Trend Report: Architecture In Fashion

There is an inextricable link between fashion and architecture. Time and again we see comparable themes reflected in both clothing and buildings, but primarily their fundamental function is to provide shelter to the individual. Rather amusingly at Beaux Art Costume in 1931, New York’s architects decided to transcend the line between the two and dressed in sculptural forms of skyscrapers that represented the buildings that they in fact designed themselves. Lines, shape and structure are clearly apparent in both mediums and understandably as individual entities, they become a source of inspiration. The recent ‘Skin and Bones’ exhibition at Somerset House in London explores how these different disciplines have become blurred. It introduces general themes of identity, body and shelter which are represented by visual displays that illustrate the construction techniques applied to both in creating their structural skin. Most notable is Hussein Chalayan’s ‘Afterwords’ collection from 2000 where by garments transformed into wearable living-room furniture. His theme of migration and misplaced refuge was illustrated in collapsible three-dimensional furnishings that converted into skirts and dresses allowing the individual to leave one’s home at a moment’s notice. Advancement in technology and construction have not only allowed fashion designers to push their artistic boundaries, but similarly architects have been able to adopt techniques such as pleating, draping, folding and printing that have previously only been synonymous with fashion. These skills are largely predominant in Japanese designers work. Commes des Garcons and Issey Miyake continually push the boundaries and explore new ways to exploit the silhouette through highly developed techno fabrics and innovative approaches in construction. The clothing featured in “Skin and Bones” are noticeably reflective of architectural construction as they both commandeer the human body as a site. Albeit overstated, the exhibition uncovers a formidable relationship between the two disciplines that is not only reflected in garment construction but can also be mirrored in shoe design. During Colin McDowell’s recent interview with Manolo Blahnik at the London College of Fashion, Blahnik revealed that his main source of inspiration was found in the “lines” of architectural structures. Ancient and modern buildings provide a source of stimulation for designers by their simple linear construction. In the same way, the scope and magnitude of buildings encourages designers to metamorphosize the silhouette into voluminous matter. Coco Chanel was famously quoted as stating that, “Fashion is architecture; it is a matter of proportions”. Although, this was assumed many years ago, it is still very relative to today. Both disciplines transform two-dimensional shapes into a three-dimensional structure. The continual advancement of technology in architecture undoubtedly suggests that fashion itself, will have new and unusual ways of encasing our skin and bones in the near future.