8 Artists Who Got Their Start in Fashion

Image via Complex Original

As a leader of the pop-art movement, Andy Warhol’s work transcended traditional art. His cultural impact is immeasurable and his contributions to the world of fashion span beyond collaborations, acting as inspiration for other designers. Prior to bursting onto the international scene, Warhol held a low-level position as an illustrator for Harper’s Bazaar in the 1950s. His early work for the magazine was sophisticated and glamorous, but he had an infatuation with illustrating real commercial products and even used the diptych a few times, which would eventually shape his career. He commissioned work for the magazine well into the ’70s, long after he had taken the art world by storm.

The world lost a legend at just 27 years old. Believed to have had one of the biggest cultural impacts in the art world during his time, Jean-Michel Basquiat’s contributions to the graffiti world stemmed from his notorious crew, SAMO, to Neo-expressionist paintings with social commentary. His storied past is that of a legend and was not always the most savory (for example, he was kicked out of his home by his father after dropping out of high school in the 10th grade). He stayed with friends in Brooklyn while he established himself in the downtown New York scene and hand-painted and sold T-shirts in order to try and make ends meet. Imagine getting your hands on one of those tees now?

Long before his eponymous brand launched in 1986, Helmut Lang made a name for himself in the fashion industry with his meticulous made-to-measure operation that helped start his career. He eventually sold all shares of his brand in 2004 and retired in 2005 to pursue his true passion: sculpting. The autodidact was known for his sharp, precise cuts with tech fabrics in his clothing and it trickled into his art: He utilizes shredded remnants of clothing from his personal archive that he almost lost completely in a fire. He’s now had numerous solo and group exhibits spanning across New York to Paris to Frankfurt.

Lucien Smith is one of the premiere up-and-coming abstract artists who has solidified himself as a force to be reckoned with—his paintings and sculptures were already fetching six figures when he graduated from Cooper Union in 2011. But prior to springing his work on the art world, he made a name for himself in the New York streetwear scene, starting friendships with guys like Aaron Bondaroff and Jeff Staple, which is why you may recognize the fresh-faced native New Yorker from prized lookbook collections like Supreme and Staple. He even held art exhibits in Supreme stores as he began to make a mark on the art world.

Malcolm McLaren was a Renaissance man. His contributions to the art world began at a young age, but really picked up during the last years of his life with impressive installations showcased from Germany to Art Basel Miami Beach. Prior to his lasting legacy as an artist, and prior to him cementing himself in Rock 'n' Roll history as a musician and band manager, he, along with his then-girlfriend, Vivienne Westwood, opened London clothing boutique Let It Rock in 1972, where he helped Westwood with the store’s clothing design.

You can’t look at a Supreme logo and every appropriation of it without paying homage to conceptual artist Barbara Kruger. Her postmodern feminist approach to cultural norms associated with gender through imagery and text have directed her career’s narrative, and while she doesn’t consider herself a graphic designer, her career did start this way. In the early ’60s, Kruger worked for Condé Nast and Mademoiselle magazine as a graphic designer. From there, she moved to different magazines as a designer and print editor—all assuredly helped shape the rest of the fantastic work that she would become legendary for.

Erik Brunetti is considered one of—if not the—founding father of streetwear with his subversive, politically incorrect brand, FUCT. Since the brand’s conception in 1990, Brunetti has been re-appropriating pop culture while pushing his political agenda with zero recourse, which is also apparent with his art exhibits. Whether it’s re-appropriating old missing animal flyers to conjure up feelings of melancholy or his infamous camouflage Vietnam M-1 helmet (used as a political statement), Brunetti has spent a good portion of his life trying to evoke feeling through his clothing and art.

Kenzo Takada’s passion for design started at an early age after he began fashioning his own clothing from fabrics purchased at flea markets. So it was a natural progression for the Japanese designer to start up his label, KENZO, to get his fix for extravagant shows and designs. His decision to retire from fashion in 1999 was made so he could pursue one of his first loves: painting. He has since held various exhibits to showcase his paintings and self-portraits.