Art is basically the expression of the things that cannot be said through words. The expression of art can be through so many ways and one of them is through fashion. Art and fashion has many similarities. Both industry needs creativity and again a form of expression. That is why, for art and fashion to collaborate, usually it will create an amazing outcome. There are so many types of art that has been created by talented artists over the years, and I am going to specifically talk about the famous pop art.
Pop art is considered one of the art movements that are first created during the mid 1950’s to early 1960’s. To describe a new form of “Popular” art, a British curator named Lawrence Alloway invented the term “pop-art”. This art movement is characterized by the imagery of consumerism and popular culture. The idea of pop art is by creating paintings or sculptures that is made out of mass culture objects and media stars. It is aimed to blur the boundaries between “high” art and “low” culture, using themes such as common everyday life and people going onto the style of modern art shifting from the traditional art. Some of the famous artists that is most associated with pop art are Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Kames Rosenquist and Claes Oldenburg.
Here are some of the most famous or important pop art works:
1. Campbell’s Soup Cans (1962) by Andy Warhol
2. I was a Rich Man's Plaything (1947) by Eduardo Paolozzi
3. Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing? (1956) by Richard Hamilton
4. Drowning Girl (1963) by Roy Lichtenstein
5. Marilyn Diptych (1962) by Andy Warhol
Pop art has been an inspiration for the fashion industry. Designers would use pop-art patterns, graphics or inspired by the idea of pop art itself and uses images of pop-culture of everyday life.
Over the years, many artists collaborates with fashion designers or fashion companies, working together in creating a collection or a design for people to be able to wear art on as a statement. For art is no longer just a paint on a canvas but it can be now seen everywhere, from shoes, clothing, handbags to accessories. Here are some of the well-known collaborations of artists and brands;
Andy Warhol x Christian Dior
Andy Warhol is a pop art artist that started his career as an illustrator. He worked for fashion magazine like Glamour and Harper’s Bazaar. During his time as a fashion illustrator, he often illustrates colorful dainty heels. He also did fashion photography and he was a hit in the fashion industry back in the 60’s before he went pursuing his career towards art. Christian Dior is one of the dominating brands in fashion. For their Autumn/Winter 2013 collection, they decided to create their collection using Andy Warhol’s early drawings as graphic.
Roy Lichtenstein x Lisa Perry
In 2011, brand and designer Lisa Perry launched her second collection that was inspired by an artist whereas it is the pop art artists Roy Lichtenstein. He was an American and was famous during the 1960’s along with Andy Warhol leading the new modernize art movement. He has his iconic work, which is similar or inspired by the comic book style and popular advertising back in the 1960’s. The designer uses 3 most iconic works that is done by Lichtenstein that is “Spray, 163”, “No Thank You, 1964” and “On, 1962”. Lisa created dresses from those prints, creating a fun and artful look.
Keith Haring x Tommy Hilfiger
Back in early 2010, brand Tommy Hilfiger launched its limited edition footwear collection, collaborating with Keith Haring Foundation. Keith Haring himself was an American artist and activist died in 1990. His work is mostly inspired by the street culture, sexuality, death and war, with the use of colorful colors making it looks fun and cheerful. For the collaboration with Tommy Hilfiger footwear collection, it includes sneakers for men, women and children. It features his iconic art style associated with graffiti or spray art graphics.
Takashi Murakami x Louis Vuitton
In 2013, Louis Vuitton starts collaboration with the Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. They both collaborated for 2 years when they stop in 2015, but they have created around 33 different styles of product. Their collaboration is one of the longest collaboration or collection. Takashi Murakami is known for his fun and colorful use of graphic and patterns. His characteristic design is then interpreted on Louis Vuitton monogram, or printed onto the bag canvas. Some of the famous collections from the collaboration are the Eye Love monogram, Cherry blossom, Panda, Cerises, MoCA, and Monogramouflage collection.
Yayoi Kusama x Louis Vuitton
Back in 2012 when Marc Jacobs was the creative director of Louis Vuitton, the brand goes out of the box and collaborated with the artist Yayoi Kusama. She is a Japanese woman in her 80’s known for her pop art, minimalism, feminist and environmental art. Her style uses psychedelic colours, repetition and patterns. The collection is bold, playful and vivid, featuring the artists, Yayou Kusama’s signature bold spots. The bold spots print is used everywhere, such as the bags, clothing, and accessories as well as for their window display. This collaboration is certainly one of the most eye-catching and evocative.
