Alex Casertano: Inspired by the Bauhaus School and Renzo Piano

Runway Show: Fall 2010 Ready-to-Wear
Designer: Alex Casertano
Influence: Bauhaus School and Renzo Piano


I am always excited when I hear about upcoming designers making their debut in the fashion world. Discovering what inspires a designers’ collection and what they hope to achieve has always resonated with me. With so many directions and possibilities, fresh designers have the opportunity to test out their innovative ideas and discover what works and what does not.

Last month, when flipping through my June issue of Elle magazine, I came across an article on Alex Casertano. Previously designing for Yigal Azrouël and J.Crew, Casertano is no newbie to fashion. With a high-end line full of structured, but feminine, pieces, Casertano designs clothing that reflects a woman’s intellectual identity. Viewing images of his line, I think of a woman who knows what she wants – a confident woman in the modern world.

I absolutely love how Casertano keeps his tailored line visually interesting through the use of cutout details, pops of red color, and a variety of fabrics. While Casertano uses a limited palette of colors, the dynamic silhouettes and details are what I find most attractive.


Based on the colors used in Casertano’s line, it is clear that he was also inspired by the Bauhaus school. As I mentioned in the previous post, Bauhaus was characterized primarily by neutral shades of gray, black, and red.

Drawing inspiration from modern architecture, Casertano states,
“I think a lot about New York spaces – like the Renzo Piano building I can see out my window – and what clothing would complement that modernist design.”


Amazing. This is the type of mindset and thinking that everyone should have. Using aspects of architecture and fitting them into fashion is evidence of revolutionary thinking. Remnants of urban design are present in the structure of Casertano’s garments and in the lines that he incorporates into one of his dresses.


Renzo Piano, most known for the Pompidou Center, is an Italian architect and recipient of the Pritzker Prize. With a family background of builders and partnerships with fellow architects Louis Kahn and Richard Rogers, Piano is one of the most renowned architects of our time. Always sketching and constructing models, Piano knows that it takes time and dedication to complete a project. When working on the Pompidou Center with Richard Rogers, Piano did not want to construct a building that would fit into a historical context. He wanted something dynamic that the public had never seen before. Once finished in 1977, the Pompidou Center served as a homeopathic agent (to change and heal), transforming the rundown, seedy area of Paris into a place of enlightenment.



“A museum, ... is a place where one should lose one's head -- and I hope you will lose it.”

- Renzo Piano



Another thing that I absolutely love about Piano is his life philosophy. Piano believes that life is about trial and error; not everything will work itself out the first time through. Although Piano was last in class growing up, he never saw that as a bad thing. Piano reflects, “I had nothing to lose but everything to gain.” If only everyone today could share this kind of optimism.

When it comes to architecture, fashion, and life, EVERYTHING MATTERS! In my modern architecture class, this is one concept that my professor always reminded us of. From the artwork of Frida Kahlo to the natural beauty of sunflowers and daffodils, everything should be taken into account. Especially in today’s world, it is important to think outside of the box and not go with the norm. Uniqueness is what fashion thrives on and makes it so alluring.

There is nothing more sacred than the path that designers take as they develop their collections and turn them into something truly extraordinary. With each season, designers are presented with the challenge to either keep their designs consistent or completely shock viewers with the unexpected. As long as the designs remain fresh and original, I have no objections.

Based on what I have seen so far of Casertano’s line, I am very impressed and look forward to his upcoming collections. While Casertano is not an architect, he definitely thinks like one. When asked about his designs he explains,

"There's an emphasis on tailoring and things that are really built, nothing too flashy,

As Le Corbusier and fellow modern architects would say, “form follows function.”

To purchase and see more from Alex Casertano’s line, visit his website at alexcasertano.com.

Enjoy!

Givenchy, Balenciaga, and Bauhaus

Runway Show: Fall 2010 Ready-to-Wear
Designer: Givenchy and Balenciaga
Influence: Bauhaus School

Riccardo Tisci, creative director for Givenchy, had a number of inspirations for his Fall 2010 Ready-to-Wear collection. Tisci stated:

“I was thinking of the ski world, and the scuba world, and the colors of the Bauhaus.”


