The human figure has been portrayed in art for centuries. From the anatomically precise sketches of pre-modern Da Vinci and post modern sculpture of Damien Hirst to the telling facial expression and body language of Caravaggio, the human form has been explored and exploited both inside and out. Whether early Pollock or pornography, abstract or offensive, the body has managed to inspire a great body of work. Recently, the human body has been transformed from captive to living canvas, or rather wall space in the gallery of life through the merging of art and fashion.

As the evolution of human consciousness becomes more ingrained in contemporary art, individual tastes in esthetics often take a backseat to the message that is being conveyed. While one is no less important than the other in achieving a sense of balance, this is especially true where art and fashion intertwine. By it's very nature, fashion is only as merited as the function it serves. If something meets the criteria of being "in fashion", it reflects the prevailing style of the day. A out of date fedora is still an out of date fedora whether it says, "Von Dutch", "Cleveland Indians" or nothing at all. But what happens after these standards have been realized? Is there still room for exposition?

Currently, there are few designers in the market who are able to combine the relevancy of contemporary art and designer fashion, though public demand is high. While certain segments of the population consider art as an observation of life, others see it as a source for depicting the merits of positive social change. Regardless of which view, if any, one subscribes to, the clothiers who manage to merge the messages of art into their garments and do so not at the expense of fashion will likely enjoy a great deal of success.