I don’t need to tell you quite how much I love a fashion/art collab. I probably did at least four separate posts about the Louis Vuitton Yayoi Kusama collection over the summer! All BA Fashion students at Central Saint Martins have to take a cultural studies module and conveniently enough “Fashion and Art” was one of the options this year. This not only took cultural studies from something I either snoozed through or skived altogether to one of the highlights of my week but has also resulted in the subject becoming a bit of an obsession. Much as I’d like to say that I’m now an art expert, I’m not and wouldn’t be able to tell you who won the Turner Prize last year without googling it (FYI it was Elizabeth Price although not being philistines, like me, you probs already knew that). But the idea of talented individuals from different creative industries coming together to create something spectacular excites and inspires me. It raises fascinating and provocative issues about the relationship between creativity and commerce, self expression and sales targets not to mention the much debated question of whether fashion can ever truly be considered art… Plus, a handbag produced with artist involvement is a genuine investment piece and therefore acceptable to spend two months’ rent on. This was obviously a sentiment shared by Jenny Mannerheim, Christophe Bosc and Ilan Delouis, the brains behind cooler-than-cool Parisian brand Each X Other.

Each X Other was launched with the idea of bringing together artists, poets, filmmakers, craftsman, musicians and fashion designers to create collections unique garments inspired by contemporary art. They also don’t believe in designing gender specific clothing, instead offering up unisex styles; a high risk endeavour that, perhaps unsurprisingly, works perfectly in this case. Each X Other’s fusion of classic masculine shapes, innovative fabrics and art world kudos makes for a unique brand of androdgyny that’s achingly hip and utterly covetable. For SS13 they’ve enlisted the likes of young French artist, award winning writer and former Babyshambles collaborator, Alizè Meurisse as well as Scottish contemporary artist Robert Montgomery who’s 2011 “All Palaces Are Temporary Palaces” installaton translates brilliantly on to t-shirts. One of my personal favourite pieces has to be the Innamorato Splashed Slim Jean, created by Danielle Innamorato using her 2007 piece “Untitled”. That said, I wouldn’t say no to Thomas Lèlu’s colour pop, skinny fit suiting, Yelena Noah’s awesome bright red biker jacket or, for that matter, anything else from the collection.

I was lucky enough to see the lot at Rainbowwave PR’s North London showroom the other week and defy anyone to claim that Douglas White’s cork leather pieces (which really do feel like cork!) are anything other than wearble works of art. Oh and besides having their sartorial delights stocked everywhere from Selfridges to Azerbajian, Each X Other also make films, create installations, hold exhibitions and have an online magazine. Not bad for a brand that’s only been going for two years eh?

Love Ella. X

Ps) I have to do a 3000 word essay on “Fashion and Art” for my cultural studies module and have decided to base it around Each X Other. I’ll let know how it goes, wish me luck!