Is Fashion Art?
Is Fashion, Art?
The world of high-end fashion has always been a mystery to the outside world. Many have questioned is Fashion, art? Does the idea of designers spending pain staking hours creating a fashion campaign, from the delicate couture gowns, to the prefect placed makeup, to elaborate set designs, fashion shows and magazines create a world of fantasy and dreams? Is it Art?
After recently watching the First Monday in May (review below), this got me thinking, Is Fashion, Art? And what are some of the best fashion films and documentaries out there that convey these ideas.
Valentino - the Last Emperor (2008):
One of the first real documentaries about the fashion Industry, Valentino - The Last Emperor is a classic tale of romance, the love of Valentino "red" and the passion behind the man!
The documentary details the very colourful and dramatic final show of Valentino's fashion career. The beauty of this film is how it details Valentino’s life, his passions, his vision, his Italian charm, his love of his five pugs and his fifty year relationship with his partner Giancarlo Giammetti.
There are so many funny and classic moments within the film and you are at times mistaken that it is a comedy and not a fashion documentary. One moment includes Giamnetti telling Valentino that he looks "too tanned", this in response to their lover’s tif over which side of the street they originally met. Click here to see the trailer.
Some of the best lines from Valentino in the movie include:
"An evening dress that reveals a woman's ankles while walking is the most disgusting thing I have ever seen"
And,
"I don't care about the collection. My dogs are much more important"
In order to get a real sense of the man behind the valentine red, this movie will make you want to pack up and catch a one-way ticket to Rome, Italy and stat
The September Issue (2009):
This documentary is based on the 2007 American Vouge September issue, which to the fashion and magazine industry, is the most important issue of the entire year! The 820 pages (no lie) of stories, fashion, and creative advertising makes this the thickest (and most brick like) edition there is.
The September Issue details all the behind the Vogue scenes of Anna Wintour and her staff trying to pull together the September issue along with creative director Grace Coddington. Anna Wintour, the editor in chief of American Vouge, at times is very hard driven, demanding, tough and very strong-minded which saw her develop the nickname “Ice Queen”. She is a woman who knows what she likes and doesn’t like when it comes to her magazine and the design!
Working with Grace Coddinton (who once was an in demand model now turned creative director) is the only person who will go up against Anna and essentially fight for her own ideas for the September issue. Anna Wintour’s former assistant Lauren Weisberger, the author of The Devil Wears Prada, gave the world an insight into what working with Anna is really like! However, The September Issue provides the reality of the high demand, stress and joy of working at Vogue.
In response to a journalist who commented on the fact that she is known as the ‘Ice Queen: “Well, this week it has been very cold, that’s all I can say.” – Anne Wintour
Watch the trailer here.
Dior and I (2015):
After the dismissal of Christian Dior’s head artistic director, John Galliano in 2011, Bill Gaytten who at the time worked under Galliano undertook the lead role of director until a new director had been appointed. In comes Raf Simons, best knows for his minimalist work at Jil Sander. Raf’s main focus is to create a new haute-couture range for the Paris Fall-Winter 2012 Fashion Show within eight weeks, compared to the six months it normally takes.
"Dior and I brings the viewer inside the storied world of the Christian Dior fashion house with a privileged, behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Raf Simons’ first haute couture collection as its new artistic director—a true labor of love created by a dedicated group of collaborators. Melding the everyday, pressure- filled components of fashion with mysterious echoes from the iconic brand’s past, the film is also a colorful homage to the seamstresses who serve Simons’ vision." - Dior and I
The collection, colours, designs, shapes, and the hundreds of exquisite fresh flowers on display as the back drop through the runway is visually spectacular!
The real stars of this documentary are the number of talented and hard working seamstresses at Dior, who are stunning in their skill and craftsmanship. These ladies work hand in hand with Raf, to help create one of Dior’s most romantic and stunning collections. They not only steal the show but they hold a fading skill that just can’t be learned over night.
In October 2015 Raf Simons resigned as head designer of Christina Dior, with recent rumours indicating he maybe heading to Calvin Klein. Watch this space!
Check out Dior and I here.
The First Monday in May (2016)
The MET Gala is an annual fundraising event that helps benefit the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City. The event is held in accordance with the grand opening of the Costume Institute's annual fashion exhibit each year. The MET Gala, is the second most anticipated fashion and celebrity event of the year (after the Oscars), where fashion designers pick a muse or muses to showcase their stunning creations for the evening.
Apparently a single ticket to this event can cost more than $15,000 and for celebrities this is pocket money. The first Monday in May really explores the definition of fashion as art, with every year the MET Gala is back on a theme.
The 2015 MET Exhibition, "China, Through The Looking Glass", really details and showcases the influence of Chinese culture, themes and design for the fashion industry over the last few decades.
The film follows Andrew Bolton, the then Assistant Curator of the Costumer Institute and the tight time frame and production of the 2015, "China, Through The Looking Glass", exhibition. Working in connection with Anna Wintour, the editor in chief of American Vogue, who at times steals the spotlight in the movie for her witty back hand comments and determination to mark sure everything is perfect for the event.
Director Baz Luhrmann makes a very interesting comment about Anna Wintour and being labeled as an “Ice Queen”, If Anna was a man, one would not say a word, however being a strong female she gets labeled an “ICE QUEEN”.
One of the best reviews for the movie comes from Vogue.
“Fashion can create a dream, create a fantasy, it’s a kind of theatre."– Anna Wintour
Watch the trailer here.
Each of the documentaries is a great insight into the fashion world, with the ability to draw the viewer in and making them feel as if they were a seamstress, a designer or a minion to a vogue editor! Making these documentaries perfect for a girls night in with wine, cheese and a Hermes blanket (maybe not Hermes, but we can only dream!).
Is Fashion Art? This much debated topic will continue to be a hot topic for many years to come. With many designers denying that fashion is art, this is best summed up as “Art is art and fashion is fashion. However, Andy Warhol proved that they can exist together.” – Karl Lagerfeld
