Edinburgh Napier University

  This paper undertakes to construe the affinities and divergences in the genres of art and fashion throughout the 20th century through the use of particular visual and theoretical examples, examined at greater length in a more extensive study of ‘The relationship between the artist and the fashion designer in the twentieth century’ (Vettese, 2005). Examination of the 20th century has revealed two particular periods – ‘Modernism’ and ‘Postmodernism’ – that were evident and fitting to this analysis. The research is a summation of these findings, where the differences and affinities in the mechanisms of 20th century art and fashion, including imposing messages and innovation in Modernism and the mixed messages, recycling and commercial aspects of Postmodernism, are disseminated.