Whether it's Cecil Beaton's flamboyant, classically tailored suits,
Frida Kahlo's love of bright color, or Cindy Sherman's penchant for
minimalism, an artist's attire often reflects the creative and spiritual
essence of his or her work. In Legendary Artists and the Clothes They
Wore, fashion authority Terry Newman presents more than forty fully
illustrated profiles of masters whose enduring art bears an
idiosyncratic stamp--and whose unique way of dress does the same through
a signature look, hairstyle, or accessory--and explores the relationship
between the two in detail.
In that context, this colorful volume also examines the nonlinear
sensibility that has always been the name of the game in what is
considered modern style. It examines the dialogue between art and
fashion as well as noteworthy artist and designer relationships, such as
Yves Saint Laurent's Mondrian Collection, primary-colored shift dresses
inspired by the painter's work, and Louis Vuitton's numerous
groundbreaking collaborations with major artists, a concept initiated by
designer Marc Jacobs that not only has launched some of the fashion
industry's most successful bags, made the art of contemporary masters
available to the world at large, and been copied widely ever since.
Numerous compelling features--anecdotes about the artists and their
work; portraits of the artists in their studios; archival photographs;
select pairings of fine art and runway imagery; quotations by artists,
art critics, and designers--make this a rich, engaging study for fashion
and art lovers alike.
