From The Shining to A Clockwork Orange, Mumbo Jumbo and A Cyborg Manifesto
When Juergen Teller shot literary heavyweight Joan Didion for Celines SS15 campaign the world, bizarrely, came to a standstill.The image of the author wearing oversized glasses, a black top, and a gold necklace went viral so viral,it prompted Didion to make a statement on the matter. I dont have any clue, she told the New York Times when asked what she made of all the fuss.
And with countless other examples of authors breaching into the realms of fashion, there are also the designers who have looked to books to inform their own work.
From Alexander McQueen who looked to H.G Wells The Island of Doctor Moreau to create his wild and animal-like Its a Jungle Out There collection to Alessandro Michele who created Gucci cyborgs for his AW18 show after being influenced by Donna HarawaysA Cyborg Manifesto, here, on World Book Day, we explore the relationship between fashion and literature. Outlining some of the industries most favoured books, influencing the likes of Grace Wales Bonner, Rei Kawakubo, and Vaquera, these are eight of fashions favourite texts.
Virginias Woolfs Orlando tells the tale of an Elizabethan nobleman who wakes up one morning a woman. Following this, Orlando goes on a 300-year time-travelling journey, meeting some of literatures key figures on the way. Adapted into a film starring Tilda Swinton, Woolfs novel has gone on to become a cultural touchstone, notably in the LGBTQ+ community. With its extensive timespan and gender-fluid approach to fashion, a number of designers have looked to the book for inspiration. From Ann Demeulemeester and her AW07 collection to Christopher Bailey for his AW16 Burberry show, there is also Rei Kawakubo who has dedicated both her SS20 men and womenswear shows to the novelas part of a three-part project. With a demure mostly black menswear collection which saw models styled in frock coats, pinafores, and petticoats, the collection then evolved for the womenswear presentation which was a maximalist lesson in theatrical fashion. The final iteration of this came last December with Kawakubo costuming an opera performance ofOrlando.
Written in 1823, Frankenstein is one of the most influential gothic novels in the English language. A story about human limitations, Shelley tells the tale of Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who undertakes the experiment of creating a sentient being. With its rich and dark descriptive passages, Frankenstein has become one of the most referenced works of literature on the runway. From its very obvious interpretations where visual depictions of the books monster have been printed on Prada and Christopher Kane shirts to the more subtle references found in Feng Chen Wangs SS19 andAlexander McQueens SS99 show, its most recent iteration, however, comes from Alessandro Micheles AW18 Gucci presentation. We are all Dr Frankensteins of our lives, he wrote in his show notes, where he also referenced Donna Haraways A Cyborg Manifesto.
A post-modern text, A Cyborg Manifesto is a critique of the traditional notions of feminism which pushes forward socialist and anti-identitarian politics. Using the cyborg as a metaphor to reject binaries and challenge the notion of identity, Michele created his own Gucci cyborg for AW18. Set in a medical style room, decorated with hospital beds and clinical lighting, models walked down the runway carryingmoulds of their own heads, miniature dragons, and chameleons. Along with Haraway and Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, Michele also cited French philosopher Michel Foucault for this collection.
A Clockwork Oranges imagery has become iconic. The story, written in 1962, tells the tale of a 15-year-old named Alex. Following him and his group of droogs who go around a raping, stealing, and harassing civilians, Burgess dystopian tale delves into themes of morality, and law and order. With the looks detailed in the book instantly recognisable, mostly due to Stanley Kubricks 1977 film adaption of it, the novel has been referenced by Jun Takahashi for Undercover. Taking the book to the runway for his AW19 collection, models wore the theatrical masks, bowler hats, and canes symbolic of the novels characters. Elsewhere, tops were also embossed with some of the books integral made-up language.
Another of fashions favourite books to be adapted by Stanley Kubrick comes in the form of Stephen Kings The Shining. A horror novel, The Shining tells the story of a writer who takes the job as an off-season caretaker at a hotel. Joined by his wife and psychically gifted son Danny, who is able to see the hotels terrifying past, a snowstorm then leaves the family stranded, all the while supernatural forces torment the protagonists sanity. Alexander McQueen took this as the setting for his AW99 show, The Outlook. Set in a Lucite box filled with artificial snow and bare trees, models walked and later ice-skated around the runway. An eerie and dramatic presentation, the show also referenced one of The Shinings most iconic scenes of twin girls standing in a hallway. Although this was not actually part of the book, Jun Takahashi also used this idea to inform hisUndercover SS18 show. Wearing 50s-styled dresses decorated with landscape motifs, models made their way down the runway in pairs, walking hand in hand.
