The Great, LFrank Design Wear LACMA’s Summer Collection
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art has tapped Los Angeles designers Emily Current and Meritt Elliott of The Great and Liseanne Frankfurt of LFrank for its latest Wear LACMA collection, on sale June 6 in the museum store and online. An initiative of the museum’s Director’s Circle, Wear LACMA launched in 2012 and features limited-edition pieces created by L.A. designers and inspired by the museum’s permanent collection and exhibitions.
The art-inspired products range from T-shirts, tote bags and girls’ dresses to fragrances, jewelry and leather goods. Previous Wear LACMA designers include Gabriela Artigas, Co, Dosa, Nick Fouquet, Free City, Lisa Eisner, George Esquivel, Libertine, Anita Ko, Greg Lauren, Monique Lhuillier, Jennifer Meyer, Irene Neuwirth, Juan Carlos Obando, Oliver Peoples, Gregory Parkinson, Pam & Gela, Rodarte, Newbark, Clare Vivier, Jennifer Meyer, L’Oeil du Vert and The Elder Statesman.
“In this latest collection for Wear LACMA, the designers have created a wonderful dialogue between the artworks in LACMA’s permanent collection and their unique fashion pieces that speak to their unique aesthetics,” said Wear LACMA founder Katherine Ross.
Inspired by objects from LACMA’s extensive Japanese art collection, Frankfurt designed a collection of silk robes, slips and sleep masks. Spanning more than a century, including the Edo period, in which emphasis was placed on the quality of workmanship, the objects reflect the appreciation of elegance and refinement that’s also a hallmark of her line of lingerie and dresses dresses.
“I chose works from the Pavilion for Japanese Art because I’ve always felt that it was such an incredibly special part of LACMA. Traveling through Japan is a transformative experience, and the Pavilion’s unique architecture and use of natural light, as well as the incredible, timeless collection housed within are all extremely inspirational to me,” said Frankfurt. “The works are a broad representation of the pieces I felt most drawn to — the works on paper using watercolors, the embroidered textile fragment, and the beautiful gilded enamel work of the tea canisters. They all speak to a profound respect for nature, craft, and process, and interpreting these themes into wearable art for this project has been both an honor and a true delight. “
In keeping with their pioneer aesthetic, designing duo Current and Elliott of The Great selected landscape paintings of the American West including “California Poppy Field” (c. 1926) by Granville Redmond, “California Pines” (1878) by William Keith and “Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe” (1864) by Thomas Hill to create a collection of worn-in T-shirts, sweatshirts and jackets for adults and kids.
“As neighbors and patrons of LACMA, as well as artists and creators, we are endlessly inspired by so much of its treasured art. We were both born and raised in Northern California and have enjoyed our adult lives and careers right here in Los Angeles, so we have a deep-rooted appreciation for the rich cultural heritage LACMA brings to this city and the West Coast in general,” said Current.
“The Great is a culmination of so much of the beauty this state has to offer — from its vast valleys to its majestic mountains. We felt instantly connected with the beauty of the landscape paintings of the American West, especially with pieces by artists Granville Redmond, William Keith and Thomas Hills, and we knew that we could create a capsule collection of soft, thoughtful pieces that felt just as timeless and great while paying homage to these magnificent California masterpieces,” added Elliott.
Launch Gallery: Wear LACMA's Summer 2018 Collection
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