Role Of Muse In Haute Couture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Role Of Muse In Haute Couture - Essay Example A model haute couture garment is hand crafted to specific body measurements and fitted to perfection for each client. It is for this reason added to the hours of toil and the highly exclusive materials that haute couture garments are extremely expensive. Not only is the dress custom-made, the fabrics and embellishments are of the highest quality, and the tailors, seamstresses, embroiderers, lace makers and other craftspeople who spend hundreds of hours assembling these pieces are the most skilled in the world (Sherman, 2006). In Greek mythology, the muses were the nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, the goddesses who presided over literature and the arts and sciences. A muse is not simply an icon but a constant source of inspiration by her presence or the input she gives a designer. In Greek mythology, muses served as inspiration to artists of various disciplines, be it photography, paintings or even fashion. Like the daughters of Mnemosyne, whose name translates as 'memory', they held in their power the ability to make an artist remember or tap into an ocean of creativity held internally or collectively. The muses did not create new inspiration in non-creative people, but instead helped their creative admirers to reconnect with lost or forgotten creativity and inspiration. The muses were noble and strong beings that were held in the highest regard. Muses were valued participants in the creative world and have been given that magnitude in the artistic world throughout history. The relationship shared by a muse and her admirer is not typically a sexual one, even though the inspiration most often comes from the sexual charge between them. This sexual tension lays the foundation for the admirer's interest to impress the muse and stays as the only link that ties them together. A muse doesn't necessarily define perfection; she should be one who is able to project a global vision and self-awareness that inspires her admirer. The idea of a muse has existed for millennia. Artists still believe that creativity is a phenomenon that exists outside of them, rather than inside a skilled mind that creates art. So when an artist sees someone, who provides as a source of inspiration that sparks interest and enjoyment, and also challenges their skills as a creator, a muse or an idea of a muse is created. Even today, male fashion designers have their muse, who is usually a beautiful, high-society female. They move from one muse to another, constantly in search of an expression of the ideas that define fashion for each of them. Yet, in classical tradition, muses were independent figures, 'active, willful and manipulative practitioners of their art'; creators and artists in their own right (Gerrard, n.d.) A muse creates an inspiration by making a fashion statement. The famous Isabella Blow, a fashion personality who dressed to express her love of innovation and daring and not merely to look pretty or conventional. For her, fashion was not about wearability or lifestyle; it was about art (Flanagan, canada.com). Emmanuel Ungaro, a master of texture and prints, trained under Balenciaga and Courreges, always looked for something different for the women whom he dressed. He wanted his women to be sexy and seductive, in short, women with a lot of sex appeal. When a man sees a woman who inspires him by some quality within her, she is simply projecting an idea or belief that the man carries within himself that he holds with high regard. It could be some aspect of her personality, her beauty or as most often is the case, the sexual charge that exists between them that creates this mysterious bond of muse and admirer