The clothes show: the world's most stylish hit London for Frieze Art Fair 2013

The movers and shakers of the art  and fashion world have hit London for Frieze, and they look just as good as the works on display, says Karen Dacre
David Benett
28 October 2013

Fashion and art have long been happy bedfellows. But this October, thanks to the matchmaking influence of Alexander McQueen, they’ve declared their undying love.

In McQueen’s first season as Frieze sponsor, the British house — now headed by Sarah Burton — has brought with it a host of the world’s most stylish to the tents in Regent’s Park.

McQueen is joined on the artwalk by intellectual fashion boutique Dover Street Market and designer Paul Smith in creating a very fashionable Frieze. As a consequence, the capital is currently in a remarkable state of dress.

It’s an occurence that leaves London Fashion Week looking a little dry on both style and substance — while the London Fashion Week crowd might “play” at wearing high fashion by slipping into samples sent to them from their favourite design house, the art crowd is the collective with the cold hard cash.

They buy the coats with the four-figure price tags and it is they who have the shrewdest eye for expression through fashion. Interestingly, it is also the art crowd that fashion designers have at the forefront of their minds.

This can certainly be said for Céline’s creative director Phoebe Philo, who seemed to speak directly to the world’s art college alumni with the “collage of ideas” she unveiled on a Paris catwalk last month, and of Karl Lagerfeld, who chose to transform his chosen Chanel catwalk venue into a contemporary art gallery. Everyone is after the art pound.

At Frieze yesterday the intertwining of the two worlds was beautifully apparent. Not just through the occupation of its attendees — fashion designers ogled works by Jeff Koons and Wolfgang Tillmans alongside high-powered curators and artists from across the globe — but through their clothes too. A typical “art pack” look is the juxtaposition of high-end fashion with an effortless approach — it oozes wealth but suggests zero effort.

Flat shoes are a must at Frieze for two reasons: first, because it’s a big old venue that requires serious legwork and second, because looking as if you have tried too hard would be social suicide. Witness Mary McCartney, who chose a sloppy knitted sweater and jeans to attend the opening on Wednesday, and New York-based Russian gallery owner Maria Baibakova, who opted for gold embroidered velvet pumps.

Coats with serious luxe appeal are also de rigueur at Frieze. In keeping with the season’s trend for masculine outerwear with volume, collector Dasha Zhukova wore a delicious woollen Céline for the private view.

Other Frieze fashion hits include plaid print skater shoes — also from Céline — on Alexia Niedzielski and our high-brow clothes horse crush Valeria Napoleone: a true masterpiece.

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