Designers and artists have frequently collaborated in the history of fashion. Dali and Schiaparelli, Takashi Murakami and Marc Jacobs, Miuccia Prada and James Jean, Halston and Joe Eula... Vionnet and the Italian artist known as Thayaht.
There is a small exhibit of the collaboration between Vionnet and Thayaht at the beautiful Poldi Pezzoli Museum in Milano. The exhibit includes 60 drawings made by Thayaht for Vionnet between 1919 to 1925 and have never been exhibited publicly before. Actually my post is a little late and rather then SEE should have been titled, SEEN or perhaps even better: SHOULD HAVE SEEN. Oh well.
Thayaht was born Ernesto Michelles but his work with photographic mirror images lead to his pseudonym which was also a homonym, Thayaht. Thayaht was interested in many different forms of art: photography, painting, theater design and costume. His clothing was inspired by the idea of dynamic symmetry and Vionnet became interested in the concept of dynamic symmetry as well in her designs. Greek objects were researched in the Louvre and decorative elements were applied to Vionnet's dresses.
dynamic symmetry: termed coined by the American artist Jay Hambridge. Means that designs found in nature such as shells and the foliage of plants, can be applied to art.
Dynamic symmetry as drawn by Thayaht
And dynamic symmetry as designed by Madeline Vionnet
The drawings are of course magnificent and a treat to see but I can't help being struck by the remarkable and lovely thickness of the ladies.
Thayaht: Between Art and Fashion
Poldi Pezzoli Museum
February 21 2013- February 25 2013
