Rather than paint the mythological nude, Neoclassical painter Ingres depicted the exotic nude in his 1813 painting, La Grande Odalisque. Commissioned by Napoleon’s sister and the queen of Naples, Caroline Murat, the famous nude depicted an odalisque or concubine amongst rich, exotic textiles and accessories such as the turban and peacock fan which were meant to evoke the
Along with Cecil Beaton, Norman Parkinson was one of the most well-known English photographers of the 20th century. Parkinson favored natural light as opposed to artificial studio light, and would often photograph his models outside, showcasing New York, London and Parisian sights alongside the fashion. Later in his career, Parkinson focused
In celebration of The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s upcoming Punk: From Chaos to Couture exhibition, today’s punk-themed comparison proves the Met’s thesis: That when it comes to its influence on high fashion and couture, punk is most certainly not dead. A dress from Gianni Versace’s collection was immortalized in 1994 when then-budding
In 2003, Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson transformed the Turbine Hall of the Tate Modern into an artificial sun-filled space aglow with the light of hundreds of yellow bulbs that formed a semi-circle, the mirrored ceiling is what gave the light installation a full circular appearance. Eliasson’s The Weather Project examined the dominant role that
The gigot sleeve, also called the leg-of-mutton sleeve, experienced two waves of popularity in the 19th century, much like the bustle. The voluminous sleeves first came into popularity in the late 1820s-early 1830s, placed directly below a sloped shoulder. The resurgence of Le Gigot occurred in the 1890s with the expanse of the sleeve
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton’s tumultuous romance developed when the couple met on set of the film Cleopatra in 1962. The suspicions and eventual discovery of the love affair was documented by the Italian paparazzi and splashed across the pages of tabloids around the globe, consuming popular culture. In response to the widespread coverage
Famed window dresser for Bonwit Teller and Tiffany & Co, Gene Moore would also photograph fashions for Vogue in 1953. Moore’s 1953 photograph of a woman literally attracting a man with a magnet would be recreated by Tim Walker in 2008. Walker often restages well-known photographs, adding his signature whimsical style to the overall
Street style photography is deemed a contemporary fashion phenomenon, however, Edward Linley Sambourne proves otherwise. Sambourne photographed unaware fashionable female passersby, often dressing in a shirtwaist, Gibson Girl manner, in London and Paris at the turn of the 20th century. Sambourne’s interest in capturing streetstyle is continued today by photographers such as
For Dolce and Gabbana’s FW 2013 collection, the design duo continued to draw inspiration from the island of Sicily. In the Sicilian province of Palermo, the Cathedral in the town of Monreale is considered one of the greatest extant examples of Norman architecture in the world; the interior of the
Keith Haring began his short career in 1978, producing paintings, sculptures and murals in his signature cartoon-like graphics until his premature death in 1990. Haring’s philosophy to heighten the accessibility of his art was reinforced by his Pop Shop, a store which carried Haring memorabilia, home goods and clothing all featuring Haring’s signature designs. In 2011, shoe designer