Inaugurated on May 18 2016, the new exhibition promoted and organized by Fondazione Ferragamo and Museo Salvatore Ferragamo explores the relationship between art and fashion.

Décolleté shoes "Tirassegno" by Salvatore Ferragamo, inspired by the paint by Kenneth Noland. 1958. Photo by Erica Marigliani. Courtesy of Museo Salvatore Ferragamo. CC BY NC SA

The concept of the exhibition draws directly from the life story of Salvatore Ferragamo, whose fascination with twentieth century avant-garde art movements led him to seek for inspiration in the art world. It presents various case histories, analysing the ways in which these two worlds have interacted, through contamination, overlap and collaboration.

Rosa Genoni, "Pisanello" court cape (1906) inspired by one of Pisanello's watercolours (Un homme et une femme en habits de cour, c. 1450). Photo by Erica Marigliani. Courtesy of Museo Salvatore Ferragamo. CC BY NC SA

The exhibition encompasses a diverse range of movements and experiences: from the work of the Pre-Raphaelites to that of the Futurists and from the complexities of Surrealism to those of Radical Fashion; as well as showcasing inspirations, it allows to reflect on the ateliers where artists met and studied during the 1950s and the 1960s and on the birth of celebrity culture.

Elsa Schiaparelli with Salvador Dalì, "Lobster" evening dress. Elsa Schisparelli with Jean Cocteau, evening coat. 1937. Photo by Erica Marigliani. Courtesy of Museo Salvatore Ferragamo. CC BY NC SA

The display also explores the artistic experimentations of the 1990s and ultimately asks whether art and fashion, both part of today’s cultural industry, are separate and distinct, or are rather intertwined in a fluid role-play.

Maison Vionnet, "L'Orange" model, 1922, dress. Photo by Erica Marigliani. Courtesy of Museo Salvatore Ferragamo. CC BY NC SA

Conceived and curated by Stefania Ricci with Maria Luisa Frisa, Enrica Morini and Alberto Salvadori, the exhibition was developed in collaboration with other cultural institutions active in Florence and nearby, such as the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, the Gallerie degli Uffizi (the Galleria d’arte moderna, the Galleria del Costume di Palazzo Pitti), Museo Marino Marini, Museo Salvatore Ferragamo and Museo del Tessuto in Prato; these institutions have provided both pieces from their own collections and spaces where to exhibit them. This diverse network brought together the clothes with their original sketches, or allowed to show them alongside the artworks which inspired their creation.

Germana Marucelli, Two-piece woman's dress, 1963, printed with drawings by Paolo Scheggi. Paolo Scheggi, For a Situation, 1963. Photo by Erica Marigliani. Courtesy of Museo Salvatore Ferragamo. CC BY NC SA

Discover more about the exhibition on Europeana Fashion Event Area