Matching dress color to skin color, this powerful look at race and identity is a fashion series by Cristin Richard that blurs the world of fashion, sculptures and fine art.
The 'Political Aesthetics of the Skin' fashion series has the artist examining fashion, sculpture and social commentary through the use of these pretty dresses that not only look like the skin of the models they adorn, but feel like it too.
Using animal intestines to get the color and textures just right, the Detroit-based artist uses these dresses on models with different skin colors that match the dresses she's created and then puts together a performance with the models and her dresses. Using fashion as a statement, Richard believes that fashion can help anyone create their own second skin: a place of escapism and fantasy.
Racially Color-Coded Dresses
Cristin Richard Uses Her Fashion Series to Fight Racism with Fashion
Trend Themes
1. Color-matching Fashion - Opportunity for clothing brands to create garments that match the wearer's skin color and promote inclusivity.
2. Fashion as Social Commentary - Opportunity for artists and designers to use fashion as a medium for addressing social issues and sparking conversations.
3. Multi-sensory Fashion - Opportunity to explore fashion designs that not only visually resemble certain textures or materials, but also have a tactile element to enhance the wearer's experience.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion Design - Fashion designers can leverage the concept of color-matching clothing to cater to a wider range of customers and promote diversity.
2. Art and Sculpture - Artists can incorporate fashion elements into their sculptures and installations to create thought-provoking pieces that challenge societal norms.
3. Performance Art - Performance artists can use fashion as a form of self-expression and social commentary, creating unique and immersive experiences for audiences.