Fashion as an Art

According to the Oxford dictionary, art is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination. Art is a discussion between the artist and anyone who will later interact with the piece, whatever that may be. In the discussion of art people usually mention painting, sculpting, or other forms of visual art, and rarely is fashion mentioned. The earliest humans began wearing clothes to protect themselves from the harsh conditions of the ice age, however, since then clothing has evolved into much more than a just necessity. Through the course of time fashion has developed its own personality. When looking at pictures from years ago you are able to identify which time period based on how people are dressed, and even further what those people may have been like, and the same goes for today.. Fashion  has become so versatile in its functions, and its modes, the same way we have multiple forms of painting, fashion has given us styles and trends that people use to express themselves through the designer's original expression of the clothes.   Designers have created empires entirely centered around clothing, the same way artists paint on a canvas, designers work with the naked body as their own, and create expressive clothing that others are left to interpret.Fashion is an art because of its reactive longevity, the expression by the designer and because of the millions of people who use clothes as an expression of themselves.

As early as 1800’s men and women alike were consciously using fashion to tell a story about themselves, “Concern for the latest styles of dress was not an idle pastime, for it was socially important to be considered fashionable and beautiful; clothes could earn one merit in society” (Franklin). People dressed how they wanted to be viewed in society, and allowed their clothes to express something about themselves before they said anything about themselves.

The same thing can be seen today, though clothes are no longer used to signify class status, people still use them to express something about themselves. Goth became a term used to describe individuals who “ favored a dark style of music and morbid aesthetic:goths dressed in black shirts and pants.” On their dress style alone someone may be able to tell what type of music they listen to, where they shop and even what some of their mannerisms may be. Designers played into trends like these and some even began creating work belonging to only one specific trend, creating a more personal connection with the buyers.

Fashion has transcended just being a way people can identify what type of person you are. It has become something of a spectacle earning spots in museums, and an entire week dedicated to its celebration. In 1920, Coco Chanel partnered with Pablo Picasso to create costumes and backdrops for the Ballet Russes while Sonia Delaunay designed clothes and textiles to accent their designs. The costumes complimented the artwork, but standing alone they also drew attention from the audience. Designers like Yves Saint Laurent have drawn inspiration from famous artworks such as Ykes Klein. In 1965 he created a collection of 6 A-line dresses, each inspired by the works of Piet Mondrian's modernist painting style.

Everything a designer does is intentional, and thought out. The design process alone should qualify it an art, however, even outside spectators have made careers out of critiquing fashion design. Fashion shows have become widely popular, and with statement fashion on the rise it has become even more of an experience. In the 2014 Fall/Winter Chanel fashion show, the late Karl Lagerfald designed his runway to be a supermarket, and had his models wearing high end art as commentary on how fashion, whether it be high or low, is made for everyone in the current time. The show was meant to call back to the days where fashion shows one's social status, and how today a woman wearing a coveted Chanel jacket could be seen in any old supermarket. In this way the designer thought of an entire concept and based his art around this, and others were able to understand the designer while adding or forming their own opinions to the fashion line. 

Although fashion serves a practical purpose, this does not take away from its artistic characteristics. The designer creates something from a concept they have, and are able to accurately and creatively present their art to the consumer, who is then able to appreciate it and continue the conversation with the designer.