Following on from the success of their initial Lady Art collaboration last year, Dior have teamed up with another host of international, multi-disciplinary artists to put a colourful and contemporary spin on their Lady Dior handbags, tapping Lee Bul, John Giorno, Hong Hao, Friedrich Kunath, Namsa Leuba, Betty Mariani, Jamilla Okubo, Jack Pierson, Spencer Sweeney and David Wiseman to participate. The ten artists from across the globe have put their own unique signatures on the bags, reimagining everything from the size, colour, adornments and stitching. A limited run of the bags are available from Dior's Dubai Mall Boutique. Below, some of the artists share their insights on the creative process.
South Korean installation artist Lee Bul chose to assemble dozens of tiny, slanted plexiglass mirrored panels onto a medium sized bag to create the illusion of a shattered mirror, complete with white-silver handles and charms.
Swiss-Guinean artist Namsa Leuba aims to challenge stereotypes about the way African identities are perceived in the Western world through photography. Inspired by Ndebele culture, Leuba's bags drew together a range of fabrics and materials that were pieced together by hand, taking over 300 hours to create.
A key proponent of New York's Nineties art scene, Spencer Sweeney wears many creative hats that include musician, DJ and multimedia artist. For his designs, Sweeney chose to create the impression that the handbags were unfinished so that the wearer feels as if they are a part of the creative process. Colourful brush strokes and graffiti-like imagery lend an avant-garde air to his designs.
