Okay, it’s that time again. I will tell you a little more about myself. I think I’ve admitted in the past that I was an English Major in college, which you may be able to tell by my strict attention to grammar. However, you probably don’t know that I was also an Art History Minor. I had not intended this when I started school, but I took a European Art History course to fulfill a fine arts requirement and, after one lecture, I was hooked. I think that one reason why I am so fascinated by art is because of its relation to fashion. In my mind, they are intricately linked, and fashion would not be as big of an industry if it were not for the art world. Here are some very vivid instances in which art has influenced fashion:
1910’s—Cubism
Both the art and the fashion of the early 20th century were extremely structural. Small details were less important than what the entire painting, or ensemble, looked like when put together. In the face of a great new era, interpretation was key.
1920’s—Art Deco
The Art Deco movement was futuristic and ornate, eclectic and exotic. Both the fashions and the art (mostly architecture) were based on sleek lines with a hint of dazzle. Flappers, early Hollywood, and the Chrysler Building are all intricately linked in style.
1930’s—Bauhaus
The Bauhaus school of architecture inspired works that were clean, fully functional, basic, and modern. These same attributes can be applied to the clothing of the 1930’s, with its bias seams and simple lines. The process was simple, the result stunning.
1940’s-1950’s—Abstract Expressionism
The whole idea behind the Abstract Expressionist movement was that there were some emotions that were too strong to be expressed in any literal way. The result was erratic art that was perfectly organized in its disorganization. That this happened immediately post-WWII should come as no surprise. Similarly, in the fashion world, there were things that could not be said. Women had to readjust to their home lives after the brief fear and excitement they had experienced during the war. It was a time of symbols, in the form of brushstrokes and poodle skirts.
1960’s—Pop Art
In the Sixties, Andy Warhol came onto the scene with Pop Art, which implanted daily imagery (advertisements, products, etc.) into art, thus challenging and eliminating old rules. Similarly, fashions became more colorful, bolder, and more exciting.
1970’s—Photorealism
The Seventies brought everyone back down to Earth, so to speak. After the wild ride of the past decade, people were ready for more realism. Photorealism was an artistic movement that promised just that. It was painting that mimicked the everyday monotony typically captured by photographs. Likewise, fashions such as gauzy shirts and bell-bottoms were much more casual and relaxed.