Art and fashion go hand in hand, as a form of self-expression, creativity and defying the norm. While two distinct forms of art, there have been numerous (and memorable) occasions over the decades where they converge for iconic collaborations. We’ve picked our top five fashion-meets-art moments here.
Starting in 1937 with one of the world’s first art x fashion moments, Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli’s Surrealist collaboration with the iconic Salvador Dali. This collaboration perfectly aligns their shared interest of the outrageous, most notably seen in their Lobster Dress which was created for Wallis Simpson’s marriage to the Duke of Windsor. This floor-length cream silk gown has the perfect Dali touch with its large red lobster print, inspired by Dali’s Lobster Telephone made a year prior.
While the recent H&M x Basquiat collection may be the collaboration rocking the fashion world currently, we love how the 2020 Coach campaign implemented Basquiat’s trademark crown icon onto handbags. Adding a touch of punk to Coach’s classic range of bags helped to create an homage to New York’s 1980s creative scene and target their youthful, rebellious consumers.
Last year, Louis Vuitton brought Central London shoppers to a standstill with their collaboration with Japanese sculpture artist Yayoi Kusama. Their collection of RTW items and iconic logo purses featured Kusama’s primary coloured polkadots, whilst a 15m sculpture of the artist appeared outside Harrod’s, literally using the front of the iconic store as her canvas. LV’s pop-ups devoted to the collaboration pay homage to Kusama’s dotty designs, creating works of art in stores.
After a successful collaboration in 2021, Stella McCartney teamed up with Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara for a second time in 2023 to create a unisex capsule emblazoned with countercultural slogans, inspired by Nara’s love for music and the current global crises. What emerged was items featuring Nara’s trademark cartoon-like children accompanied by political messages, like “STOP THE BOMBS” and “CHANGE THE HISTORY”. McCartney’s own childhood surrounded by activism and art makes this a perfect collaboration.
We couldn’t write this blog and not mention the famous Damien Hirst x Alexander McQueen collaboration of 2013. Creating just thirty limited edition scarves, Hirst inserted his Butterfly Color Paintings and Entomology pieces onto cashmere, twill and chiffon for McQueen’s collection. The duo’s shared interest in nature and symmetrical designs resulted in kaleidoscopic displays of butterflies, interspersed with McQueen’s trademark skull design.
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