At the first art history lesson of my first year of high school, our teacher entered the classroom and asked us a seemingly simple question: “What is art?”. We all shared our opinions at the time, but every answer was wrong. In the end, the professor told us: “The only thing that is certain when it comes to art is that it is not definable in any way”. I now understand that she was right.
Every personal expression, every interpretation of creativity, every thing that makes us feel something is art. I don’t know how to describe it exactly, but when it comes to fashion, to me, we are talking about art: it will be the admiration for the know-how, the infinite and surprising facets of beauty, the curiosity for the new and the innovative, the emotions that I associate with this sector and the feeling of gratitude that I feel every time I realize that I am part of it, at least for a little bit, but that’s the way it is.
In this article, I will not try to give a concrete explanation as to why fashion and art are such a close union that they are even at times one, nor do I intend to convince others that it is actually so, giving my impressions as the only recognized truth. What I intend to do here is more a praise of those brands that, in recent times, have been able to make my heart beat faster precisely because, albeit in different ways, they have convinced me once again that yes, fashion and art are more than two parallel tracks, they are two lines that intersect. In ways that are always new, surprising, and special. My teacher was right, I can’t define it in any way: if nothing else, I can try.
JACQUEMUS AND THE POWER OF PASSION
When I think of Jacquemus, my mind turns into a Pinterest board: I don’t immediately identify a precise element, but I think simultaneously of the Chiquito Bag, the fashion show in the lavender fields and the one in Versailles, the flower bar in Seoul, the photo books, the marketing campaigns with tableware, Dua Lipa’s dress at the designer’s wedding, to the use of bright colors that immediately provoke a feeling of warmth and happiness, to cherries and photos of sunsets in nature. Simon Jacquemus is, for me, the perfect example of a person who has turned his passions into a job, and who has genuine fun in giving shape to his ideas without setting limits. It’s proof that talent, dream, luck, ambition and gratitude can take you far away. Thanks to a surprising and winning communication, an effortless clothing line that brings everyone together, trendy accessories and references to the past, Jacquemus makes fashion accessible. And, since we know that art belongs to everyone, it is as if, in doing so, he also makes Jacquemus everyone’s.
SCHIAPARELLI AND SURREALISM
When Daniel Roseberry was appointed creative director of Schiaparelli in 2019, I would never have imagined the transformation work that, in such a short time, he managed to carry out at the helm of the brand. In full respect of Elsa Schiaparelli’s avant-garde soul and the heritage of the maison, Daniel has shocked the fashion world with his impactful aesthetic, which makes every cloth and accessory desirable, fascinating and mystical at the same time. Couture dresses that reflect the silhouette of the body, maximalist elements, cascades of gold, watchful eyes, precious fabrics, daring jewels and a skilful use of cultural, historical and literary inspirations elevate Schiaparelli to the beyond. Beyond norms, convention, expectation, desire and reason. This is why fashion shows become temporary art installations and the garments make the wearer modern muses. Reminding us like no one else at the moment, in this panorama, that fashion is still able to amaze. Perhaps this is the feeling that seized Stendhal in front of the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence…
LOEWE AND FUNCTIONAL AESTHETICS
Lyst’s ranking of the hottest brands of the moment decrees Loewe as one of the IT names, and we consider that it shares the podium with realities such as Miu Miu and Prada. During the 10 years at the creative helm of the brand, Jonathan Anderson has made the Spanish fashion house the most talked-about fashion scene. An effective combination of essential garments, rational lines, craftsmanship and technical experimentalism that makes the brand’s universe multifaceted and rich in details, capable of looking to the future while remaining fully aware of the present. Also thanks to the references and the actual artistic collaborations, Lowe is successfully introducing a new nuance dedicated to knowledge and know-how in the language of fashion. From underground photographic campaigns to the choice of testimonials that reach a different audience both in terms of target and interest (which, just recently, was joined by Dame Maggie Smith), from collaborations with Studio Ghibli to those with Beyonce, passing through sculpture-bags, shoes made with balloon residues, the Pixel collection and the continuous references to the world of design, Loewe is THE moment. And it’s here to stay.
VALENTINO AND THE GREAT BEAUTY
A dear friend of mine, when she watches the fashion shows of Valentino, her favorite brand, live on social media, sometimes finds herself crying: this is all the magic of Pierpaolo Piccioli who, since 2016, has created for Maison Valentino a modern aesthetic capable of combining innovation and tradition, high fashion and pop in an extremely harmonious and meaningful way. In this path, art has always represented a fixed point, both in the choice of locations for fashion shows, for example, and for ad hoc collaborations; what is certain is that Valentino is the apotheosis of mīrabĭlia, understood precisely as a feeling of admiration in the face of the extraordinary. Whether it’s for the use of bright color palettes, for feminine cuts, for the now iconic studs, for the literary references even to contemporary works such as “A Little Life,” or for the ability to know how to anticipate market demands with accessories and looks that combine beauty, practicality and knowledge, Valentino is proof that art is made by people. Not only seamstresses and designers, but also testimonials, models and people who, in their own way, contribute to making the brand the unstoppable phenomenon it is today. Including just those who, passing in front of a shop window, find themselves sighing in front of the objects on display thinking: “This is art“.
THE RENAISSANCE OF BOTTEGA VENETA
Two creative directors in 5 years who are creating in different ways but united by a clean and timeless aesthetic that is proving to be more and more effective: Daniel Lee first and Matthieu Blazy now, thanks to an approach that includes effortless garments, trendy accessories, fine materials and essential advertising campaigns, have made Bottega Veneta (in their own way) what Céline was with Phoebe Philo. A brand without frills, cool, almost austere with precise design lines that almost recall architecture, a meditated color palette, the historical woven pattern of the maison that returns once again confirms its timeless heights that can be summed up with a single adjective: desirable. Just as art provokes new impulses in us, so Bottega Veneta affirms once again, and with renewed vigour, the following: Qualitas Vincit Omnia.