Set in the 1920s, Mumbo Jumbo details an epidemic called Jes Grew a virus carried by black artists causing half of America to recklessly dance and enjoy jazz. A satirical tale which embraces jazz, magic, and conspiracy theories, it was this book that Grace Wales Bonner looked to for her AW19 collection of the same name. With the showaccompaniedby a special piano performance by Ishmael Reed and Ben Okri, who recited a poem at the presentation, the collection sought to explore African Intellectualism. With the British designer renowned forher intense and academic research process, in her show notes the LVMH prize winner outlined: The collection considers the role of writers as oracles, connecting to a rich and magical lineage, serving as the custodians of ancestral wisdom passed down and reinterpreted. Words are collaged and transformed, becoming spells woven in cloth.
For his AW97 collection entitled Its a Jungle Out There, Alexander McQueen referenced the work of H. G. Wells and his science fiction novel, The Island of Doctor Moreau. A book which explores ideas of what it means to be human, the story follows Edward Prendick, a shipwreck survivor who lands on an island belonging to Doctor Moreau, a scientist who practices vivisections. McQueen took this story and transformed it, giving his models exaggerated cat-like make-up and wild, crazy hair. With the rest of the collection accented with hints of animal prints and fur, the show is considered to be one of his most iconic. Elsewhere McQueen has looked to the Italian poet Dante to inform his work which came in the form of his AW96 collection of the same name.
Written in 1985, A Handmaids Tale has had a cultural resurgence in recent years, thanks to the TV adaptation which hit our screens in 2017. A dystopian tale set in a future where the American government has been overthrown by a quasi-Christian group which dictates, among other things, that women lose control of their bodies, too many the novel became bizarrely reflective of our current times. With the female characters dressed in red robes and a white hood, it was New York label Vaquera which took Atwoods words and transformed them on the runway with a collection created to promote the TV show.
In light of World Book Day, clickhere to view our favourite books to read this month.
Go here to read the rest:
8 books that inspired fashion collections - Dazed
- Upload your Real body to a Virtual Avatar ! - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Transcendent Consciousness for Transcendent Technologies : Part I - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Transcendent Consciousness for Transcendent Technologies: Part II - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Visions of the Future - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Lessons from the Silver Surfer ! - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Playing God in a Video Game ! - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- The Rebellious Voyeur in our Society - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Renewable Energy and the New world - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Chennai Science Festival 2008 - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Cyborg Football Time ! - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Wont be posting for a while - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Spiritual Transcendence in Transhumanism now published - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Widgetize time ! - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- An Inconvenient Truth indeed ! - Google style - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- The latest Cyborg movie ! - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Lost in Transcendence : A Tribute to Dr.Albert Hofmann - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Who came first ? - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- How to truly become "BetterHumans" - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- A day in the life of a Transhuman Memestar - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- My Lonely Love - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- The First "body slaves" : how ready are we for the posthuman body ? - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Realizing our humble place in the posthuman civilization ! - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Brain controlled devices have come of age ! - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Touch and Go - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Cyborg Mystic - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Avatar..a great movie ! - January 31st, 2010 [January 31st, 2010]
- Iron Man 2 and the cyborg technology offshoots - June 11th, 2010 [June 11th, 2010]