Based on WGSN report, pop art is an emerging trend. In their report it said, “Designers draw inspiration from pop art, creating playful accessories that combine the movement’s primary colour palette, motifs and tongue-in-cheek sense of humour.” The pop art trend has many types and most of the time based on WGSN the pop art fashion is leaning on theme such as consumerism, mundande everyday and comic strip. Anya Hindmarch, Moschino, Bijoux de Famile, and Urania Gazeli are some of the brands and designers that use pop art in their collection recently.
Consumerism
www.wgsn.com
http://www.pinterest.com
Mundane Everyday
www.wgsn.com
http://www.widewalls.ch
Comic Strip
www.wgsn.com
For me personally, fashion is a form of expression. I love art and fashion. So to be able to combine the two things that I love is amazing. These days, fashion is no longer just a garment that is worn to simply cover the body but also worn to show the character of the wearer and to boost confidence. So for me I love seeing how pop art becomes such a trend. Pop art fashion gives out that splash of fun, giving fashion a break from being too serious. Most of the time the colour used in pop art fashion is vivid and bold colours. Although it is a trend, based on what I see everyday, people still tend to use pop art fashion more as a accessory. For bags or other fashion trinket is what is mostly seen. People, especially in the places I lived such as Indonesia and Singapore, seldom uses pop art fully for their clothes for example the clothing of Moschino McDonald collection. It might be because it is too eye catching and the level of fashion is not on that level yet. Pop art fashion that is created by Moschino for example, is mostly seen on for magazine editorials or for big events rather than used for a day-to-day dressing.
Although pop art exists in the early 1960’s, this fashion trends are probably one of the indicators that tell pop art is still popular among people in the world. Throughout the years, pop art still thrives and never really goes out of style. Someway it always finds its way back to the fashion trend. Especially these days, pop art fashion is stronger. People demand and craving for quirky and unique items. Moschino is the brand that stands out and is leading in this area. They produce so many pop art inspired products not just clothing but also perfumes, and phone covers. Jeremy Scott, the current designer or creative director of Moschino are able to find the most common things and making it as inspiration for their new collection. Each collection always able to keep on making the audience impressed and intrigued by the brand. Personally, I see that pop art fashion will continue being a trend in the long round. If so that the trend fades, it might come up again eventually in the future.
References:
A Closer Look at the Christian Dior Andy Warhol Fall 2013 Collection. (2013). Coco's Tea Party. Retrieved 22 November 2016, from http://cocosteaparty.com/2013/04/christian-dior-andy-warhol-fall-2013.html
Alexander, E. (2012). Vuitton And Kusama. British Vogue. Retrieved 22 November 2016, from http://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/louis-vuitton-unveils-yayoi-kusama-collection
Newtonic (2013). Learnodo-newtonic.com. Retrieved 22 November 2016, from https://learnodo-newtonic.com/10-most-famous-pop-art-paintings-and-collages
Fashion, A. Fashion and Andy Warhol - Art on Fashion. Art on Fashion. Retrieved 22 November 2016, from http://www.artonfashion.com/blog/2014/07/fashion-and-andy-warhol/
Five pop artists who have influenced the fashion world. Buro 247. Retrieved 22 November 2016, from http://www.buro247.me/fashion/trends/five-pop-artists-who-influenced-fashion.html
keith haring x tommy hilfiger footwear. (2010). designboom | architecture & design magazine. Retrieved 22 November 2016, from http://www.designboom.com/art/keith-haring-x-tommy-hilfiger-footwear/
Line, L. & KTC, +. (2015). Louis Vuitton to Discontinue Takashi Murakami Multicolore Line. Spotted Fashion. Retrieved 22 November 2016, from http://www.spottedfashion.com/2015/07/22/louis-vuitton-to-discontinue-takashi-murakami-monogram-multicolore-line/
Pop Art Movement, Artists and Major Works. The Art Story. Retrieved 22 November 2016, from http://www.theartstory.org/movement-pop-art.htm
Pop Art: History, Characteristics. Visual-arts-cork.com. Retrieved 22 November 2016, from http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/history-of-art/pop-art.htm
Roy Lichtenstein - Lisa Perry. Lisaperrystyle.com. Retrieved 22 November 2016, from https://www.lisaperrystyle.com/roy-lichtenstein/