Want your summer wardrobe to stand out? Try these four artist-and-fashion collaborations on for size
Art, architecture, fashion and design often inform one another. So it makes sense that a host of fashion labels have teamed up with — or taken inspiration from — notable artists and designers on a series of capsule collections created in time for your upcoming summer getaway. “I always think of fashion as the art you wear,” said Alice + Olivia’s creative director, Stacey Bendet, whose past collections have been influenced by artists Jean-Michel Basquiat, Domingo Zapata and Lola Schnabel. “Your outfit is truly your way of expressing your artistic self to the world each day.” Here’s a look at this summer’s fashion-meets-art collaborations.
COS X Dia and Dorothea Rockburne
COS, the London-based H&M Group brand, has released a minimalist spring/summer 2018 collection designed with 85-year-old abstract artist Dorothea Rockburne in mind. The new collection includes men’s offerings such as T-shirts ($45) and brogue shoes ($190) as well as women’s selections including canvas sneakers ($79) and a patent bag ($135). The collection was inspired by Rockburne’s analysis of space and geometry, and it pays homage to the artist through its color palette, paper-like quality and draping. The pieces, available at COS Downtown Los Angeles and cosstores.com, were created to celebrate COS’s recent partnership with the Dia Art Foundation and its Rockburne exhibition at Dia:Beacon in New York. About Rockburne’s influence, COS creative director Karin Gustafsson said, “I have admired her work for a long time, but this season, it was really at the forefront as we created these pieces using experimental techniques and playing with precision and tactility to create pieces that reflected some of the key elements of her work.”
Tory Burch X David Hicks
Tory Burch turned to her longtime muse, English interior designer David Hicks, for this feminine collection, which features a geometric floral print from Hicks’ archives in a new pastel palette. Pieces include a tunic ($298), pumps ($298), printed clutch ($348) and A-line skirt ($498). The limited-edition capsule complements the American lifestyle brand’s spring/summer 2018 collection, which also drew inspiration from Hicks’ scrapbooks. The pieces are exclusively available at Tory Burch’s Beverly Hills boutique and on toryburch.com. Additional fun facts: Hicks’ bold aesthetic was the basis for Burch’s first New York boutique. The store was influenced by a Hicks-designed bedroom and powder room. And the brand’s original logo was also influenced by the late interior design legend.
Alice + Olivia X Donald Robertson
This fun-and-flirty collection is quintessential Alice + Olivia whimsy infused with artist Donald Robertson’s cheeky illustrations. Retailing for $225-$1,295, the 12-piece collection features ready-to-wear and accessories emblazoned with Bendet’s signature lip motif on a bomber jacket, wrap dress and T-shirts as well as a ball-gown skirt, clutch and sneakers. The collection is available at Alice + Olivia stores in Malibu, Beverly Hills, Newport Beach and West Hollywood as well as on aliceandolivia.com. “He is a dream to work with,” Bendet said of collaborating with Robertson on their second capsule collection together. “We both share a love for color and we love to have fun with everything we do. … The pieces are perfect for a Hamptons weekend, a night out in Malibu or a summer-in-the-city dinner.”
Weekend Max Mara X Richard Saja
American artist Richard Saja brings his detailed embroideries and colorful take on 17th century horses and riders to Max Mara’s Trophy Day collection, a delicate ten-piece capsule that includes a silk organza overcoat, a cotton piqué blouse, cropped cotton trousers, a ’50s-inspired cotton faille sleeveless dress, a handbag and clogs. The Trophy Day collection was inspired by the Royal Ascot races, a time-honored equestrian sporting event in England known for its chic formal daywear. The collaboration retails for $325-$925 and is exclusively sold at the Weekend Max Mara boutique at South Coast Plaza and on weekendmaxmara.com. According to a statement from Max Mara Weekend’s design team, “The thing that we loved the most about Richard’s work is how he manages to transform classical scenes into modern and irreverent scenes.”
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