When I first found out what inspired his collection, I wondered how so many things could have influenced one line. After viewing Tisci’s designs, however, I was very impressed with what I saw. With a fall line consisting of solely black, red, and beige pieces, Givenchy successfully pulls off the Bauhaus look.


In 1919, Walter Gropius formed Bauhaus, a school in Germany centered in crafts and fine arts. The aim of the Bauhaus school was to experiment with how they learned design and how they could teach it. An engagement with materiality and total design was essential in understanding how everyday objects functioned. Furniture making, set design, architecture, and topography are a sample of the things Bauhaus influenced. The Cantilever and Wassily chairs, made from bike tubing, were two of the modern pieces of furniture that came out of the school.

Proclamation of the Weimar Bauhaus, 1919:
“to go into buildings, endow them with fairy tales…and build in fantasy without regard for technical difficulty”


Having recently learned about the Bauhaus school in my modern architecture class, I was really happy and excited to see Givenchy look towards the innovative school for inspiration.


Another high end designer, Balenciaga seems to have been influenced by the Bauhaus school. This fierce pair of color block sandals is reminiscent of the school’s minimalist color scheme and use of geometric shapes. When set beside one another, Balenciaga’s sandals are evocative of advertisement posters made for the school.

From this post, I really think you can see how fashion, art, and architecture are interrelated and overlap one another. While each is different in its own right, they all build off of one another when it comes to the sharing of ideas. In discussing fashion, art, and architecture, the questions that need to be asked are, “what are we doing?” and “how do we get there?” To constantly come up with innovative designs, compositions, and structurally correct buildings, these questions are essential.

McQueen & Byzantine Art

Runway Show: Fall 2010 Ready-to-Wear
Designer: Alexander McQueen
Influence: Byzantine Art and medieval religious iconography


Alexander McQueen was a legendary designer who never failed to impress the fashion world with his cutting-edge designs. Referring to the final collection before McQueen’s untimely death, his design assistant, Sarah Burton stated,

“He wanted to get back to the handcraft he loved, and the things that are being lost in the making of fashion.”

McQueen was more than just a fashion designer, with his innovative designs he set the bar for what constituted as couture fashion. For his Fall 2010 Ready-to-Wear line, McQueen looked to the Dark Ages and Byzantine art for inspiration.


Byzantine art consists of artwork made between the 4th and 15th centuries. Icon painting and church architecture, created by Eastern Orthodox Christians, are most commonly associated with Byzantine art. McQueen’s designs were influenced by similar dresses worn by women in drawings and depictions from this era.



In addition to Byzantine art, McQueen was also inspired by Hieronymus Bosch’s Garden of Earthy Delights. I was absolutely amazed when I discovered that McQueen had woven prints of this painting, as well as others, into many of his pieces from the collection. Each of the 16 outfits featured in McQueen’s fall collection were exquisitely tailored with intricate details and elaborate fabrics.

Without a doubt, the fashion world has lost a true icon. Alexander McQueen will be greatly missed.

Anna Sui & Art Nouveau

Runway Show: Spring 2010 Ready-To-Wear
Designer: Anna Sui
Influence: Art Nouveau Movement


Whoever said that the Art Nouveau movement was dead clearly hasn’t seen Anna Sui’s latest collection. Her Spring 2010 ready-to-wear line is full of floral prints and organic designs reflective of Art Nouveau artists such as Alphonse Mucha.

The Art Nouveau Movement, French for “new art,” is best known for its organic forms and floral and plant motifs. Popular at the turn of the 20th century, this movement was embraced by both artists and architects.


Alphonse Mucha was an Art Nouveau painter and decorative artist who created art comparable to many of Sui’s designs. In addition to painting, he designed jewelry and wallpapers in his signature Mucha Style, which later would become known as Art Nouveau. Mucha is most known for his beautiful images of vigorous, young women. He often depicted beautiful images of ethereal women clothed in Neoclassical robes with flowers on their head.

