ART FORUM What is art? Our brands answer back in exclusive capsule collections

“What any true painting touches is an absence - an absence of which without the painting, we might be unaware. And that would be our loss.” wrote the art critic, John Berger in ‘The Shape of a Pocket.’ Designers are creating a new kind of awareness communicating with images, pen strokes, shape and lettering. We invited a big family of Next New and upcoming brands to tackle the question ‘What is Art?’

From Danshan find absurdist digital print photographic images on oversize t shirts; at Pronounce a series of whimsical portraits that play with the idea of identity and at Pablo Rochet the image of a faceless Mona Lisa. What do creative souls wear? They might be tempted by Den-Im line of utility wear including fisherman’s vests and Thai trousers or R. Shemiste’s deconstructed shirts that you can sculpt, twist and tie to suit your mood. At Marni, designer Francesco Risso revels in materiality combining checks and stripes, silks and jersey in watercolour shades.

The mission of Josh Cooper and Laurence Chandler at New York based Rochambeau is to bridge the gap between art and fashion and they collaborated with LA artist Aaron Curry created pieces – trucker jackets and sweatshirts included - daubed with indecipherable squiggles and symbols. At Doublet find overlaid punkish collages and at Haculla the message ‘Don’t Bite.’ Art fashion does not need to be ‘understood’ it simply needs to leave a bold impression.