Lafayette 148's New Capsule Centers Venetian Art by Women
The New York-based label partnered with Save Venice to preserve historic art pieces by Italian woman artists like Giulia Lama.
Lafayette 148 dropped a surprise capsule collaboration today featuring Venetian art painted by women, including nine items that channel the luxurious and elevated feel the label is known for.
The new pieces were made in partnership with Save Venice, an American nonprofit that preserves Venetian arts and history, and Lafayette 148 chose to focus on one artist in particular: Giulia Lama. The painter is behind the early 18th-century "Virgin in Prayer," which the nonprofit and fashion label restored through joint efforts. Creative Director Emily Smith says the partnership stemmed from the intersecting relationship of art and fashion, which historically inspire each other.
“The gallery culture of downtown Manhattan was defined by the merging of art, architecture, and fashion in the late 90’s that Lafayette 148 has built its aesthetic on for nearly 30 years since," Smith tells L'OFFICIEL. "We looked to the art and architecture of Venice, Italy — from the woman oil painter Giulia Lama to the Venetian canals — and coupled through our unique DNA and lens show an appreciation for craftsmanship and quality."
Lama was an 18th-century artist who explored religious and mythological themes through a technique called chiaroscuro, the contrast between light and dark. Her work is known for a dramatic and expressive Baroque style that gives modern art enthusiasts a sense of depth and emotional intensity. "Virgin in Prayer," what is arguably her magnum opus, depicts the Virgin Mary in a contemplative state with her hands clasped together in prayer.
Vittori and her team restored the painting to its original vibrancy through hues of red, blue, and virgin gray, renewing the sense of depth Lama envisioned in the original piece. The color hues inspired what's in Lafayette 148's capsule. The standalone collection reinterprets the painting's color palette in silky velvet suits, plisseì dresses, skirts, and tops.
Save Venice runs a “Women Artists of Venice Program," which identifies, restores, and recognizes less celebrated and documented achievements of woman artists in Venice, Italy, like Lama. Other featured painters include Rosalba Carriera and Marianna Carlevarijs. This collaboration underscores the conversation between art and fashion, as two practices that blend heritage, craft, and a sense of elegance.
The brand will donate a percentage of proceeds from the collection to Save Venice. It's available to shop at Lafayette 148.
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