It generally goes without saying that, when
successful, performance art has several intentions. Whether it be to visually
convey a story, argue a point or act as a social commentary, the real defining
element of performance art is that it has a purpose. It is true that the same
cannot be said of fashion – sometimes, collections are designed purely for
commercial reasons, with no underlying intention. However, if the clothes are
the paintings then the runways are the gallery; it is here that designers can
free their inhibitions and utilise every medium at their disposal to create
surroundings which represent their collection. Some designers (thankfully) use
their creative minds to build sets and props which visually reference their clothing,
resulting in interactive experiences which challenge our perceptions in the
same way that art does. This season, there were two designers that combined
their set with their surroundings to fantastic effect, reiterating the idea
that fashion shows are still one of the most powerful mediums for
self-expression.
