The status of fashion: towards an autonomous existence

The debate on if fashion can be considered art has been a topic of discussion for many years now. This MRP looks at reasons and factors that explain the greater acceptance of fashion as a form of art despite the disputed opinions on that question. While some scholars stressed what fashion can share with art, such as aesthetic qualities or strong conceptual frameworks, others pointed out the commercial implications of fashion to discredit its artistic potential or its presence in museums. Through an analysis of selected works from contemporary designers Viktor & Rolf, Alexander McQueen, and Hussein Chalayan, an examination of the phenomenon of the popularity of fashion exhibitions in art museums, and a study of the way the museum sees fashion through their collecting policies and curators’ opinions, this research clarifies why fashion gained a higher status in the Western culture despite its uneven reception in academia and the art world.