Gucci SS18 Utopian Fantasy Campaign

s previously discussed, the Surrealist movement opened up a new avenue for fashion designers to explore. The collaboration between Elsa Schiaparelli and

A style of art that has grown in popularity and is commonly used within collaborations is pop art. A classic example of this art work is an Andy Warhol painting including Yves Saint Laurent from 1974. This piece of art is similar to other pieces of Warhol’s work in terms of style as it uses his signature ‘four equal quadrants’. The painting itself is not a ‘garment of accessory per se, the object stands a reflection of the intimate ties between the culture of fashion and art’ (Agnautacouture). This trend of pop art collaborations has been carried on years later with modern examples such as, the 2012 Jimmy Choo X Rob Pruitt collection where they created accessories that included ‘elements that define Pruitt’s own artwork… [including] plenty of glitter, sprinkles, vibrant degrade colour, and panda motifs’ (Carly Wolkoff, Interview magazine).

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Salvador Dali was one of the first notable designs inspired by art and there have been many artists who have gone on to work with fashion designers.

YAYOI KUSAMA X

LOUIS VUITTON

Louis Vuitton has collaborated with multiple artists since its first collaboration with Stephen Sprouse in 2001. A collaboration that sparked a lot of interest was the Louis Vuitton X Yayoi Kusama as it was extremely different from their previous campaigns. Kusama described her own life as ‘a dot lost among millions of other dots’ (Susannah Frankel, The independent) and so she uses her dots within her art to represent that emotion. Louis Vuitton used Kusama’s dot design on clothing, accessories as well as handbags which echoed ‘her message of obsession and seriality’ (Susannah Frankel, The independent). In celebration of the launch, ‘Kusama … designed dramatic windows displays for the Bond Street shop, and a pumpkin pop-up shop for Selfridges on Oxford Street’ (Sheryl Garratt, The Telegraph). This method of mixing art, fashion and interior design is extremely affective at creating an alternate experience for consumers. By allowing consumers to step into an artistic environment, such as the pop up shop described as a ‘polka dot fantasy world’ (Dominic Cadogan, Dazed), they can truly understand and invest in the concept and the brand. It is also an effective communication tool as visitors are more likely to share their experience via social media such as instagram which promotes both the brand and the collaboration.