ATLANTA: Sumi/Shuimo turned into fashion design print (Igor Dobranić Summer 2017 Collection) 2016

Here's a garment from Igor Dobranić's Summer 2017 collection, featuring a print derived from Alfred Freddy Krupa's sumi/shuimo painting. The transformation of Krupa's ink strokes from paper to fabric is the key to understanding this piece. Sumi-e, or shuimo, is all about capturing essence with minimal means. The discipline typically involves endless practice, building a repertoire of brushstrokes. When applied to the fashion world, as seen here, the traditional craft is translated into a design element that is then subject to the cycles of trend and consumption. This recontextualization raises interesting questions. Does the translation of Krupa’s art into fashion dilute its original intention, or does it democratize it, bringing it into everyday life? How does the garment, as a mass-produced object, contrast with the unique, hand-crafted nature of traditional sumi-e? Ultimately, this piece invites us to consider the journey of materials and techniques across different creative domains, blurring the boundaries between art, craft, and commerce.