bodies.

2. Pierpaolo Piccioli

Pierpaolo Piccioli is Valentino's chief designer and is very attracted to the religious works of the Middle Ages. The starting point of inspiration for him is the transitional moment from the Middle Ages to the Northern Renaissance. He collaborated with Zandra Rhodes and together they designed an inspirational collection in Spring 2017. Piccioli wanted to connect the punk culture of the late 70s with humanism and medieval art, so he returned to his roots and the Renaissance, finding inspiration in the painting by Hieronymus Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights.

The famous Dutch painter was one of the most prominent representatives of the Northern Renaissance in the 16th century. In the "Garden of Earthly Delights", which Bosch painted before the Reformation, the artist wanted to depict Paradise and the creation of mankind, the first temptation of Adam and Eve, as well as Hell, anticipating sinners. In the center pane, people seem to be satisfying their appetites in a world of pleasure. Bosch's iconography stands out for its originality and sensuality. The whole picture is interpreted as an allegory of sin.

In the fashion world, the painting gained popularity as various fashion designers were fascinated by its motives. Blending eras and aesthetics, Piccioli reinterpreted Bosch's symbols with flying see-through dresses, while Rhodes created romantic prints and embroidered patterns slightly similar to the original artwork. Colors were certainly part of the message the designers wanted to convey. Thus, the collection of flying dreamy dresses is based on the northern color palette of apple green, pale pink and blue robin eggs.

3. Dolce and Gabbana

Peter Paul Rubens masterfully painted women with love, learning and diligence. He presented his "Venus in front of the mirror" as the supreme symbol of beauty. Peter exclusively portrayed her light face and blonde hair, which contrasts with the dark-skinned maid. The mirror is an absolute symbol of beauty, which frames a woman like a portrait, and at the same time subtly emphasizes the nakedness of the figure. The mirror that Cupid holds for the goddess shows the reflection of Venus as a representation of erotic attraction and desire. Rubens, who was one of the founders of Baroque art, and his concept of "colors over lines" influenced several fashion designers, including Dolce & Gabbana. The Baroque style deviated from the spirit of the Renaissance, abandoned serenity and sleekness and instead sought elegance, excitement and movement.

Fashion designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana wanted to create a campaign that would celebrate the sensual as well as the romantic side of female beauty. Peter Paul Rubens was the most suitable source of inspiration. The creations of the cult duo were in great harmony with the art of the Flemish artist. In this collection, models posed with great nobility, looking as if they had just stepped off one of Rubens' paintings. The decorations were designed to resemble baroque mirrors and embroidery details. The gracefulness of the figures and the pastel color palette were beautifully emphasized by the brocade pink dress. The choice of fashion designers to include a variety of models further contributed to the body type of that era. The curvaceous lines that Dolce and Gabbana used ran counter to the discrimination of different body types in the fashion industry.

The Dolce and Gabbana Women's Fall 2012 collection showcases many of the features of Italian Baroque architecture. This collection perfectly matches the richly decorated characteristics of the Sicilian Baroque style. The designers focused on Baroque architecture, as seen in the Catholic churches of Sicily. The reference point was the painting by Rubens "Portrait of Anna of Austria". In her royal portrait, Anna of Austria is depicted in Spanish fashion. Anna's black dress is decorated with vertical green embroidery stripes and gold details. Artfully designed dresses and capes made from luxurious textiles such as lace and brocade have become the main feature of the Dolce and Gabbana show, who conquered the world with their creativity.

4. Cristobal Balenciaga

Cristobal Balenciaga can be called a true master who reformed women's fashion in the twentieth century. Born in a small village in Spain, he brought the essence of Spanish art history into his contemporary projects. Throughout his career, Balenciaga was impressed by the Spanish Renaissance. He often sought inspiration from the Spanish royal family and members of the clergy. The fashion designer transformed the church items and monastic robes of the era into wearable fashion masterpieces.

One of his great inspirations was the mannerist El Greco, also known as Dominikos Theotokopoulos. Looking at Cardinal El Greco Fernando Niño de Guevara, you can see the similarities between the cardinal's cape and Balenciaga's design. The painting depicts the Spanish cardinal Fernando Niño de Guevara of the time of El Greco in Toledo. El Greco's ideas were borrowed from the Neoplatonism of the Italian Renaissance, and in this portrait he presents the cardinal as a symbol of God's grace. The mannerism is present in the whole picture. This is noticeable in an elongated figure with a small head, graceful but bizarre limbs, intense colors and a rejection of classical measures and proportions.

Balenciaga's passion for historical clothing is evident in this extravagant evening coat from his 1954 collection. He had the vision and ability to invent shapes in modern fashion. The exaggerated collar of this coat echoes the baggy style of a cardinal's cape. The red color of the cardinal's clothes symbolizes blood and his willingness to die for the faith. The vibrant red was regarded by the famous designer as extraordinary, as he often favored bold color combinations and vibrant hues. His great innovation was the elimination of the waistline and the introduction of flowing lines, simple cuts and three-quarter sleeves. By doing this, Balenciaga revolutionized women's fashion.

The designer also introduced bracelet-length sleeves that allowed women to display their jewelry. In the 1960s, with the gradual introduction of women into the work industry, Balenciaga had an idea to give comfort, freedom and functionality to the women he dressed. He promoted loose, comfortable dresses that contrasted with the form-fitting silhouettes of the day.

