The Art of Inspiration
While I was in London photographing my Kensington flat project, I was lucky enough to be able to see two exhibitions on fashion and art. I find amazing inspiration in fashion, so to see these exhibits was a dream come true. First, I caught the very last week of the Sargent and Fashion show at the Tate Britain.
Art by John Singer Sargent
I learned something new about the artist John Singer Sargent at the exhibit - he used a stylist to arrange his subjects and he used fashion to express certain emotions or ideas. Using a stylist is something I regularly do for photographs of my interior design, so it was intriguing to learn that an artist would do the same thing!
Art by John Singer Sargent
Dress worn by the subject in that Sargent painting
Fashion inspired Sargent, so the exhibit showcases some of the stunning dresses and clothing worn in the portraits that he painted. Sargent would even manipulate the fashions to make a major statement, like letting a dress strap drop down a woman’s arm to look more daring for the time.
Art by John Singer Sargent
A dress worn in a Sargent portrait.
It’s incredible to see how fashion has inspired so many through the centuries. And the second exhibit I saw definitely highlights the magic of fashion. NAOMI: In Fashion at the V&A museum explores the 40-year career of fashion model Naomi Campbell.
The Naomi Campbell exhibit at London’s V&A Museum
Naomi was the first Black model featured on the cover of Paris Vogue in August 1988 and she became one of the industry’s first supermodels. Her incredible career and impact on fashion is the focus of this exhibit, and includes her own extensive wardrobe of haute couture and ready-to-wear ensembles from key moments in her career, along with loans from designer archives and objects from the V&A's collections.
Iconic fashions worn by Naomi Campbell
Naomi in turn also inspired and supported so many designers that she worked with, including Dolce & Gabbana, Vivienne Westwood, Jean Paul Gaultier, Anna Sui, and Marc Jacobs. Azzedine Alaïa was so inspired by Naomi that he called hers 'a perfect body', and she inspired much of his work, including the iconic white dress in the photo above.
Gowns worn by Naomi Campbell, as well as some of her fashion photos
Although the Sargent exhibit is now closed, be sure to catch the Naomi Campbell exhibit if you’re in London. It closes in June 2025, so there’s plenty of time to see this incredibly inspiring show!
What inspires YOU? Let me know in the comments section below!
Warmly,
Beth