Fashion & Art

 

When looking up the word 'art' in a dictionary the definition is:

"the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles,  

of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance." 

What particular defines fashion is something that is more then ordinary and most of the time also beautiful.

However the question is still asked and discussed if fashion is in fact art, even though there are many examples that clearly proves that it is.

 When Yves Saint Laurent was the first designer ever having his work displayed in an art museum (1983) it should have been the beginning of a time when fashion would be recognized as an art form.

However it was the first and last time this ever happened at that art museum which was "The met" in New York. 

26 years later some of Saint Laurent’s work was planned to be displayed again, this time, at  “The Grand Palais” in Paris.  The thing was that his work was placed under a heading that said “Glamour” instead of being considered as an art piece. Even though it was a portrait made by a man that is considered to be an artist it was not to be considered as art since the piece represented more fashion then anything else.

Saint Laurent is a designer that has been influenced by great artists like Van Gogh and Henri Matisse, which you can see in some of his dresses,

One example is his jacket which is inspired by Van Gogh’s work “sunflowers”. 

He is using art that is very close to him and the that way he is using paintings as an inspiration should be considered as an artistic collaboration. 

These garments is a proof of how they are not just a clothing, they are created from an idea or concept, and the designer who had made these garments, is an artist.

Saint Laurent's collection which was made with inspirations from all the great painters like Matisse and Picasso was sold for more then 200 millions, and this was not because someone wanted to wear these clothes, they were sold because they were a artistic masterpiece made by a real artist.

So what would be the different between this and a famous painter ?

why would Saint Laurent's sewing needle be any less significant than Picassos painting brush?

If art is something that is to be considered as something beautiful that can open people's mind, then there is nothing more like art as fashion. 

Postrel, K"Fashion as Art" viewed 11th August 2012
<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703453804575479902076411376.html>
Sheldon,B "The artful inspirations of Yves Saint Laurent", viewed 12th August 2012
<http://www.artinfo.com/news/story/34445/the-artful-inspirations-of-yves-saint-laurent/ >

<http://dictionary.reference.com/>