- Saving the "Humanism" in Transhumanism - June 13th, 2010 [June 13th, 2010]
- Christina is Bionic - June 22nd, 2010 [June 22nd, 2010]
- My recent article in IEET - October 11th, 2010 [October 11th, 2010]
- REASONS FOR LOVE AND HOPE TO OTHER SPECIES IN THE POSTHUMAN FUTURE - February 14th, 2011 [February 14th, 2011]
- Misleading Perceptions of Improving “The Human Condition” - April 10th, 2011 [April 10th, 2011]
- Jean-Claude Van Damme - CYBORG (1989) Part 1 - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- Cris Cyborg Spinning Back Kick KO - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- Cris Cyborg Suplexes way to Gold Medal Mundials (BJJ Worlds) 2011 - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- Cryptic Metal Gear Rising trailer lets you not understand the story right now - May 10th, 2012 [May 10th, 2012]
- 009 Re:Cyborg Anime Film's Live-Action Promo Streamed - May 13th, 2012 [May 13th, 2012]
- 009 Re:Cyborg's Extended "International Version" Trailer Posted - May 13th, 2012 [May 13th, 2012]
- Colourblind artist wants to be world’s first cyborg - May 16th, 2012 [May 16th, 2012]
- Moribito Designer Asou to Draw 009 Re:Cyborg Manga - May 16th, 2012 [May 16th, 2012]
- National Geographic announces its Emerging Explorers for 2012 - May 16th, 2012 [May 16th, 2012]
- Colourblind artist wants cyborg eye in Irish passport - May 16th, 2012 [May 16th, 2012]
- Week in science faces our cyborg future - May 20th, 2012 [May 20th, 2012]
- Gary Oldman - Gary Oldman Signs Up For Robocop Remake - May 25th, 2012 [May 25th, 2012]
- Gary Oldman joining 'RoboCop' remake - May 25th, 2012 [May 25th, 2012]
- Gary Oldman signs up for Robocop remake - May 26th, 2012 [May 26th, 2012]
- Supertrailer - The best trailers of the week packed into one cinematic video - June 2nd, 2012 [June 2nd, 2012]
- Policemen Undergo Stress Management Seminar - June 3rd, 2012 [June 3rd, 2012]
- Scott Coker Says Cyborg Vs Rousey at 135 Will Happen: Fan Reaction - June 4th, 2012 [June 4th, 2012]
- MMAFighting: Coker vows Cyborg-Rousey fight - June 4th, 2012 [June 4th, 2012]
- Would Ronda Rousey Beat Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos in a Fight? Fan's View - June 5th, 2012 [June 5th, 2012]
- Ronda Rousey vs. Cris Cyborg: Is the Biggest Fight Strikeforce Can Make - June 5th, 2012 [June 5th, 2012]
- Scott Coker on Ronda Rousey vs. Cyborg: "Cyborg Is a Whole Other Level" - June 5th, 2012 [June 5th, 2012]
- Rousey vs. Cyborg in January? 'She Wants My Arm, I Want Her Head': Fan's Look - June 6th, 2012 [June 6th, 2012]
- DIY cyborg appendage is less exciting than it sounds (video) - June 8th, 2012 [June 8th, 2012]
- Robot Chicken goes free range, Seth Green says - June 9th, 2012 [June 9th, 2012]
- Cyborg Fuel Cell Powered by Brain Fluids - June 13th, 2012 [June 13th, 2012]
- Hugh Laurie - Hugh Laurie To Play Robocop Villain - June 13th, 2012 [June 13th, 2012]
- Hugh Laurie set to play villain in Robocop remake - June 13th, 2012 [June 13th, 2012]
- Hugh Laurie is being lined up to star in 'RoboCop' - June 14th, 2012 [June 14th, 2012]
- CFT: Star recruit Henry decommits from Georgia - June 15th, 2012 [June 15th, 2012]
- Cris Cyborg and Sarah Kaufman Mean Mugging on Fight Promo Video: Fan Reaction - June 18th, 2012 [June 18th, 2012]
- Amped Shows the Downside of Becoming a Cyborg - June 18th, 2012 [June 18th, 2012]
- Is that really just a fly? Swarms of cyborg insect drones are the future of military surveillance - June 19th, 2012 [June 19th, 2012]
- Interior-Decorating Androids, Coming to a Living Room Near You - June 19th, 2012 [June 19th, 2012]
- A message for our cyborg drivers - June 23rd, 2012 [June 23rd, 2012]
- Cyborg system stifles your need to drink water - June 24th, 2012 [June 24th, 2012]
- Cyborg makes art using seventh sense - June 30th, 2012 [June 30th, 2012]
- A Surgical Implant for Seeing Colors Through Sound - July 2nd, 2012 [July 2nd, 2012]
- My life as a cyborg - July 2nd, 2012 [July 2nd, 2012]
- Making Location Services Slick & Simple - July 2nd, 2012 [July 2nd, 2012]
- Cyborg Gaming Mouse - July 5th, 2012 [July 5th, 2012]
- Nightwing And Cyborg Join Cast Of Injustice - July 12th, 2012 [July 12th, 2012]
- Nightwing and Cyborg coming to Injustice: Gods Among Us - July 12th, 2012 [July 12th, 2012]
- See Cyborg and Nightwing in 'Injustice: Gods Among Us' - July 12th, 2012 [July 12th, 2012]
- SDCC 2012: Nightwing and Cyborg Join 'Injustice: Gods Among Us' - July 12th, 2012 [July 12th, 2012]
- NEWS: Cyborg and Nightwing Revealed for Injustice: Gods Among Us - July 12th, 2012 [July 12th, 2012]
- 'Injustice' reveals Cyborg and Nightwing - July 13th, 2012 [July 13th, 2012]
- Human Cyborg: McDonald’s Employees Assaulted Me For Wearing My Gear - July 17th, 2012 [July 17th, 2012]
- Do Not Anger the Cyborg, People! - July 17th, 2012 [July 17th, 2012]