Take a journey through the annals of art history and discover how painting has been inspiring fashion since the 18th century! From Alexander McQueen’s beaded cocktail dress drawing inspiration from ‘The Great Wave of Kanagawa’ to the monochromatic trend originating in 15th Century Florence, delve into the fascinating relationship between art and fashion. Check out our article for a comprehensive rundown of the best fashion found in paintings!
What do John Singer Sargent’s portrait of Madame Pierre Gautreau, Gustav Klimt’s Garden of Villa Oleander in Kammer, and Frida Kahlo’s The Two Fridas have in common?
They all showcase the best fashion found in paintings! From 18th-century French court to 20th-century art deco movements and Mexican heritage, fashion in artworks throughout the centuries has inspired modern-day trends. Let’s look at how various clothing styles have been immortalized on canvas.
Robe à la Française
One of the most iconic styles was Robe à la Française, a luxurious gown from the 18th-century French court. It featured lavish fabrics and decorative adornments that oozed regal glamour.
Meanwhile, 19th-century paintings by James McNeill Whistler and James Tissot depicted women wearing unique dresses that differed from traditional gowns. This sparked a revolution in fashion as it showed that one could be fashionable and still break away from the conventions of the period.
Madame X LBD
John Singer Sargent’s portrait of Madame Pierre Gautreau (Madame X) was deemed inappropriate for its time due to its plunging neckline and lack of corset or layers of clothing. It was a daring statement for its time, and every fashion house has reproduced this dress for the last 100 years.
Gustav Klimt’s Garden of Villa Oleander in Kammer showcased fashion designer Emilie Flöge’s loose silhouettes with no corsets or restrictive undergarments. No corsets inspired women to dress more freely, which was revolutionary then.
And who can forget the stunning gold dress inspired by Gustav Klimt’s representation of Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer’s wife Adele – Viennese socialite, salon hostess, and arts patron from Austria?
Art Deco Inspires Fashion
Tamara de Lempicka painted Ira Perrot wearing a blue dress in La Musicienne, inspired by the art deco movement. The painting showcased the trend for more minimalist designs with geometric shapes and flattened lines.
Frida Kahlo’s The Two Fridas portrayed her juxtaposition between European style and Mexican heritage through her clothing choices. It showed that fashion could also represent our roots and who we are.
The various styles showcased in paintings throughout the centuries have certainly impacted modern-day fashion trends, inspiring us to wear exciting cuts, colors, and silhouettes. Who knew that art could look so stylish?
You Can Rely on McQueen to Make a Splash
Finally, when art becomes history and fashion becomes art – Alexander McQueen did just that when he created a patterned, beaded cocktail dress for its 1998 SS Haute Couture line inspired by Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai’s most famous work – ‘The Great Wave of Kanagawa’!
So from the 18th-century French court to 20th-century art deco movements and Mexican heritage, fashion found in paintings throughout the centuries has truly inspired modern-day trends.