THESE NEW EXHIBITS PROVE THAT FASHION AND ART ARE ONE AND THE SAME

By Genevieve Kyle

Martin Margiela and Thierry Mugler’s latest exhibits further entwine fashion with the art world.

In an attempt to plant his roots in the art world, Belgium designer Martin Margiela will be opening an art exhibit. The designer has partnered with Zeno X, an art gallery directed by Frank Demaegd, which mainly showcases figurative paintings within the contemporary art scene in Antwerp, Belgium.  

Initially scheduled to launch in April last year, the exhibit faced pushbacks due to lockdowns and increasing pandemic concerns. When the exhibition finally opens on October 20th, over forty never-before-seen Martin Margiela artworks will be on display at Lafayette Anticipations in Paris. Before this exhibit opens, three of Margiela’s sculptures will premiere at the FIAC art fair in Paris and then head to Belgium in the Spring of 2022. 

In 1988, Margiela created the acclaimed fashion house, Maison Margiela, focused on the human body. Margiela silently departed in 2009. A creative ghost to the public, the exhibit will be a major reintroduction to the artistic works of Margiela. However, with clothing designs on display in several museums, including BOZAR in Brussels, the Haus der Kunst in Munich, and LACMA in Los Angeles, the designer is no stranger to the museum world. 

Margiela is not the only designer embracing the art realm this fall. The design and photography works of Thierry Mugler are currently on display at the Couturissime exhibit at The Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Couturissime offers a deep dive into how Mugler helped change contemporary fashion and will allow his works to be seen from an artistic perspective. The exhibit will run until April 24th.

As the art world expands, the question remains: how will the relationship between art and fashion continue to evolve? Two dominating designers offering museum exhibitions shows that a union between the two mediums is being fostered. Particularly unique fashion pieces have long been described as “wearable art,” proving that the disciplines have long existed in tandem. Fashion designers’ segue into the museum world furthers the union between the two forms of expression.

Images courtesy of Zeno Gallery