The links between fashion and art have long been intertwined. Both disciplines have a symbiotic relationship, used as forms of creative expressions that convey ideas, emotions and identities in a broader cultural and social context. There has been an impassioned discussion that has long divided designers on whether fashion should be categorised as part of art or an independent field altogether. For instance, designers like Karl Lagerfeld and Jean Paul Gaultier have maintained a persistent belief that they are simply clothing designers and not artists. Their only goal is to create wearable clothes. Meanwhile, Alexander McQueen and Elsa Schiaparelli’s beliefs differed entirely. Schiaparelli believed in the philosophy that fashion should be treated as art; after all, she pioneered one of the world’s first collaborations that melded the worlds of fashion and art. A collaboration with the visionary Surrealist painter, Salvador Dalí, in the 1930s, would then go on to be one of the most surreal and unforgettable garments in fashion history. Enter the Lobster Dress, which was created for Wallis Simpson’s marriage to the Duke of Windsor.
Another notable example is Yves Saint Laurent‘s legendary Mondrian collection released in 1965. Inspired by Dutch artist Piet Mondrian’s colourful Neo-plasticist paintings, specifically ‘Composition II in Red, Blue, and Yellow’, Monsieur Saint Laurent created six distinct cocktail shift dresses that became an instant hit. The collection didn’t just reference a painter—it brought fine art into mainstream fashion and helped set the tone for decades of cross-disciplinary collaborations. After all, this YSL line went on to be one of the most instantly recognisable fashion and art collaborations ever.
Yet another iconic moment came in 1991, when Gianni Versace turned to his longtime friend Andy Warhol for inspiration for his spring/summer show. Featuring the pop artist’s famous silkscreen portraits of Marilyn Monroe printed directly across garments and accessories. This collaboration further cemented the idea that fashion can be a living, breathing piece of art. Several designers have featured Warhol’s work in their collections, with the likes of Stephen Sprouse, Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada, thus, establishing him as one of the sartorial world’s favourite artists. And when talking about fashion and art crossovers, who can forget the historic Alexander McQueen spring/summer 1999 show? Shalom Harlow on a rotating platform as two robot arms sprayed black and neon green paint across her white dress. Here, the garment was not just inspired by art, the art was being made in real time.
Beyond its viable commercial impact, a fashion and art crossover can also expand both disciplines’ reach to a broader audience. The global fashion industry has frequently derived inspiration from the art world, and vice versa. Leveraging art to create unique consumer experiences, luxury brands have been able to dream up limited-edition, exclusive collections—that feel like art collectibles in their own right. More recent collaborations are clear examples of this, from Louis Vuitton’s continued work with Takashi Murakami, or Loewe’s whimsical joint move with Studio Ghibli.
And we’re left the better for it. In line with Vogue Singapore’s Jan/Feb ‘Art’ issue, we round up some of the most striking fashion and art collaborations over the past few years.
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Loewe x Studio Ghibli
The storied Spanish house’s collaboration with one of the most acclaimed animation studios in the world, Studio Ghibli, unfolded in three distinct chapters, each inspired by the iconic animated films of founder Hayao Miyazaki. Jonathan Anderson released the first of the Ghibli collections, Loewe x My Neighbor Totoro, in 2021, where signature leather goods and ready-to-wear pieces were animated with Totoro and Susuwatari motifs. A year later, a collaboration inspired by the groundbreaking movie Spirited Away was released, bringing to life Chihiro, No-Face, and Soot Sprites to bags and garments. The collaboration concluded with Howl’s Moving Castle. With each collection, creator Miyazaki’s fantastical characters literally found new life as wearable art, further blurring the line between fashion and art.
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Valentino Des Ateliers Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2021–22
Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Valentino fall/winter 2021 collection, titled ‘Des Ateliers’, truly transformed the runway into a living, breathing canvas. The title of the show, quite literally, signifies the collection’s very foundation, emphasising the creative spaces of both disciplines—the couture atelier and the artist’s studio—as sites of collaboration. Through this collection, Piccioli elevated the relationship between fashion and art by collaborating with 17 contemporary visual artists from around the globe. The artists, most of whom were painters, were not just providing their existing artworks as inspiration; they were actively involved in the design process with the atelier. The result is a poetic collection in which the influence of art permeated every aspect of the garments and the deeper meaning conveyed.
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Alexander McQueen x Damien Hirst
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Alexander McQueen‘s iconic scarf, the brand collaborated with Damien Hirst, well-known for his provocative art. A perfect fit for Lee, might we add. Creating just 30 limited-edition scarves, Hirst reworked his Entomology motifs, layering butterflies, beetles, and other insects into intricate, kaleidoscopic patterns anchored by McQueen’s signature skull. The result was a collection of silk scarves that felt slightly macabre in a way that felt strangely beautiful, flawlessly blending Hirst’s fascination with life, death, and natural history with McQueen’s goth romanticism.
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Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami
When talking about fashion and art collabs, it’s impossible not to mention the famous Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami collaboration. Two decades after their initial launch, the iconic French Maison and renowned Japanese artist revisit their much-loved collection, bringing youth and childlike whimsy to a typically serious side of fashion. Their collection of ready-to-wear items and signature logo purses featured smiling cherry blossom faces and juicy cherries felt like they came right out of a Superflat daydream.
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Stella McCartney x Yoshitomo Nara
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 collection deeply rooted in shared activism, shared ethics and shared aesthetics. Featuring Nara’s trademark wide-eyed, carton-like children alongside political messages, like “Stop the Bombs” and “Change the history” across varies pieces, the collection calls for kindness and change. Standout pieces include the Don’t Waste Another Day cardigan, Stop the Bombs tote bag and the Elyse Twins platform shoes.
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Calvin Klein x Andy Warhol
After becoming Calvin Klein’s creative director in 2017, Raf Simons entered into a four-year contract with the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. This partnership brought the eponymous label back to its roots in New York City. For the first time, the foundation granted a designer full access to Warhol’s archives, spanning from early photographs to unpublished work rarely seen before. In response, Simons developed a collection deeply rooted in the classic iconography of American horror for spring/summer 2018. This was exemplified in Simon’s repeated use of Warhol’s images throughout the line: self-portraits on denim, prints of Dennis Hopper and Sandra Brant splashed across, t-shirts, tanks, and jeans, and the iconic “Death and Disaster” series printed on sultry nightgowns—the outcome for a beautiful, slightly morbid collaboration that brought together America’s most fantastic creatives.
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Supreme x Jean-Michel Basquiat
Who would have thought streetwear and fine art could ever go hand in hand? Well, it turns out Supreme did, and they’re a match made in fashion heaven. For the fall/winter 2013 collection, the trendy streetwear brand partnered up with Basquiat Estate to design a collection that honours the legacy of the late graffiti artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, bringing the artist’s groundbreaking, raw Neo-Expressionist aesthetic to street fashion and featuring Basquiat’s signature scattered texts and motifs throughout jackets and shirts, while hoodies and T-shirts featured portraits of the artist himself. Standout pieces include the Cassius Clay M-65 Field jacket and the Portrait Pullover hoodie.
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Hermès x Kongo
For its fall/winter 2011 collection, French luxury house Hermès collaborated with the French-Vietnamese graffiti artist Cyril Kongo to produce a limited-edition line of highly sought-after silk scarves. Cue a smorgasbord of vibrant colours, playful prints, and the iconic Carré scarf reimagined with Kongo’s signature explosive graffiti aesthetic. It was a complete pivot from the legacy house’s refined, quiet luxury aesthetic.
