A Taste of ART
When Fashion Meets Art: The Iconic Collaborations
Lobster dresses, pretend boutiques and bags invaded by wide-eyed Sootsprites, wonderful things can happen when fashion and art collaborate.
Below, there are some of the most memorable art-fashion collaborations and expositions of the last time.
Below, there are some of the most memorable art-fashion collaborations and expositions of the last time.
LOUIS VUITTON X YAYOI KUSAMA
Artist Yayoi Kusama brought her signature dots to Marc Jacobs' Louis Vuitton in 2012, with a collection that spanned ready-to-wear and accessories. Think modish mini dresses and bow-embellished shoes – as well as bags such as the Lockit tote – all in Kusama's preferred palette of red, yellow, black and white.
Good news for avid collectors – 10 years after the collaboration's debut, Louis Vuitton launched a second collection with Kusama in January 2023.
Artist Yayoi Kusama brought her signature dots to Marc Jacobs' Louis Vuitton in 2012, with a collection that spanned ready-to-wear and accessories. Think modish mini dresses and bow-embellished shoes – as well as bags such as the Lockit tote – all in Kusama's preferred palette of red, yellow, black and white.
Good news for avid collectors – 10 years after the collaboration's debut, Louis Vuitton launched a second collection with Kusama in January 2023.
PRADA X ELMGREEN & DRAGSET
A boutique filled with early aughts Prada treasures that's permanently closed – the stuff of nightmares or a sculptural art installation? The latter – a non-functioning Prada boutique featuring shoes and bags from Prada's autumn/winter 2005 collection – was erected in 2005 along U.S. Route 90 in Texas, by artists Elmgreen and Dragset.
Though the sculpture was created five years before Instagram launched, it is undeniably Instagrammable, often snapped and geo-tagged by Prada fans making pilgrimages there.
A boutique filled with early aughts Prada treasures that's permanently closed – the stuff of nightmares or a sculptural art installation? The latter – a non-functioning Prada boutique featuring shoes and bags from Prada's autumn/winter 2005 collection – was erected in 2005 along U.S. Route 90 in Texas, by artists Elmgreen and Dragset.
Though the sculpture was created five years before Instagram launched, it is undeniably Instagrammable, often snapped and geo-tagged by Prada fans making pilgrimages there.
ELSA SCHIAPARELLI X SALVADOR DALÍ
When writing about the most iconic designer-artist collaborations of all time, it would be remiss not to mention Salvador Dalí's Lobster Dress for Elsa Schiaparelli's 1937 collection. A one-of-a-kind piece, Schiaparelli donated it to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where it is housed to this day – although it's currently on loan to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, for the Shocking! exhibition dedicated to the legendary designer.
Crafted from off-white, silk-organza, the dress – which was worn by Wallis Simpson – features a crimson waistband, illustrated sprigs of parsley and, most importantly, a giant painted lobster. Allegedly, Dalí wanted to add mayonnaise to the dress but Schiaparelli vetoed the idea, much to his annoyance.
When writing about the most iconic designer-artist collaborations of all time, it would be remiss not to mention Salvador Dalí's Lobster Dress for Elsa Schiaparelli's 1937 collection. A one-of-a-kind piece, Schiaparelli donated it to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where it is housed to this day – although it's currently on loan to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, for the Shocking! exhibition dedicated to the legendary designer.
Crafted from off-white, silk-organza, the dress – which was worn by Wallis Simpson – features a crimson waistband, illustrated sprigs of parsley and, most importantly, a giant painted lobster. Allegedly, Dalí wanted to add mayonnaise to the dress but Schiaparelli vetoed the idea, much to his annoyance.
JACQUEMUS X GALERIES LAFAYETTE HAUSSMANN: POP UP, GIANT INSTALLATIONS, AND FLOWER CAFÉ
Galeries Lafayette Haussmann was giving Jacquemus carte blanche until April 2, 2023. The fashionable designer was giving the department store a makeover, right down to the windows, with crazy installations and immersive concepts! And, to complement the oversized and offbeat pop-ups of the label, the final touch: an ephemeral and ultra-stylish flower café!
Each Jacquemus flagship piece was staged inoversized immersive installations, planted here and there in the store. The Porte Lafayette was home to a huge motorized toaster, a stylish "little" caprice. On the Magasin de l'Homme side, the atrium is invaded by a monumental washing machine, open to visitors who sit there for a short cycle and take a photo.
Not far from there, a photo booth was constantly printing pictures, while a wall of washing machines was lathering up the brand's it-bags. And the Jacquemus dream didn't stop there! An ephemeral café, sublimated by a flower market, has opened outside the Magasin de l'Homme and was offering hot drinks and pretty white tulip bouquets until March 14, 2023.
Galeries Lafayette Haussmann was giving Jacquemus carte blanche until April 2, 2023. The fashionable designer was giving the department store a makeover, right down to the windows, with crazy installations and immersive concepts! And, to complement the oversized and offbeat pop-ups of the label, the final touch: an ephemeral and ultra-stylish flower café!