I am absolutely in love with Sui’s Spring collection. Though not a couture line, it is still incredibly fashion-forward. With a circus themed runway show, Sui showcases an upbeat and fun girly collection. Like Marc Jacobs eclectic spring line, Sui does a fantastic job of mixing plaid, floral, and stripes together in one look. With the range of color and decorative elements that Sui uses in her designs, it comes as no surprise that her inspiration came from the Art Nouveau Movement.

As a fashion critic notes, Anna Sui

“brings a fierce-some amount of research to bear on prints, fabrics, and decorative elements that gives her clothes a distinctive richness.”

Mabille & Suprematist Art

Runway Show: Spring 2010 Couture
Designer: Alexis Mabille
Influence: Suprematist art and Alexander Calder


While other designers played with the mixing of floral and tribal prints this season, Alexis Mabille tried something DIFFERENT. Only thirty years old, Alexis Mabille is a newbie to the fashion world. Mabille refers to his couture line as “graphic surgery,” stating,

“I wanted something cleaner, with less embroideries.”


Mabille’s collection contains at least a dozen designs inspired by the Suprematist art movement. If you’re unfamiliar with Suprematism, it is a style of art characterized by geometric forms such as circles and squares. The most common paintings associated with this movement were of primitive geometric figures presented in a hodge-podge of colors. This movement was founded by the Russian painter and designer Kazimir Malevich in the early 1900’s.

As a student studying art history, I am impressed with Mabille’s ability to incorporate art into his designs. Everything from the runway model’s parted hair down to her mismatched shoes was spliced by color. This thoughtful collection is the product of a true fashion designer.



In addition to Suprematist art, Mabille was also inspired by Alexander Calder, who is most known for his creative mobiles. As soon as I discovered that Calder was a source of Mabille’s inspiration, I said to myself, “this dress is so reminiscent of Calder.” Containing geometric cutouts, the Mabille’s yellow dress shown above perfectly captures what Calder’s designs are about. Similar to how mobiles are shifted by air, the scattered shapes on the dress appear haphazardly placed.

Remember when I asked you to define fashion? Well, Alexis Mabille’s collection is in essence what fashion is supposed to be. Fashion is art. It is about pushing limits and creating designs so distinguished that viewers are left speechless.

Though some critics condemn Mabille for his outlandish and over-the-top designs, I disagree. When it comes to couture fashion there is no such thing as “less can be more.” While ready-to-wear collections consists of practical clothing, couture fashion is crazy. In fact, I like couture fashion strictly because it’s out there. Designs such as Mabille's are what make fashion amazing. Fashion is not always “pretty,” it is sometimes futuristic and edgy.

If this was a ready-to-wear collection, then I would be worried. Though I may not always understand couture – I like it. Couture fashion ultimately inspires ready-to-wear collections. Like the great artists and architects of our time, fashion designers are always trying new things.

With this in mind, I cannot wait to see what Mabille has planned for his Fall 2010 Couture line.

What is fashion?

Although this probably seems like a simple question, I think it is pretty essential. For me, fashion is more than just clothing. While I love shopping and staying up-to-date with the latest trends, runway collections are what truly inspire me. Karl Lagerfeld, Christian Lacroix, and John Paul Gaultier are just a few of the renowned fashion designers who take fashion to the next level. Whether experimenting with new materials, creating dynamic silhouettes, or coming up with outlandish designs, these individuals are the ones who define fashion.

So where do these designers derive their inspiration? In many cases, designers look to the world of ART for ideas. It is not unusual for individual paintings or art movements to influence an entire season’s collection. Ultimately, runway fashion is art. As art inspires fashion, fashion inspires art. Both designers and artists constantly push boundaries as they compose fashion lines and art compositions that stand the test of time.

This blog will allow me to combine my interests in fashion, art, and art history as I analyze the latest runway shows influenced by art. I find it fascinating how many designers are able to view works of art and generate entire couture or ready-to-wear collections.