In order to keep up with the contemporary art scene, I subscribe to the Artsy website. Recently, they posted an editorial on the upcoming Frieze London Art Fair (10/14-10/17). The show is a consortium of 164 galleries representing 1000 artists from 30 countries. I was panning through the site today and came upon these Rampas (carpet collages) by Nevin Aladag, that will be showcased by the German Wentrup gallery. They caught my eye, because of the mosaic influence of Aladag’s Turkish heritage. Since I, myself, have been privileged to witness some of the most extraordinary Turkish tile work in the flesh, I have an appreciation of the complexity of the design form that informs these pieces. What makes Aladag’s work so evocative is the position of the patterns and its relation to the surrounding space. She takes a very ancient technique and effortlessly transforms it to the 21st century.
Once I put these two pieces together, I thought immediately of Stella McCartney’s fall 2015 prints: Ellie Leaping and Poppy Snoozing. Traditional silk pajamas and robes and sexy stretch silk underpinnings in simple prints are combined with a rich leaver’s lace to form an elegant lingerie mosaic. They remind me of the majestic tile work that permeates the architecture of Istanbul. Large and small pieces are integrated seamlessly into a lifestyle lingerie collection that is very classic, extremely feminine and perfectly proportioned. Fitting 30-38, A-F cups, S-XL panties and S-L sleepwear, they are an excellent reflection of the rich, modern British design landscape elevating them to a unique position of artistry in the fashion world.
“Fashion is Architecture: It Is A Matter of Proportions” ~ Coco Chanel
