Side-By-Side Comparisons Show Unusual Sources of Fashion Inspiration

Side-By-Side Photos Reveal How High-Fashion is Inspired by Nature

By Sara Barnes on March 14, 2017

Details at Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Spring 2017 | Pastel pink Iris

Inspiration can strike at any time and from anywhere. Often, these influences don't go unnoticed; they make their presence known in even the most subtle ways. Fashion is one field where we can often see the direct connection between the clothing and its initial vision. Bianca Luini documents fashion inspiration in her aptly-titled blog Where I See Fashion (WISF). Through her keen and observant eye, she creates side-by-side comparisons of avant-garde ensembles with the sources that have undoubtedly influenced them.

Luini demonstrates that nature, art, and photography, are intimately tied to designing clothing. Sometimes, the connection is obvious. A dress from Margiela’s 2014 haute couture collection boldly references Van Gogh’s 1889 painting, Irises. Other times, however, the fashion inspiration is merely hinted at—like the styling for The White Story, photographed by Matilde Travassos. Here, the striking eye makeup captures the essence of a frozen waterfall in Aspen, Colorado. Whether the fashion designs take straightforward cues or abstractly resemble an influence, Luini’s ongoing project reminds us to keep our eyes open for these types of exciting possibilities.

Like inspiration itself, WISF was born from another project. Luini explains, “I was doing image research for a uni[versity] project, when by chance I saw two pictures near each other and I suddenly noticed they were related somehow. Since then I couldn’t stop noticing similarities in other pictures all over the Internet, so I decided to organize them by pairing them.” WISF began in 2013 and continues today, with 377 matches made.