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A colorful embellished dress from Prada emulates the work of Bogotá-based mural artist Stinkfish. Stinkfish (mural)
From The Wall Street Journal
In an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal, Alice Gregory points out an interesting dichotomy in the art and fashion industries:
We think of art appreciation as erudite, but an interest in fashion is considered airheaded. When an art-lover buys art, it’s called “collecting.” When a fashion enthusiast buys clothing, it’s called “shopping.” Art is supposed to be timeless and important, while fashion is understood to be ephemeral and frivolous.
Why do these different perceptions of art exist in society despite the various collaborations between artists and fashion designers that have been produced throughout history? According to Gregory, much of the division between art and fashion comes from fears of artists, whose concerns center around the loss of their “creativity and authenticity” through “corporate collaboration.” Michael Rock, co-founder of New York design consultancy 2×4, often collaborates with Prada, and is very sensitive to this strange dynamic in society surrounding art and fashion. Rock points out how “we’re at a very interesting juncture in the relationship between art and fashion […] It’s a fluid relationship, one where an artist doesn’t just have to have an art career or a commercial career. It can be very porous.”
The blending of art and fashion appears to be an inevitable process, however. As Alison Kubler points out, “I mean, there’s a great irony to the Prada store [in New York] being housed in the old Guggenheim building.”