This holiday, why not wear your art on your sleeve? Or on your feet, for that matter.
From Mark Rothko to Gustav Klimt, designers have created accessories that reinterpret some of the best works originally created on canvas, and that will surely be great conversation starters at parties this season.
Break the ice with an intricately beaded clutch, hand-made by artisans in Lebanon for Sarah’s Bag, depicting a cartoon-inspired image of polka-dotted red lips that evoke Roy Lichtenstein.
To kick up the fun, why not add on a resin bangle, featuring a print of Jeff Koons’ “Loopy”, from the third Lisa Perry Limited Edition Artist Collection?
If you can’t wait for Chanel’s paint studio-inspired Spring 2014 collection, a pair of paint-splattered low top sneakers by Maison Martin Margiela will do just the trick in the meantime.
For a touch of pure sophistication, however, Manolo Blahnik has rendered his classic BB pump in graphic black-and-white dots, surely appealing to Yayoi Kusama fans; while Calvin Klein Collection’s color block bootie is not just oh-so-trend-right, but will also spark a debate on which Rothko composition it resembles.
Speaking of compositions, Piet Mondrian would approve of the perfectly apportioned blocks of yellow, white and red on Prabal Gurung’s tricolor leather belt.
Jewelry designer Vicki Sarge literally transforms Mario Testino's photographs of costume designs in Peru into wearable pieces of art: A limited-edition pair of earrings and a pompom necklace feature colorful Swarovski crystals and gold-plated fringing, lending cheer to even the plainest of Little Black Dresses.
Meanwhile, for Klimt fans, a multicolor glass crystal and gold plate pin by Marni makes the perfect whimsical addition to anything — a sash, a handbag, and even the most austere winter coat.
And if you prefer something more three-dimensional, award-winning artist and designer Hervé Van Der Straeten’s stunning hammered gold cuff, handcrafted in Paris and resembling the sensuous curves of a Frank Gehry architectural masterpiece, will stand out best against the simplest silhouettes and most pared down designs.
To see these items and find out where to buy them, click on the slideshow.
