Artist Textiles at New Lanark
Horrockses Fashions epitomised the traditional cotton summer frock in the 1940s and 50s. They were considered affordable, but were also worn by celebrities including the Queen, Princess Margaret and Margot Fonteyn, and the fabric was often designed by well-known artists. The dress on the left uses fabric by Alastair Morton and the other two are by Graham Sutherland.
The dresses and fabrics in this post are part of the exhibition Artist Textiles: Picasso to Warhol which began life at the Fashion and Textile Museum in London in 2014. Since then, it has been to the Netherlands, the USA and Canada, and now it has arrived in Scotland where you can see it at New Lanark until 29th April. Follow the link for details – I highly recommend it. Three things amazed me – how many of the artists I had never associated with textiles, how different their designs were to their other work, and how many of the garments could be worn today without looking out of place. See what you think!
Henry Moore
Salvador Dalí
Pablo Picasso
Joan Miró
Andy Warhol
A final selection
As with all the images, clicking to enlarge will reveal artist, title and date.
Do you have a favourite? Let me know in the comments. I would love to have that very first dress by Alastair Morton – and the waistline to carry it off!
The Glasgow Gallivanter 
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MHWEB
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Thanks!
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Now that you’ve mentioned it, it does make total sense that artists could and would design fabric patterns.
Although I like many of these as pieces as art, I don’t think I would particularly like them as fabric – ie the Picasso Carnet – and I’m surprised by the Warhol designs. I would never have matched them as his work – ie butterflies – but I do like the buttons 🙂
My favourite though would have to be the John Piper, Chiesa de la Salute.
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It never occurred to me before this exhibition! I liked the Piper designs too, and agree about Warhol. Not a soup can in sight 😉
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Thanks for sharing these beautiful simple cotton prints. It was really interesting and inspiring. I’m a textile design and I love simple floral prints in mid 20 century.”Jade”
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Thank you for visiting – I’m glad you found your way here and enjoyed it.
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This is a great post Anabel. I love the concept of juxtaposing art and fashion in general, and love some of these dresses in particular. I am particularly drawn to the Henry Moore dress but that is probably because I lived in Kansas City for a few years, which has a wonderful collection of Henry Moore sculptures in a sculpture garden. I also love in your last batch of images, the very last black and white design/fabric. There is an African design feel to it, which feels both modern and remindful of traditional African patterns. Overall, lovely post.
Ben
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Thanks Ben! I found this a truly fascinating exhibition and liked almost everything.
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Very interesting to read about well-known artists designing fabrics. I’m partial to the two John Piper patterns at the bottom.
Jude
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Yes, I like them too. More understated than some.
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On July 4, 1976, the 200th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence, I visited New Harmony in the state of Indiana. New Harmony was established by the same Robert Owen who managed the mill in New Lanark:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Harmony,_Indiana
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Oh, interesting! I didn’t know about his American ventures. New Lanark is a fascinating place.
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Excellent idea of this wonderful post. I loved Your photos, which You showed.
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Thank you – glad you enjoyed it!
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Thanks for linking!
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I had a framed section of the Piper Venice fabric for Sanderson. I bought it cheaply at a fair and had it framed up and enjoyed it for ten years.Then I saw the same thing in a gallery for £600. A woman came to my house to buy some garden pots I was selling. She wanted to buy the picture and gave me £500- so I took it!
Also had Piper ‘The Stones of Bath’ curtains, but they are more common. Sold them too- but not so big a profit.
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Wow! Impressive.
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Unfortunately, these fabrics are recognised more and more- or fortunately, as they deserve recognition. However, I don’t think I will be pulling off any more stunts like that! I didn’t know about the Horrockses fabric, though.
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awesome designs, impressed with pictures
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Thank you!
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There is a fiber art exhibit going on right now at my local university and I thought about going and didn’t think I’d enjoy it. Now seeing your photos, Anabel, I can tell that is rubbish! And I must set out to see it. I like Andy Warhol’s section the best but I don’t think it’s a good thing for the skirt models to go topless. 😉
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Well, especially not in the weather we are having at the moment!
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I like the Red Dress, I like the colour and I like the design of the dress.
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Red is always a good colour if you can carry it off.
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There is a popular lollipop in Australia – Chupa -Chups – the logo for this was designed by Salvador Dali. This is not a joke – look it up if you wish.
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I just did! Thanks for that. https://www.leoprinting.co.uk/blog/salvador-dali-chupa-chups-logo/ if anyone else is interested.
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I think if I had noticed this exhibition when it was at the Fashion and Textile Museum, I probably wouldn’t have gone anyway because I would have found the title off-putting, not being a fan of Picasso or Warhol. However, actually seeing what was there makes me think I should have gone, because vintage-style dresses and skirts with unusual prints are what I wear to work like 90% of the time. I already have a chicken-print dress, and an ice cream dress, but I think I like the chicken and ice cream fabrics here even better! It looks like a fun exhibition!
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I think they maybe picked the two most well known names and ran with them! Picasso was not the beginning and Warhol was not the end. I think you would have liked it.
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This is so amazing, Anabel! I had no idea that these famous artists were into textiles as well. That being said, I only detect similarities between the paintings/sculptures and fabrics by Miro and Moore. Your three observations sound accurate to me. My favorite summer dress would be the middle one in your top photo. None of them seem out of place, indeed. Except maybe the brown tints towards the bottom of the post. 🙂
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The middle one you have chosen seems particularly contemporary. Yes, Moore you can see the familiar shapes – but in delicate material not hulking great sculptures. I’m so glad I saw this exhibition.
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Hi, Anabel – It is so hard to choose…but as pure fabric goes, I think I like the first Joan Miro shot the best. Depending on what was made, I believe that any of these fabrics could be used today. They are quite stunning!
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Yes, that’s a popular one with a few commenters. I agree, they are stunning.
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