Henry Moore takes to the catwalk

Introducing Rakewell, Apollo’s wandering eye on the art world. Look out for regular posts taking a rakish perspective on art and museum stories.

Once again, Rakewell leads you into the wonderful world where art and fashion collide. The latest brand to get into modern art is Burberry, the hallowed British fashion house best known for its premium tartan-lined raincoats, and with a new collection taking inspiration from Henry Moore.

Quite how monumental bronzes by the grand old man of British sculpture will manifest themselves in the form of prêt à porter chic is anyone’s guess. But the artist’s foundation is certainly on side, and is collaborating with Burberry on a exhibition from 21–27 February at Makers House in London.

Moore isn’t the only artist to have enjoyed the catwalk treatment. Back in 2015, upmarket fashion designer Margaret Howell unveiled a collection inspired by Moore’s old friend and rival, Barbara Hepworth. Part of the merchandising offer for that summer’s retrospective of the artist’s work at Tate Britain, the collection’s highlights included dungarees, duffel coats and a scarf emblazoned with the pattern on a pebble. ‘I was always inspired by what she wore’, Howell told the Guardian.

More recently, Scandinavian brand COS has designed a collection based on Agnes Martin’s minimalism (this one as a merchandise tie-in for MoMA’s retrospective), while Belgian designer Raf Simons has signed off on an art-themed ad campaign for underwear purveyor Calvin Klein. This last features models posing in various states of undress in front of works by artists including Warhol, Richard Prince, and Dan Flavin. ‘It’s a celebration of Calvin Klein’s iconic underwear and jeans, acknowledging their status as pop and showing them in the world of art,’ Simons has said by way of explanation. On brief or, erm, a load of pants?

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