The past is an alluring place. It has been a long standing influence for artists that not only seek inspiration for their work but also to establish a connection between that past and their own time.
Even fashion has not remained insensitive to the influence of antiquity; its constant process of renewal makes it the ideal means to bring the past to the general public that might have limited access to other ways of interacting with the past. Fashion is also a way of expressing one’s identity, that might be rooted in distant lands and times, as costume parties of the 19th century already showed in a very clear way.
To find antiquities in fashion you only need to look around; one of the fashion trends for Spring 2024 is the use of drapery that brings out “your inner Greek goddess” according to fashion writers. Currently on sale by the firm Jean Paul Gaultier is their Collection “Burn” that features items such as the “Statue draped dress” or the “Statue print pants” made out of material printed with the image of the Venus de Milo. Printed in life size the body of the statue blends with the body of the wearer creating a striking image. This collection is in itself a new reading of Gaultier’s runway collection of Spring 1999 that combined Greek sculpture with Japanese kimonos. A more wearable version of the Statue items was offered by Zara with a tulle dress printed with an image of the Three Graces group by Antonio Canova.
The British department store Liberty released for 2023 Autumn-Winter the Odyssey fabric collection inspired by “the world of ancient myths and legends to explore Liberty’s very own heritage of storytelling”. The collection made extensive use of Greek mythology and architecture but also of artists such as William Morris and Andy Warhol.
However, fashion is much more than clothes and fabric. In Autumn 2023, Lancôme launched its Louvre Collection, designed by the makeup artist Lisa Eldridge. It featured an eyeshadow palette inspired by the XIXth century marble bust of Corinne, the Greek poet of the Vth century BC. and an advertising campaign that with the line “beauty is a living art”, featured the actress Zendaya and the Victory of Samothrace.
Furthermore, the heavy eye liner worn by ancient Egyptians have influenced contemporary make up directly through Egyptian art but mainly through secondary sources such film or music. The Cleopatras of Theda Bara and Elizabeth Taylor have had a long lasting influence in make-up trends and adopted by artists such as Siouxie and subsequently by the general public.
The conference Wearing antiquity aims to bring together scholars and practitioners (fashion designers, pattern cutters, publicists and others) to discuss how and why the past remains such an important influence on modern fashion. Understanding fashion in its broader sense and including also (and not only): jewellery, shoes, makeup, hairstyles, tattoos or publicity.
We aim to have both papers and demonstrations on the following topics (the list is not extensive):
- Fashion projects and designers that have been inspired by antiquity
- Pattern cutting and technology - Fortuny pleating
- The role of antiquity in advertising and fashion discourse
- Archaeological discoveries and fashion
- Body modification - dress reform, tattooing
- Fashion and national identity
Enquiries, proposals (300 words) and short biographies should be sent to Charo Rovira Guardiola (rosario.rovira@sas.ac.uk) no later than the 30th September 2024. The abstract should clearly state the argument of the paper, in keeping with the topic of the conference. The language of the conference is English but we will consider other languages. The conference will be in person and online.
A selection of contributions (in English) will be considered for a volume publication by Bloomsbury in the series ‘Imagines – Classical Receptions in the Visual and Performing Arts’.
For more information on the Imagines Project: https://www.imagines-project.org/
Organising committee:
Charo Rovira Guardiola (Institute of Classical Studies Library)
Marta Garcia Morcillo (Institute of Classical Studies)
Katherine Harloe (Institute of Classical Studies)