Cutting Edge - The Fashion Artists

   Here, I have gathered some brief information on 3 fashion artists that are worth looking at if you enjoyed reading the 'Creative Cutting' segement of this blog. You can find information on all the artists across the internet as well as see pictures of their work and future/past exhibitions of theirs. Each artists is very different from the latter, either by technique, use of medium or proffesion but all are worth looking at and reading up on.

Andrea Zittel

  Andrea Zittel is an American sculptor and installation artist who began working with fashion in the early 1990’s. Zittel is mostly known for her ‘Six Month Uniforms’ in 1991 inspired by her surroundings and everyday activities. The uniforms were a response to the change of clothes each day and the first of these were cut and sewn from fabrics such as basic wool to silk adorned tulle. In 1995-98, Zittel made a collection of ‘Personal Panel’ uniforms inspired by Russian constructivists. The Russians made garments from predominantly geometric shapes; Zittel’s rectangular uniforms were pinned and tied into place rather than adding zips etc. She later went on to produce crocheted collections that became more abstract and modern. This artist is one of the simplest versions of a fashion artist where traditional methods were transformed and new ideas helped create new techniques for sewing. 

Beo Beyond

  Beo Beyond is a German artist and photographer who began working with costume in 2003. Beyond works with luminous materials to blur the distinction between medias and genres. His works are based on lighting with his costumes and other pieces glowing against a backlight. Beyond uses LED lighting systems and fiber optics to create his work as well as provide marketing and advertising pieces for consumers in industry and at events and presentations. Creation of these costumes is very time consuming as they are all handmade and unique one offs instead of being produced in collections or series. More recently in 2011, costumes by Beyond were used in a performance by Project PQ called The Luminous Living Dolls which showcased his newest works to a wide audience of the public. Beyond is a great example of a fashion artist whom works with wearable electronics and phosphorescence which I think is one of the more intriguing aspects of modern fashion. 

Diana Dias Leao

  Diana Dias Leao is a Liverpool based sculptor and ceramics artist whom recently began a career in fashion at the age of 65 after finishing a course in glass-making. Her new collection of wearable art named ‘The Danger of The Image – Dare to Wear’ comprises a collection of glass and ceramic corsets and dresses that target the issue of body image. The collection was created to obtain a reaction from the public of both shock and awe; awe for the beauty and exquisiteness of the garments and shock for the use of media and pain endured for someone to be able to wear the pieces. Leao’s dresses are made from materials such as barbed wire, handmade glass, ceramics and beads; each piece taking weeks to complete. The collection of dresses was shown in exhibition at the Liverpool Walker Art Gallery between March 2010 and September 2011. 

Leao's dresses are often in exhibition around the country so if one comes nearby it is definitely worth going to see these dresses first hand and get a feel for what they're all about. Her garments are a prime example of art as fashion as the dresses are simply exquisite.