neo romantics




Graham Sutherland OM - Black Landscape
Tate Modern Gallery, London.

 

As I was researching different themes of fashion I came across a piece in Vogues Italia 2009 'Neo Romantics', featuring model Abbey Lee Kershaw. This edition really captured my eye as the clothing is strangely macabre yet beautiful - a romantic death. The term Neo Romanticism is used in a variety of movements covered in either music, painting or architecture. It has been used in the late 19th Century & early 20th Century. It is considered in opposition to naturalism. As I feel in natural art, it stresses external observation, whereas in neo-romantic, it reveals more of an emotion and internal observation. The artists who capture this emotion tend to draw on their inspirations such as artists of the age of high romanticism and from a sense of place- such as dramatic landscapes. And so they turn the 'ugly' modern world of machines, cities and landscapes to a more natural simplicity, longing for perfect love, utopian landscapes, nature reclaiming ruins, romantic death, and history-in-landscape.

From the editoral fashion piece on Abbey Lee, the clothing that has been styled for this theme I feel, captures the essence of neo-romanticsm. As in the first image, the lining and contour of the dress shows deffinition and detail. As stated before, landcapes and historical ruins are an essence of neo-romanticism and when looking at Graham Sutherland OM 'black landscape' piece of art work, the lining and detail captured in the art is also captured in the clothing creating a landscape feel. As well as this, the gold jewelled encrusted bodysuit is absolutely to die for!  This is a piece by Alexandre McQueen, exotic and classical and I want it badly!  I also posted an image of the women's pre spring/summer 2012, the dresses portrayed are like the jewelled bodysuit, exotic yet classical and I feel fit in perfectly with the theme of 'Neo-Romanticism'. From the outlining definition for materials either pleated, frayed or patterned, to the encrusted jewelled pieces all offer a sombre yet brightly exotic colour scheme to create a darkly romantic feel.