February 16, 2010

THE SYNERGY OF FASHION AND ART

Since before the Renaissance, art has greatly influenced fashion. From shape, color, texture, period, style and silhouette, fashion designers have looked to art for inspiration. While reviewing the Spring 2010 collection of the talented Japanese fashion designer Tsumori Chisato, I was reminded of the work of French-Ukrainian artist, Sonia Delaunay. I had just been looking at a book of Delaunay's work and could not help but see a visual connection with Chisato's springtime looks.

Sonia Delaunay was a pioneer in the Modernist movement in Paris in the early twentieth century. Her paintings, fashion design, and work in the decorative arts were created with a vibrant dynamic of color and geometric patterns. Delaunay's fashion designs were worn by stars like Gloria Swanson, and her theater costumes were commissioned by Diaghilev, for the Ballet Russes.

Tsumori Chisato is a graduate of Tokyo's renowned Bunka Fashion College and a protégé of Issey Miyake. She is known for her flirty prints and appliqués. It was fun to imagine Chisato's inspiration for this collection. It might have been the farthest thing from the Paris avant-garde movement, but it was exciting for me to see a connection and to explore more about the synergy of fashion and art.



Here are four diptychs showing a piece from the Tsumori Chisato collection on the left juxtaposed with a work by Sonia Delaunay on the right. Do you see the synergy?







Footnote: This is a wonderful book about the art and fashion of Sonia Delaunay



11 comments:

  1. I was so happy to read your post about Sonia Delaunay. She was creative on so many levels; fabrics, clothing, collage, painting, book jackets. I'm a huge fan of her work. In addition to being an artist and craftswoman, she was a truly modern woman in that she supported her family and was able to make her work sufficiently commercial to have a viable customer base. On another note, I loved the way she dressed, it was very distinctive and creative, while also being practical and feminine. And her style suited a woman who was neither tall nor lithe nor young. She looked stylish and interesting throughout her life. A great inspiration in so many ways.

    Thanks for bringing her into the spotlight.

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  2. L'age moyen... Thank you so much for your wonderful comment! There is so much to learn and discuss about the creativity of Sonia Delaunay. I imagine she will be the subject of more posts to come. All the best, Barbara

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  3. I loved this post! I am going to feature this in my Friday Faves wrap up post today- check back to my blog after 3! laviejaime.blogspot.com :)

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  4. Thanks so much Jaime!! How great. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and I'll check out laviejaime after 3! All best to you! oxo Barbara

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  5. Great post! Love the first outfit

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  6. Wonderful post, my favorite pairing, art and fashion! You always recommend the best books, this one is going on my wish list for sure!

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  7. Thanks Ansley and Viv!! ;) Barbara

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  8. Wonderful post. One of my favorite things is to compare fashion, design, and art history. There are so many fascinating levels to the topic! I will definitely be checking out the book. Thanks for sharing!

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  9. Thank you Shani... I also love the study of fashion/design/art history. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  10. Great nexus that you make b/n art and fashion design. really enjoyed this post! Look forward to reading more ... - Jg.

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  11. Thank you for your lovely comment FatScribe. I found your fantastic blog through Deb at DT.
    All best, Barbara
    PS... have you seen Broken Embraces? Going this week!

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