Inspired by art

Creative trends

Trends come and go like the waves but art-inspired fashion never ebbs away. The works of iconic painters like surrealist Salvador Dali, pop artist Andy Warhol, symbolist painter Gustav Klimt and more have been converted into digital form and transferred on to clothes. While this isn’t new, it’s neither old as fashion designer always go to artists, popular or unknown, for inspiration. Even in India, many designers have used indigenous prints in their collections to bring some life to them. 

Shiny Alexander, a city-based designer, has created ‘warli’ and ‘Madhubani’ inspired clothes for her customers. “Since I customise clothes, a lot of people come to me with specific ideas in mind. This includes tribal prints,” she says. Unlike many, she prefers not to digitally recreate art on clothes as, she thinks, it lacks essence. “It’s like the difference between a DSLR and a normal camera; hand painting artwork on to clothes has it’s own speciality.” This translation of art gives the collection a new look as it’s not a direct representation, rather a connotation given by the designer.

Art isn’t a trend, it’s always there to stay, says designer Manoviraj Khosla, who is known for his unique interpretation of fashion. He has, on many occasions, worked with artists to create a pattern that can be transferred on to fabrics. It need not always be a well-known artist, he adds. Though he would love to work with all the leading names in the art world, he thinks that it might reduce the essence of their paintings.

“You also have to look at whether the artist wants their work translated into your collection. It is, after all, commercialising the work, which might not be appreciated by everyone.”

When an artist doesn’t want to work with a designer, Manoviraj asks them to make an art piece just for his collection. This not only makes it unique, it also gives due respect to the artist and gives the person a chance to understand the fashion industry. “It should be a happy marriage between the two,” explains the designer who has worked with ‘warli’ prints before.

It’s not just clothes that are given an artistic touch. Anything that can be worn or used on a runway can be a derivative of existing art. Prashant Priyadarshi, a stylist and blogger, remembers being impressed when Karl Lagerfeld designed a Mumbai art-inspired, Paris Fashion Week collection for ‘Chanel’. “And in the latest edition of Bangalore Fashion Week, a designer, who is known for his traditional and royal Indian saris and lehengas, used Chinese prints and art to make a beautiful collection,” he says.

He also says that art-inspired fashion will never die because it’s “all about creating and recreating”. “There will be no growth otherwise. Fashion being inspired by art is constant.” Even when it comes to Indian prints, he says that ‘warli’ and ‘Madhubani’ prints will never fade away; they might be less in style but they will never completely disappear.

A student of fashion, Shreyas C Y says that he will always remember the work of ‘Viktor and Rolf’, which recently showcased a Renaissance paintings-inspired collection. Each dress was a product of a painting. “And most John Galliano collections are inspired by art,” he adds.

So, whether it is the titans of art or someone unknown, they get a chance to merge with fashion, which allows for the works to be appreciated by a larger audience.