Selfridges Loves: when accessories become art

Reminiscent of the Young British Artists’ re-appropriation of everyday tropes (here’s looking at you and those cigarette sculptures, Sarah Lucas), these Thank You Thank You designs by Gelareh Mizrahi are a brilliant homage to the humble shopping bag (and the perfect way to show off all those art philosophy books you’ve swotting up on, right?). By elevating the prosaic plastic bag to a long-lasting, luxury piece, we ask: are they ecological statements first and fashion statements second? Whatever the answer, never has nipping to your local corner shop for a bottle of vino and a packet of Skips looked quite so chic…

Is it a sculpture? Or a pair of boots? Do you care? Sparkling like a freshly polished Jeff Koons balloon animal, these Studio 54-ready beauties are just as appealing to look at as they are to wear (just add white walls, hushed silence, and an extra boot for good measure). Crafted in a silver ‘Prince of Stars’ glitter plaid fabric, this standout design provokes such existential questions as: “Too dressy for the office?” A truly thought-provoking work of art.

Calling to mind artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s wrapped buildings, Off-White c/o Virgil Abloh’s signature belts have the industrial fashion movement all wrapped up (literally). With their anti-aesthetic assemblage – cue nylon webbing, construction clip buckle, extra-long length – and subversive styling (check: Virgil’s how-to-wear-it video), we reckon Banksy has a few stashed away in his closet. Plus, you can wrap your tables, chairs or pets up, attach the belt, et voilà – you’ve got your very own contemporary art piece!

Van Gogh and Picasso had their signatures, and so does Valentino. Here is 2019’s master of print! This piece, with its repeating graphic V logo, mashes up Optical Art and Street Art references with aplomb. And with headscarves and matching neckerchiefs big news for 2019, there’s no better way to display them – apart from hanging them on a wall and admiring them from afar, of course. This is when fashion imitates art…