Form

Study the images shown on this page. How would you describe what you see? If you dug into your art vocabulary to answer, you’re onto something. You can (and should!) use the elements of art, such as color and form, and principles of design, like proportion and contrast, to analyze works of high fashion.

In fashion, form refers to the volume, shape, and fit of a garment. Innovative designers, like the ones whose work is featured here, experiment to create remarkable and unexpected forms.

Look at the images on this page. How would you describe what you see? Did you think of any words from your art vocabulary? If so, you’re on the right track! Elements of art, such as color and form, also apply to high fashion. So do principles of design, like proportion and contrast.

In fashion, form refers to the volume, shape, and fit of a garment. The designers whose work is shown here experiment to create surprising forms.

In 2010, for the last designs he produced during his lifetime, Alexander McQueen imagined a strange future in which people would live under the sea. McQueen created garments and accessories that are covered in shimmering scales, celebrating organic forms—meaning those found in nature. For the examples shown above, he drew inspiration from the fantastic, bubble-like shapes of jellyfish.

In 2010, Alexander McQueen imagined a future in which people would live under the sea. He created designs, shown above, that are covered in scales. They celebrate forms found in nature. McQueen was inspired by the bubble-like shapes of jellyfish.

Design house Viktor&Rolf made headlines in 2015 with a collection—a group of related designs—called Wearable Art. For each look, it appears as if the designers removed a painting from the wall and folded it into a geometric form, creating a garment. Notice how the canvas and frame are like a giant ruffle around the model in the example shown above.

Design house Viktor&Rolf got attention in 2015 with this collection of related designs, called Wearable Art. The garments look like paintings folded into geometric forms. In the example shown above, the canvas and frame are like a giant ruffle around the model.

Can you guess what century the dress shown above was made in? The silhouette might remind you of a classic ball gown. But Japanese designer Jun Takahashi (joon tah-kahhah- shee), of the brand Undercover, completed it in 2017. It features a voluminous tiered, or layered, skirt made from silk and nylon. The skirt features intricate pleats that resemble the hexagons of honeycombs.

The form of the dress shown above might remind you of a classic ball gown. But it was made in 2017. Japanese designer Jun Takahashi (joon tah-kahhah- shee) created it for the brand Undercover. It has a big, layered skirt. The pleats, or folds, create a honeycomb pattern. This makes the dress look more modern.

Another Japanese designer, Issey Miyake (ee-say mee-ahkeh), also experiments with the way garments fold. In 1994, he created a collection of dresses that could easily be folded into flat shapes, known as “Flying Saucer” dresses. The disc-shaped forms playfully bounce as the wearer moves. Miyake achieved this by developing a new way of pleating the fabric: cutting and sewing each garment, folding them between layers of paper, and then heating them in a press. Through this process, the fabric develops “memory,” allowing it to hold its form forever.

Issey Miyake (ee-say mee-ah-keh) is another Japanese designer. In 1994, he created dresses that folded into flat saucer-like shapes. They’re known as “Flying Saucer” dresses. To make them, Miyake cut and sewed each garment. Then he folded them between layers of paper and heated them in a press. This process helps the dresses keep their playful, bouncy forms forever.