Raphael, McQueen and a multitude of Dresses

My recent holiday in Italy meant a lovely and very welcome abundance of Renaissance art. To be honest, in the past I have been rather narrow - minded towards Renaissance art, considering it to be dull, lifeless and overly religious. It was with great surprise then, that I found my self in complete awe with so many of the great works and with the immense galleries quite often knocking the breath from my lungs. Detail of the Profane love from Titian's Sacred and Profane Love

Of course not only were the styles and techniques; the chiaroscuro and sfumato, Classicism versus Mannerism etc. etc. all utterly captivating but I also just love the depictions of clothing of that era. Deep, plumy colours, blood reds and smoke - crumpled royal blues. Rich rolls of thick, scrunchy fabric, sweeping capes and tumbling shawls. Gauzy, sheer maiden dresses and plump -sleeved Madonna gowns. Ornate and dazzling jewellery, gold - ringed curls and swollen cheeks of creamy peach. The otherworldly glow of pinks and teals, intricate corsets and the wondrous billowing of enormous dresses. With all this swimming happily about in my mind, it was with great delight then, that so many pieces from both the s/s and a/w collections reminded me of this so very sumptuous decked out era.

Who would have thought Raphael's most famous work would have me thinking of Alexander McQueen?! The drapery and asymmetrical one - shoulder designs at Hermes and this royal blue ballet dress at McQueen echoed the legendary depiction of Plato and Aristotle conversing in flowing gowns and thick drapes of fabric.

The mint green Marchesa is perhaps my favourite of all the dresses I chose for this post. It's elegant and classical and reminds me of a Renaissance maiden dress.

I love the Raphael painting Lady with a Unicorn and find the olive and russet colouring very autumnal. Similar shades are used in Cecelia and I love how the coils of Zac Posen beads reminded me of this work.

Red is a favourite colour of Renaissance dress. Symbolising, royalty and passion it always makes a bold statement. Alexander McQueen's a/w collection was full of drama and opulence corresponding aptly with Renaissance art.

Botticelli's Primavera reminded me of Sonia Rykiel's s/s sheer nymph dresses. The Three Graces dancing on the left hand side of the painting represent the three phases of love - beauty, desire and fulfillment.

The blue gown that the Madonna wears in this painting reminds me of the airy dresses of shades of blue that floated about this season.

For some reason these mood boards are not enlarging even though they should. Apologies!