Art and fashion intertwine in these creative collaborations.
From iconic bags to building facades, fashion and art have always gone hand in hand. Designers often look to the art world for inspiration while collaborations between luxury brands and artists give rise to treasured collectibles.
These pieces that blend art and fashion become highly coveted. Because they are usually part of limited edition collections, their rarity drives up their value.
READ ALSO: Timeless Art: Takashi Murakami Collaborates With Luxury Watch Brand
Here are just some of the luxury brands that have collaborated with world-renowned artists.
Louis Vuitton and Takashi Murakami
The collaboration that defined a generation is also one of Louis Vuitton’s longest-standing partnerships. Under Marc Jacobs’ creative direction, the French fashion house had Takashi Murakami re-imagine the brand’s classic pieces.
The Japanese artist’s first creation was featured in the house’s Spring/Summer 2003 runway. With his colorful aesthetic and playful spirit, Murakami designed his own take on Louis Vuitton’s signature monogram.
His Monogram Multicolore collection consisted of silhouettes such as the Alma and Pochette handbags injected with a bright color palette. Jacobs described the line of bags as a “monumental marriage between art and business.”
Schiaparelli and Salvador Dalí
Some of Elsa Schiaparelli’s collections were inspired by the Surrealist artists of her time. In 1937, she worked with Salvador Dalí to create the “Lobster Dress.” The silk evening gown was imprinted with a large red lobster and sprigs of parsley strewn about.
The design was inspired by Dalí’s “Lobster Telephone” created in 1936. This was one of the 18 pieces Schiaparelli designed for Wallis Simpson for her marriage to the Duke of Windsor.
Schiaparelli’s “Shoe Hat” (shaped like a high-heeled shoe) was the height of Surrealist absurdity. The piece was inspired by a photo Dalí’s wife took of him while wearing a woman’s shoe on his head.
Tiffany & Co. and Damien Hirst
Aside from fashion collections, luxury brands sometimes also tap artists to design the facades of their physical stores. Just like earlier this year, when a giant sculpture of Yayoi Kusama towered over Louis Vuitton’s Champs-Elysées store.
Last week, to celebrate the reopening of its Ginza flagship store, Damien Hirst’s floral artwork illuminated the exterior. The walls at street level are a pale blue while pink, white, green, and red petals bloom upwards.
“Unified by the same pursuit of beauty, craftsmanship and innovation, Tiffany & Co. and Hirst strongly believe in the transformative power of art and its ability to evoke emotions and inspire awe,” the luxury brand wrote in its Instagram post.
Banner image via Instagram @tiffanyandco.
