Author: cbattenb

Fashion and religion have quite a few more similarities than what’s on the surface level. The concept of both is rooted in the belief of a higher power and a hierarchy with the fashion gods as CEOs and top designers all the way down to commoners or customers consuming their content. There is a careful duty of respect when analyzing and portraying religion within fashion collections. Jean Paul Gaultier revered the visuals and themes of Catholicism within his Spring/Summer 2007 couture collection and perfectly executed a balance between religion and fashion. Gaultier features various motifs in his artistry through fabric and color choices as well as Catholic iconography.

Color and texture are some of the most recognizable elements of Catholic artwork. Gaultier uses various colors, fabrics, and other styling choices in his collection to praise the imagery of Catholicism. In one of his pieces, Gaultier includes designs reminiscent of the stained-glass artwork that can be found in Catholic Churches. The clean lines and contrasting deep and light. colors are used to create a reflective effect to replicate the glassy textures. The sheerness of the dress and sleeves also bring this point across by imitating the reflectiveness of glass. The use of lace and crochet accents typically used to decorate shrines can also be found in abundance throughout this collection. The color pallet is also notable and specific to historical paintings, holy cards, and stained-glass art. We also see repetitive use of gold and metallics to distinguish a celestial and holy presence in the designs.

We can also recognize the common symbol of the heart in these designs whether through the bleeding or sacred heart. Included in the iconography of this collection is also the chalice often used for communion, symbolizing the blood of Christ. These symbols are representative of Christ’s love for mankind and his sacrifice for human sins.

In collections from designers that include religious motifs in the past, there is often some controversy surrounding the use of symbols and the provocativeness of the pieces. In Jean Paul Gaultier’s 2007 S/S collection, he creates a fine balance of artistry and reverence throughout his work. Gaultier used these themes not to mock the religion but to imitate and appreciate its beauty. These elements are incorporated throughout the garments in ways that respect and emphasize their importance to the religion.

In the many collections that this Met exhibit showcases, the marriage between couture and Catholicism are clear. Many designers and luxury collections have an ongoing relationship with the practices and imagery associated with the Catholic religion. The exhibition features a series of galleries that are inspired by the interiors of Byzantine churches as well as the Medieval and Lehman galleries in the museum including designs inspired by the holy order of the church. You can see the inspiration for the collections in the mosaic and fresco artwork of the Byzantine world in the collections as well as inspiration from the dress of various holy figures. Many of the designers featured in the galleries were raised in the Roman Catholic faith. The exhibit showcases how their designs are heavily influenced by the traditions of the Catholic faith.

Whether intentional or not, using celebrities to showcase this level of luxury and artistry feels like a commentary on pop culture and the amount of importance we place on public figures. In our current social media-based culture, celebrities have become something reminiscent of gods themselves. They are praised, written about, have large groups of followers, and live in a universe high above the rest of the world. Things like social media have created celebrities and public figures to be almost untouchable in ways that only gods had been before. While analyzing the intensity of the church, celebrities are the only ones who could truly push this message across with their level of relevance. In the same way that the church had all of the money and power when it was at its peak, celebrities have extreme amounts of power and wealth.