Art and Fashion in the 50s

By Faith Dicks
Timeline of Events
1950: Pop Art was born in Britain.

1950: The first Fashion House opened by Emilio Pucci.

1951: Dresses without waistlines shown by Balenciaga.

1952: Andy Warhol created the concept of pop art.

1952: John Cavagna and Victor Stiebel open fashion salons.

Timeline of Events Continued
1953: Institute of Contemporary Art started in London.

1954: Coco Chanel reopened her Paris fashion salon.

1955: Felt-tip pen came into light in England.

1958: Paris fashion introduced skirts above the knee.

1958: Pop art finally introduced by an article by a British art Critic.

Abstract Expressionism
The abstract expressionism movement is
one of the most important in the history of
art. It really became a thing in America after
the second world war. This type of art
doesn’t have a particular form, and it’s
purely abstract. This type of art was
important because it allowed people to
really express themselves through their
artwork. Political instability is what really
got artists to start focusing on it.
Return to Femininity
This was a significant time in fashion
history. Many women had started to
move away from the fabrics and trends in
the U.S and turned to what the British
were making. They were making
clothing that showed off the female
hourglass figure. The dresses that were
made were more elegant looking. It was
sort of like a “princess” dress.
Informalism
Informalism was a style of art that
emerged in France and other parts of
Europe during the 50’s. It was a style of
art similar to abstract expressionism,
but occasionally it conveyed a special
message through the art. Whether that
was the artist referring to something
related to politics or not, the message
was sometimes visible through the
paintings. This style of art let people be
100% creative with themselves.
Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol is a pop artist that was
most popular in the 50’s. His works
featured celebrity culture and
advertisements (like Campbell’s soup).
He was influential, but also known as a
controversial artist. Some of his other
artworks were of intellectuals, drag
queens and wealthy patrons. He was
also an openly gay man, adding to the
controversy around his name.
Christian Dior
Christian Dior was a fashion designer
in the 1950’s. He was the one that was
responsible for drastically changing the
style in the 50’s. He made dresses that
used a lot of fabric and showed off the
female hourglass figure. The designs
were simple, but women still adored
the new look and wore the dresses
quite often.
Jacques Fath
Jacques Fath was a French fashion
designer that didn’t follow much of the
new look that Christian Dior had
brought about. He made dresses that
had softer hourglass curves and
necklines that went fairly deep. His
designs were more revealing than
others, which appealed to younger
generations. People were confident
and daring in his dresses.
 Women’s Fashion

arilyn
of M
Art
Pop roe Example of Andy
Mon Warhol’s Campbell
paintings

Men’s Fashion in the 50’s

 ress
Christian Dior D Balenciaga Dre ress
ss Jacques Fath D
Effects
Some of the events that happened in the 50s revolving around fashion and art forever
changed the way people did things. The pop art movement in the United States had a huge
impact. After it was over it encouraged artists to embrace their culture. It opened pathways to
new types of art movements in the years to come. Effects that took place after the specific
fashion trends was that it literally formed today’s fashion. If we didn’t have these trends back
then, we would have very different styles today. Ones that may look good now, but in the
future when we look back on them they are hideous (like mullets). Many different fashion
designers back then created new styles that were very appealing and many people wore.
Websites Used
https://www.liveabout.com/1950s-designers-3420077

https://www.widewalls.ch/1950s-art/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Warhol

http://www.catwalkyourself.com/fashion-history/1950s-1960s/

https://www.theartstory.org/movement/abstract-expressionism/

https://vintagedancer.com/1950s/1950s-fashion-history/