5. Alexander McQueen

Austrian artist, master of symbolism and founder of the Viennese secession movement, Gustav Klimt laid the foundation for the history of 20th century art. His paintings and artistic aesthetics have long inspired fashion designers. Others such as Aquilano Rimondi, L'Rene Scott and Christian Dior, the designer who directly referenced Klimt was Alexander McQueen. In the Resort Spring / Summer 2013 collection, he has designed unique pieces that seem to be inspired by the artist's work. Looking at a flowing black dress with a repeating gold pattern on top - a specific picture can come to mind. McQueen has used abstract, geometric and mosaic patterns in bronze and gold tones, incorporating them into his designs.

In 1905, Gustav Klimt painted the painting "The Embrace", depicting a couple caught in a gentle embrace, which became a symbol of love. The Austrian artist is known for his gold paintings, as well as the perfect combination of abstraction and color present in these works. All mosaics have rich golden tones with kaleidoscopic or natural embellishments that have had a great influence on fashion. This painting is striking because of the contrasting geometric shapes between the clothes of the two lovers. Men's clothing consists of black, white and gray squares, while women's dress is decorated with oval circles and floral motifs. Thus, Klimt masterfully illustrates the difference between masculinity and femininity. Alexander adopted something similar for his clothes.

6. Christian Dior

Founder of Impressionism and one of the greatest French painters in art history, Claude Monet left behind a great artistic legacy. Using his home and garden in Giverny for inspiration, Monet captured the natural landscape in his paintings. In particular, in the painting "The Artist's Garden at Giverny" he managed to manipulate the natural landscape in accordance with his needs. The contrast of the brown dirt track against the vibrant color of the flowers complements the scene. The famous Impressionist often chose the iris flower because of its purple color to create the effect of a bright sun. This painting is full of life as flowers bloom and greet, embracing spring. Rose and lilac petals, irises and jasmine are part of a colorful paradise depicted on white canvas.

In the same vein, Christian Dior, a pioneer of French fashion, left a huge mark on the fashion world that is still felt today. In 1949 he designed a haute couture collection for the spring / summer season. One of the highlights of this exhibition was the iconic Dior dress, completely embroidered with flower petals in various shades of pink and purple. Dior perfectly illustrated the two worlds of art and fashion and imitated Monet's aesthetics in this functional dress. He spent a lot of time in the countryside, painting his collections in his garden in Granville, as Monet did. Thus, he defined the elegant Dior style by incorporating Monet's color palette and floral patterns into his creations.

7. Yves Saint Laurent

Mondrian was one of the first artists to create abstract art in the 20th century. Born in the Netherlands in 1872, he founded an entire art movement called De Stijl. The movement's goal was to unite contemporary art and life. This style, also known as neoplasticism, was a form of abstract art in which the use of only geometric principles and primary colors such as red, blue and yellow was combined with neutrals (black, gray and white). Pete's innovative style of the early 1900s forced fashion designers to reproduce this pure type of abstract art. The best example of this style of painting is Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow Colors.

An art lover, French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent incorporated Mondrian's paintings into his haute couture creations. He was first inspired by Pete's work when he read a book about the artist's life that his mother gave him for Christmas. The designer expressed his appreciation to the artist in his 1965 fall collection, known as the Mondrian collection. Inspired by the artist's geometric lines and bold colors, he presented six cocktail dresses that celebrated his iconic style and the sixties era in general. Each of Mondrian's dresses was slightly different, but they all shared a common, simple A-line and sleeveless knee length that was perfect for every body type.

8. Elsa Schiaparelli

Elsa Schiaparelli, born in 1890 to an aristocratic family in Rome, soon expressed her love for the fashion world. She began to develop her revolutionary style, inspired by futurism, dada and surrealism. As her career progressed, she interacted with renowned surrealists and Dadaists such as Salvador Dali, Man Ray, Marcel Duchamp and Jean Cocteau. She even collaborated with the Spanish artist Salvador Dali.

One of the greatest collaborations in fashion history was the collaboration between Dali and Elsa Schiaparelli. This dress was created with Salvador Dali as part of Schiaparelli's circus collection in the summer of 1938. The dress refers to a painting by Dali, in which he depicted women with distorted body proportions.

For surrealist artists, the search for the ideal woman was doomed to failure, since the ideal existed only in their imagination, and not in reality. However, it was not Dali's intentions to portray women realistically, so their bodies are not at all aesthetic. Schiaparelli wanted to experiment with this game of hiding and revealing the body, creating the illusion of vulnerability and insecurity. The gown with the illusion of tears was made from pale blue silk crepe, paying tribute to Salvador and his disproportionate women.

9. Gianni Versace

The era of Pop Art was probably the most influential period for fashion designers and artists in art history. Andy Warhol pioneered the blend of pop culture and high fashion, making him an iconic symbol of the pop art movement. In the sixties, Warhol began practicing his signature technique known as silk screen printing.

One of his earliest and undoubtedly his most famous works was the Marilyn Diptych. For this piece, he drew inspiration not only from pop culture, but also from art history and abstract expressionist artists. Andy captured the two worlds of Marilyn Monroe, the social life of a Hollywood star, and the tragic reality of Norma Jeane, a woman who struggled with depression and addiction. The diptych intensifies the vibration on the left, while on the right it disappears into darkness and obscurity. In an attempt to represent a consumer society and materialism, he portrayed individuals as products rather than people.

Italian designer Gianni Versace had a long-standing friendship with Andy Warhol. Both men were fascinated by popular culture. To honor Warhol, Versace dedicated his 1991 Spring / Summer collection to him. One of the dresses featured Warhol prints with Marilyn Monroe. He incorporated the vibrant silk portraits of Marilyn and James Dean from the 1960s into skirts and maxi dresses.

And in continuation of the topic of fashion, beauty and extraordinary ideas, read also about how modern artists have turned makeup into a real work of art.