Beautiful Synergies

The intersection of fashion and art has had quite a year. From hyperregional art forms to global art movements, six designers paint a vivid picture of their most compelling collaborations and inspirations

- PRATIKSHA ACHARYA AND NIDA NAEEM

The worlds of fashion and art have always coexisted, mingling and overlapping in more ways than one. Given that both mediums are subject to interpretation, it's no wonder that there are occasions when the two worlds collide and create offspring of their own. Known to most as 'wearable art', the term has been gaining momentum for a while now. Not to be confused with the myriad of microtrends that have mushroomed over the last couple of years, wearable art has actually been around since the 1960s, when the Art to Wear movement first burgeoned. Majorly spearheaded by female mixed media artists, the movement flourished and birthed a new art form that was designed around the body. Since then, the art form has slowly and steadily nestled into pop culture with appearances now and then. Your favourite Uniqlo graphic tees featuring licensed artworks by celebrated figures such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring and Andy Warhol are prime examples of wearable art gone commercial. Luxury fashion houses have also often built collaborative relationships with renowned artists. Elsa Schiaparelli's friendship with Salvador Dali resulted in the famed Lobster Dress, and Louis Vuitton partnered up with Yayoi Kusama in 2012 and 2023 for dotted variations of the brand's signature bags.

LESSONS IN HISTORY