ART DECO-RATION

The quintessence of Art Deco style, the Chrysler Building, has inspired many a designer (photo at left by Daniel Benson).

Just see the channeling of the architectural whimsy of the mid-twentieth century in this Rue du Mail Fall 2008 look (pic at right courtesy nymag.com). Couture Carrie adores not only the design of this dress, but its shape - corseted top and full, crinoline-bolstered skirt.... the architecture of style!

A more direct interpretation is offered by Anna Sui, whose deco backless top is pictured in multiple views below. A blouse that is both flattering and a conversation piece? Artful! Go to net-a-porter.com to buy!

LITTLE PIXILS

COMPUTER AIDED DRAFTING AND DESIGN

Ann-Sofie Back’s pixillated dress seems almost computer-generated (runway photo at left courtesy nymag.com).

Likewise, this Single digital rose print dress, currently on sale at Net-a-Porter, seems to use C.A.D.D. as well. Check out the detail shot below!
An offshoot of the op-art trend mentioned in the post below, this uber-modern approach lends a kind of irony to the"pretty" floral print, non?

OPTICAL DELUSIONS

OP ART LESSON

Echoing the artistic style of Victor Vasarely, known for "op art" like Vonal Stri, the canvas pictured at left, designers are offering a variety of dresses this spring with dizzying geometric prints.

The optical illusion finds its expression in fuchsia, in Alexander McQueen’s stripe knit tube dress, pictured at right and available at net-a-porter.com.

Elie Tahari rounds out the edges of the trend with a lovely circle-sprint Resort 2009 frock in pale lavender and butter yellow (complementary colors, CoutureCarrie notes). Photo at left via style.com.

Karta's three quarter sleeve shift (at lower right) undeniably channels op art as well. Go to shopbop.com

These fanciful geometric designs not only delight the eye, but offer a clever distraction from figure flaws. This way, you can wear diaphanous fabrics like silk without fear of exposing your less artful aspects.

ABSTRACT FINDS EXPRESSION IN CLOTHES

Fashion design takes its cue from the art world once again, with enchanting frocks inspired (perhaps unconsciously) by the likes of Wassily Kandinsky.

Couture Carrie cannot help but note the striking similarities between this iconic abstract canvas and the concentric circles and other geometric forms on Catherine Malandrino's dress! Runway image via ellegirl.com.

WHEREFORE ART?

ART HOUSE

[At right: Dutch abstract artist Piet Mondrian (1872-1944) in his studio, image via www. artmuseums.harvard.edu]

Fashion and art have always been joined at the hip (get it?), but never more so than on the recent runways.

For more scholarly commentary on this topic, Couture Carrie directs her readers to Couture Culture by Nancy J. Troy, a delicious and exquisitely-

researched tome on the complex relationship between modern art and fashion.

Now, for the stunning visual parallels between the dress and the artist's canvas: this dress by Giles for Fall 2008 is particularly reminiscent of a Lucio Fontana (1899-1968) slashed canvas painting (Runway photo at upper left courtesy style.com; Fontana photo from timemagazine.com).

We cannot help being reminded of Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss with Christian Dior’s orange floor-length coat. Fashion photo courtesy nymag.com/fashion.

Of course, there are also more self-conscious nods to the art world on the part of designers.

Since its inception in the 1960’s by Yves Saint Laurent (picture at left courtesy the Victoria and Albert Museum in London), the Mondrian dress has undergone various incarnations, including, most recently, Herve Legér’s Adeline square neck tank dress (at lower left, for purchase at The Intermix) and Diane Von Furstenberg’s shift in black, white, camel and royal, at right, available at Neiman Marcus.

The instantly recognizable geometric design has even

appeared on apparel as obscure and unlikely as knee socks This fanciful legwear, pictured at right, is currently on sale at anthropologie.com.

In sum, whether consciously intended or not, fashion designers cannot help but channel their visual art predecessors (and contemporaries!) when creating. Intertextuality has become intertextilality!