While many may be searching for the meaning of life, fashion’s newest royal couple will most likely be celebrating their wedding anniversary this month.
That’s because on September 1, 2017, Robert Pattinson and FKA Twigs will be celebrating the first anniversary of their romantic relationship. To commemorate this significant milestone, the couple has unveiled their special anniversary project aimed at creating an exhibition that explores their passionate and creative bond.
The exhibition, titled “Robert Pattinson: A Year of Madness, Love, and Madness,” will be on display at the Brooklyn Museum through January 10, 2018. It is the culmination of the couple’s year-long anniversary celebration and features over 150 designs that the designer and artist produced over the past 12 months. The designs were inspired by their journey together as a couple, as well as by the work of artists they admire, such as Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, and Pablo Picasso.
The exhibition is filled with colorful, sensual outfits that the couple put together over the course of a year. “We worked on this project for a year and I feel really happy and proud of what we created,” Twigs told Vogue about the exhibition. “We wanted to have an exhibition where we could sit down with our families and friends and show them what we’ve been working on.”
Most of the pieces in the exhibition are evening wear, with many accentuating the feminine curves of Twigs (born Emily White) with hourglass-like dresses in bold, bright colors. Others pair a beautiful flower print with bold red and yellow florals in a romantic, happy anniversary gesture.
An Ode To Art
While many couples today may be celebrating a sunset stroll down the aisle, the exhibition celebrates the power of art to evoke powerful, romantic feelings. The exhibition’s organizers believe that “art is an important part of what binds us as humans,” explains Marisa Olson, director of the Brooklyn Museum. “The exhibition draws upon the strength of the artists that the couple admires to pull viewers into an ode to art.”
This ode to art is most apparent in the couple’s re-interpretation of Picasso’s classic “Guernica,” a painting that addresses the horrors of war. The couple has collaborated with the artist on an outfit that incorporates elements of this iconic work. Their outfits feature bold red and yellow flowers and use the painting’s distinctive cubist technique, piecing it together from fragments of the original image to create a new whole.
“I’ve always loved Picasso’s work and even though it can be very meditative, it’s also really fun to dress as him,” Robert Pattinson said in a statement about their outfit. He continued, “I’ve seen so many people’s lives change for the better because of his work. Seeing as this is our anniversary and we’ve been through so much together, I thought it would be fitting to reinterpret one of his most well-known paintings.”
This is certainly one of the most memorable outfits to be featured in an anniversary celebration. It draws on the couple’s admiration for the artistic genius of Pablo Picasso and the transformative power that his work holds for those who see it. This, in turn, inspired them to create a capsule collection filled with their own unique, romantic vision.
Romantic, Creative Bond
While celebrating art, the couple also wanted to pay homage to the strength of their creative relationship. For their anniversary project, they decided to create a capsule collection that explores their creative process and the bond they share with their fans. The collection is meant to be seen as a whole, with the outfits representing various stages of their creative process, from the initial idea to the final product.
The outfits are filled with details that bring the creative process to life. For example, in one of the pieces, Twigs wears a sheer, yellow dress with floral print braided straps and a matching headband. The dress changes texture and tone as it slides downwards, creating a marbled effect that references the layers of an onion. Similarly, the outfit’s printed skirt is designed in the shape of a heart with a white carnation as the focal point. Finally, a brown felt hat with white fur accents and a white feather boa bring the color palette alive and add a touch of fun.
The exhibition also features outfits the couple put together for a music video they made in collaboration with director Joseph Marzulli. For this piece, they dressed as Italian film director Federico Fellini and his iconic character Guido, a roving artiste who is a compulsive liar. In one scene, Twigs dons a purple dress with white polka dots and yellow accents that resemble the Gucci bird logo as well as the stylings of legendary designer Fellini. The outfit is fitted with a yellow, fringed leather skirt and brown leather gloves, which match the color scheme. In another scene, Robert wears a red, white, and blue striped shirt and white trousers while Twigs sports a purple dress with yellow, blue, and pink floral print. They also accessorize this outfit with a magenta headband, white gloves, and matching purse. Finally, in yet another scene, they work their magic on a white piano, transforming it into a living, breathing work of art.
This exhibition is a testament to the enduring strength of art and design as a vehicle for self-expression. It also celebrates the unique perspectives that come with age and a deeper understanding of the world around them. For those who love fashion and art, the Brooklyn Museum's "Robert Pattinson: A Year of Madness, Love, and Madness" is a dream come true.