All images from style.com
Designers exhibiting collections at the fashion weeks of London, Paris, Sydney and New York have sourced inspiration for their print designs from everything from horsehair to 1920s jewellery–interpreted in varying degrees of abstraction.
The French art movement of the Baroque period,’Trompe l’oeil‘, finds new meaning in the digital age with the latest Central St Martin’s prodigy Mary Katrantzou, who applies a self-described “hyperrealist aesthetic” to her designs. Katrantzou began her career as an interiors textile designer before switching to fashion. Her interest in interiors is reflected in her work with carefully structured pieces and vivid print work inspired by luxe royal collectables fashionable during the interwar period – 18th century society paintings, blown-glass perfume bottles, Persian miniatures, Fabergé eggs, coromandel screens and Ming vases have all been the basis of her designs. Printed silk chiffon, satin, velvet and wool are used to construct rigid silhouettes, as canvas’ to project her prints.
Images from vogue.co.uk
Known for their lack of creative inhibitions Romance Was Born have maintained their quirky excess aesthetic for their Spring/Summer 2012 collection, ‘The Oracle‘, at Rosemount Australia Fashion Week, with vivid print work and heavy embellishment inspired by 1920s decadence.
Romance Was Born S/S 2011-12; background image by artist Tara Foley
Images by Patty Huntington; The Frock Writer (frockwriter.blogspot.com/)
Images by Patty Huntington; The Frockwriter (frockwriter.blogspot.com/)
While hyperrealism and optical illusion are on the agenda for some, the patterns and textures of nature’s own were used as prints for the fall collections of both Céline (woodgrain) and Isabel Marant (feathers). Kit Willow’s range for the northern hemisphere’s Fall 2011 season was inspired by the formality of dressage horse riders, reworking the attire of traditional riders – shirts, high-waisted pants and cropped-tailored jackets were all in the mix. Although the use of print was kept to a minimum, Willow created a print in three colourways from a macro shot of woven horsehair.
Céline, Isabel Marant and Willow for Fall 2011
Therese Rawsthorne’s S/S 2011 collection for RAFW featured more abstract interpretations of both orchids and gnarled wood, while Sara Phillips adapted botanical artwork of Australian flora and fauna with swirling snakes as placement prints for her S/S collection.
Therese Rawsthorne Fall 2011, images from fashionising.com
