BA (Hons) Fine Art alumna Lydia Blakeley collaborates with international fashion house Acne Studios for their Fall/Winter 2020 collection ‘Checks & Dogs’ featuring Italian greyhounds, dachshunds and basset hounds which adorn poplin shirts, silk skirts and hooded sweatshirts.
The prize-winning dogs are from Lydia’s ‘Dog Show’ collection which she began painting in 2018 after reading about protestors storming the arena of the world’s most famous dog show, Crufts, to draw attention to the problems of selective breeding.
Image: Courtesy of Lydia Blakeley © Acne Studios
Lydia said: “I was inspired by the performance of the dog show. The green of the arena carpet is like a theatre backdrop and often the scenes from the shows are very cinematic. There is something very arresting about the expressions and stances of the dogs, who are the lead roles in the action taking place.”
“It’s been an incredible experience to see my work transformed by Acne Studios and a privilege to be able to work with such a thoughtful and talented team.”
Image: Courtesy of Lydia Blakeley © Acne Studios
She describes how these dogs are not only performing but they are adored like children. She notices this similarity when roaming online and sees ‘pictures of people on Instagram with their pedigree dogs, sharing their adorableness.’ Speaking to Acne Studios in a short interview on their Instagram, Lydia explains the juxtaposition between her life in Yorkshire and her life online.
Lydia graduated from BA (Hons) Fine Art in 2016 with a first-class honours, furthered her studies at Goldsmiths in MFA Fine Art and is currently a Senior Lecturer on Leeds Arts University’s MA Creative Practice course. Her work is also currently included in ‘Everyday Heroes’, an open-air exhibition at the Southbank Centre, featuring portraits of key workers who have kept the country going during the pandemic. The exhibition is on until November 2020.
Image: Courtesy of Acne Studios © Acne Studios
Based in Stockholm, Sweden, Acne Studios takes a multidisciplinary approach to producing beautiful ready-to-wear collections which pay high attention to materials, custom-developed fabrics and tailoring and bring together photography, art, architecture and contemporary culture.
Browse 'Checks & Dogs', a collaboration between Acne Studios and Lydia Blakeley
'Everyday Heroes' is at the Southbank Centre until November