Fashion and Art: Sewn Together Through History

Fashion and art have a long history, inspiring and influencing each other to bring us pieces that are not only pleasing to the eye, but have the power to impact us intellectually and emotionally. From a literal standpoint, fashion designers rely on art forms like sketching when creating new pieces. They use pen, pencils, paint and other mediums to bring their pieces to life on a page before bringing them to life through fabrics and textiles. Both artists and designers rely on texture, shape, color and pattern when creating new pieces. The finished products are not just things to look at, they are things to experience.

Some fashion designers have taken a very direct approach to referencing art in their pieces. In 1966, fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent designed a haute couture collection that was inspired by Piet Mondarin, a Dutch painter who is regarded as a pioneer of abstract art. Mondrian’s signature style experiments with cubism, composing pieces using a limited color palette and geometric shapes. Saint Laurent took a simple shift dress, which was a trendy style of the 60s decade, and replicated Mondarin’s paintings on the dress. The clean lines and colors of the artwork complement the simple structure of the dress, making for a perfect blend of art and fashion.

Saint Laurent also took an approach of recreating designs directly from artwork. In 1979, the designer brought the jacket from Pablo Picasso’s “Portrait of Nusch Éluard” to life. Picasso’s portrait exemplifies his signature abstract and surrealist style. Laurent designed the jacket using the colors, shapes and patterns in the original artwork. While Laurent’s jacket mimics the portrait, the design is still original to the brand and correlates with their signature playful and structured style.

Vivienne Westwood is another designer who has recreated looks directly from famous paintings. In 2003, Westwood designed the Anglophilia dress, referencing Françios Boucher’s 1738 painting, “Portrait of Madame de Pompadour.” The dress can be best described as a reinvention rather than a replica. The original Pompadour gown is accurate to the late 18th century’s style, particularly worn for casual endeavors as seen in the painting of the subject lounging and reading a book. However, Westwood took the structural elements of the dress and put a modern and unique spin on the dress. The sleeves, bow detailing, neckline and ruching from the original are all incorporated into the Anglophilia dress. Westwood used these elements to transform the design to reflect her signature style.

The designer brand Dior has also referenced artists by incorporating signature art styles of paintings into its designs. Dior has created several looks using Claude Monet’s impressionist art style as a reference. In 1949, Dior dedicated a gown to Monet’s “The Path Through the Irises.” The dress incorporates the colors from the painting and the detailing is resonant of Monet’s impressionist style. Impressionism is known for visible brush strokes, creating movement and texture, all while using soft colors. The stitching and detailing on the gown creates a similar effect, adding texture to the design that makes it look hand-painted by Monet himself.

References:

Alfaro, A. W. (2023, December 14). Yves Saint Laurent: When Fashion Meets Art. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. https://www.metmuseum.org/perspectives/yves-saint-laurent

Stamberg, S. (2013, September 19). Exhibit Explores How Dior’s Designs Echo Impressionist Paintings. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2013/09/19/223735567/exhibit-explores-how-diors-designs-echo-impressionist-paintings

Victoria and Albert Museum (2025). Vivienne Westwood: a taste for the past. Victoria and Albert Museum. https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/vivienne-westwood-a-taste-for-the-past?srsltid=AfmBOop9irIAz0GDVI-ZLIjL8gaRf8oNIZBHRZUUm0IWiUkUX48nuGrb

Graphic by Reese Miller