Can someone please tell Andy Warhol, wherever he is now, that his art still dominates fashion? 35 years after his death, dozens of labels are selling products with Warhol references. Maharishi print military kimonos with his “Flowers”, Comme des Garçons sell the fragrance “You’re In”, which he launched in 1967 (rather as a gag). Bottega Veneta advertise their bags with a dusted-off print campaign that Warhol designed for the brand in 1985.
Warhol everywhere! That this is done properly is due to the Andy Warhol Foundation, which administers the estate and has already worked with Uniqlo, Supreme, Pepe and Calvin Klein. For cash, of course. The thought that the legacy of the pop art legend is being sold out here is nonsense.
Preppy, but make it queer
Anyone who watches the amazing Netflix documentary The Andy Warhol Diaries (produced by Ryan Murphy and Maya Rudolph) has to confirm that this is exactly how Warhol would have wanted it. He was a fashion and style junkie, always on the move between trash and luxury. In the 50’s, fresh in New York, he wore a white shirt and tie, very neat, the East Coast elite varsity look. But he knotted his knit sweater (probably from Brooks Brothers) around his neck so strangely that it didn’t fall straight back over his shoulders: preppy, but make it queer.
Later, as a counter-culture icon in a wig, navy-striped tops and blue jeans, he loved to be taken out for dinner “by the Dior people” and take photos at Yves Saint Laurent. Above all, he loved the designer Stephen Sprouse, who created electric blue and silver-sprayed biker jackets in the 80s – a sixties update that allowed Warhol to become a revenant of himself: “When I wear my Stephen Sprouse jackets, I think I finally look like people want Andy Warhol to look again,” says the diary. Two days before his death, he modeled for designer Kohshin Satoh, in snakeskin and rabbit fur (“I look like Liberace!”).
The flattery was immediately mixed with envy, however, because Miles Davis, also a model on the show, had been given a $5,000 tailor-made outfit complete with gold clefs for the runway. In addition, Warhol felt “like the poor stepchild”. Yes, his ego was hurt very quickly. But that may be the reason why he always preferred to accept rather than decline fashion requests. Because otherwise he would have received less attention – and what is now called “fear of missing out”.
This column first appeared in the Musikexpress issue 06/2022.