Each Jacquemus flagship piece was staged inoversized immersive installations, planted here and there in the store. The Porte Lafayette was home to a huge motorized toaster, a stylish "little" caprice. On the Magasin de l'Homme side, the atrium is invaded by a monumental washing machine, open to visitors who sit there for a short cycle and take a photo.
Not far from there, a photo booth was constantly printing pictures, while a wall of washing machines was lathering up the brand's it-bags. And the Jacquemus dream didn't stop there! An ephemeral café, sublimated by a flower market, has opened outside the Magasin de l'Homme and was offering hot drinks and pretty white tulip bouquets until March 14, 2023.
Fondazione Prada
The Milan venue of Fondazione Prada, conceived by architecture firm OMA—led by Rem Koolhaas—expands the repertoire of spatial typologies in which art can be exhibited and shared with the public. Characterized by an articulated architectural configuration which combines seven existing buildings with three new structures (Podium, Cinema and Torre), the venue is the result of the transformation of a distillery dating back to the 1910's.
In the project conceived by OMA, two conditions coexist: preservation and the creation of a new architecture which, although separate, confront each other in a state of permanent interaction.
The Milan venue of Fondazione Prada, conceived by architecture firm OMA—led by Rem Koolhaas—expands the repertoire of spatial typologies in which art can be exhibited and shared with the public. Characterized by an articulated architectural configuration which combines seven existing buildings with three new structures (Podium, Cinema and Torre), the venue is the result of the transformation of a distillery dating back to the 1910's.
In the project conceived by OMA, two conditions coexist: preservation and the creation of a new architecture which, although separate, confront each other in a state of permanent interaction.
LOUIS VUITTON FOUNDATION & BASQUIAT × WARHOL. PAINTING FOUR HANDS
Between 1984 and 1985, Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988) and Andy Warhol (1928-1987) created around 160 paintings together in tandem, "à quatre mains", including some of the largest works produced during their respective careers. Keith Haring (1958-1990), who witnessed their friendship and collaboration production, would go on to speak of a "conversation occurring through painting, instead of words," and of two minds merging to create a "third distinctive and unique mind."
"Basquiat × Warhol. Painting four hands" is the most important exhibition ever dedicated to this extraordinary body of work and brings together more than three hundred works and documents including eighty canvases jointly signed by the two artists. Also featured are individual works by each as well as a set of works by other major artists (Futura 2000, Michael Halsband, Keith Haring, Jenny Holzer, Kenny Scharf...…) in order to evoke the energy of the New York downtown art scene of the 1980s.
Between 1984 and 1985, Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988) and Andy Warhol (1928-1987) created around 160 paintings together in tandem, "à quatre mains", including some of the largest works produced during their respective careers. Keith Haring (1958-1990), who witnessed their friendship and collaboration production, would go on to speak of a "conversation occurring through painting, instead of words," and of two minds merging to create a "third distinctive and unique mind."
"Basquiat × Warhol. Painting four hands" is the most important exhibition ever dedicated to this extraordinary body of work and brings together more than three hundred works and documents including eighty canvases jointly signed by the two artists. Also featured are individual works by each as well as a set of works by other major artists (Futura 2000, Michael Halsband, Keith Haring, Jenny Holzer, Kenny Scharf...…) in order to evoke the energy of the New York downtown art scene of the 1980s.
LOUIS VUITTON × Takashi Murakami
Louis Vuitton collaborated with Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami for the first time in 2003. They introduced the popular multicoloured monogram print. The bags from this collection are still deemed as 'it bags' even though they stopped producing the line in 2015.
Louis Vuitton collaborated with Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami for the first time in 2003. They introduced the popular multicoloured monogram print. The bags from this collection are still deemed as 'it bags' even though they stopped producing the line in 2015.
LOEWE X STUDIO GHIBLI
Iconic films My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away served as inspiration for the 2021 and 2022 capsules, respectively.
Loewe's signature Puzzle bag was reimagined with a smattering of Susuwatari (the studio's mischievous Sootsprites), while T-shirts and hoodies were illustrated with fantastical scenes from the films.
Iconic films My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away served as inspiration for the 2021 and 2022 capsules, respectively.
Loewe's signature Puzzle bag was reimagined with a smattering of Susuwatari (the studio's mischievous Sootsprites), while T-shirts and hoodies were illustrated with fantastical scenes from the films.
LOUIS VUITTON X RICHARD PRINCE
A trip to the Guggenheim in 2007 to see Richard Prince's Spiritual America exhibition inspired Marc Jacobs, then creative director at Louis Vuitton, to collaborate with the artist. The house's spring/summer 2008 show featured 12 iconic supermodels wearing translucent nurse uniforms (an homage to Prince's famous Nurse paintings) and – somewhat prophetically – lace face masks, as well as bags emblazoned with artwork from Prince's Jokes series.
A trip to the Guggenheim in 2007 to see Richard Prince's Spiritual America exhibition inspired Marc Jacobs, then creative director at Louis Vuitton, to collaborate with the artist. The house's spring/summer 2008 show featured 12 iconic supermodels wearing translucent nurse uniforms (an homage to Prince's famous Nurse paintings) and – somewhat prophetically – lace face masks, as well as bags emblazoned with artwork from Prince's Jokes series.
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