For at least two centuries fashion and art have maintained a competitive love-hate relationship. Both fashion and art construct imaginary worlds and use a language of style to invigorate beliefs perceptions and ideas. Until now the crossovers of fashion and art have received only scattered treatment and suffered from a dearth of theorization. As an attempt to theorize the area this collection of new and updated essays is the most well-rounded and authoritative to date. Some of the worlds foremost scholars in the field are assembled here to explore the art-fashion nexus in numerous ways: from aesthetics and performance to masquerade and media. Original and inspiring this book will not only secure art-fashion as a discrete area of study but also suggest new critical pathways for exploring their continuing cross-pollination. Fashion and Art is essential reading for students and scholars of fashion art history and theory cultural studies and related fields.
