ON THE MARGINS OF THE AVANT-GARDE AND TRADITION- CONSTRUKTIVISM IN SOCIALIST FASHION DESIGN

The work analyzes the creation of constructivist works of art in the design field in the early Soviet period during the 1920s of the XX century. The focus is on Constructivist artists Varvara Stepanova (1894-1958) and Lyubov Popova (1889-1924), who embarked on design research for the needs of the rebuilding Soviet textile industry. Opposite them, at first with the same initial ideological conviction in creativity, is the designer Nadezhda Lamanova, already recognized in the field of fashion creation from the pre-revolutionary period. These female artists - designers were attracted by the theory of constructivism. Yet, in the conditions of the post-revolutionary ideology of creating a new world, they saw a space for their contribution, moving their creativity out of the previous framework. As a result, art received a new social role, and their artistic expression through constructivism the possibility and opportunity to make a reaction to current political, economic, and social factors. Their involvement in the research of fashion and design is a form of artistic experimentation with new means of expression and a new form of communication with the public in a mass formation, giving a unique feature in applied art during the third decade of the 20th century.

ON THE MARGINS OF THE AVANT-GARDE AND TRADITION- CONSTRUKTIVISM IN SOCIALIST FASHION DESIGN Dragana Frfulanović 1

, Milena Savić 2 , Aleksandra Perić-Nikolić 3

1Academy of Vocational Studies South Serbia, Leskovac, *dfrfulanovic@gmail.com

milennasavic@gmail.com,apericnikolic@gmail.com

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ABSTRACT: The work analyzes the creation of constructivist works of art in the design

field in the early Soviet period during the 1920s of the XX century The focus is on Constructivist artists Varvara Stepanova (1894-1958) and Lyubov Popova (1889-1924), who embarked on design research for the needs of the rebuilding Soviet textile industry Opposite them, at first with the same initial ideological conviction in creativity, is the designer Nadezhda Lamanova, already recognized in the field of fashion creation from the pre-revolutionary period These female artists - designers were attracted by the theory of constructivism Yet, in the conditions of the post-revolutionary ideology of creating a new world, they saw a space for their contribution, moving their creativity out

of the previous framework As a result, art received a new social role, and their artistic expression through constructivism the possibility and opportunity to make a reaction to current political, economic, and social factors Their involvement in the research of fashion and design is a form of artistic experimentation with new means of expression and a new form of communication with the public in a mass formation, giving a unique

feature in applied art during the third decade of the 20th century

Keywords:constructivism, fashion design, textile design, avant-garde, tradition,

socialist fashion

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KONSTRUKTIVIZAM U DIZAJNU SOCIJALISTIČKE MODE _ APSTRAKT: U radu se analizira stvaralaštvo konstruktivističkih umetnila na polju dizajna u ranom sovjetskom periodu tokom 1920-ih godina XX veka Fokus je na umetnicama konstruktivizma Jarvari Stepanovoj (1894-1958) i Ljubov Popovoj (1889-1924) koje su se upustile u istraživanje dizajna za potrebe sovjetske tekstilne industrije koja se obnavljala Nasuprot njima, isprva sa istim početnim ideološkim ubeđenjem u stvaralaštvu, je dizajnerka Nadežda Lamanova, već priznata na polju modnog stvaralaštva iz prerevolucionarnog perioda Ove umetnice – dizajnerke su bile privučene teorijom konstruktivizma, a opet u uslovima postrevolucionarne ideologije stvaranja

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novog sveta, uočile su prostor za sopstveni doprinos, izmeštajući svoje stvaralaštvo iz dotadašnjih okvira Umetnost je dobila novu društvenu ulogu, a njihov umetnički izraz kroz konstruktivizam mogućnost i priliku da načini reakciju na tekuće političke, ekonomske i društvene faktore Njihovo upuštanje u istraživanje mode i dizajna je jedan vid umetničkog eksperimentisanja sa novim sredstvima izražavnja i nov oblik komunikacije sa publikom u masovnom obličju, dajući osobeno obeležje u primenjenoj

umetnosti tokom treće decenije XX veka

Ključne reči: konstruktivizam, modni dizajn, dizajn tekstila, avangarda, tradicija,

socijalistička moda

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1 INTRODUCTION

With the significant political changes that took place with the revolution in Imperial Russia in 1917, changes followed in all segments of life Art received a new social role, and artists were invited to participate in propagating the unique values of the newly created society with their creativity The Bolshevik system saw potential in implementing reforms in the young avant-garde trends precisely because they denied previous values in art with a pronounced tendency to achieve their new aesthetic goals The leaders from the highest point of the new state were aware of the educational possibilities of art, but also as a weapon of the Party to get closer to the everyday person That is why art should no longer be limited to the elite but in the service of millions of workers who are becoming the future of the young socialist state Art acquires a double social function: educational and propaganda [1]

Adopting the new art was difficult, especially in the broader popular strata Even the Bolsheviks were not necessarily able to accept the artistic revolution and the accomplished political one The non-acceptance of the new art resulted from misunderstanding and the futurists' need to break with the previous creativity Still, after numerous turmoils in the years after the revolution, channeling followed The magazine Art of the Communa [2] begins defining the goals of the new art, which should have been closer to the everyday person - the worker The idea is that art deals with the material creation of natural objects to make them understandable and accessible, which means removing philosophical and metaphysical beliefs and placing them in the field of concrete action This placing of art at the service of industry, as well as the attempt to call every art production (production art), could not be generally accepted nor expected

if material problems are taken into account first [1]

In 1920, the Higher State Art and Technical Workshop was founded in Moscow, known

as VKhUTEMAS (Высшие художественно-технические мастерские)[3], with the aim

of training artists for the benefit of the national economy, that is, participation in industrial production However, the impossibility of making a consensus in the ideological-theoretical direction meant that disagreements constantly arose even in addition to the formed artistic groups, determined on the issue of ideas in creation These disagreements caused the need for the Party to issue a decree in December 1920 giving

an opinion on avant-garde art The previously hinted conflict between the futurists [4]

and the political structures of the state became the basis for the further development of the constructivist movement, which manifested the necessary aspiration to connect industry with art and education [1]

2 ART IN THE SERVICE OF FASHION

In the context of the new socialist society and the manifested need for changes in many spheres of social life, a significant segment became the creation of new socialist clothing It was expected to be adapted to mass industrial production same as practical, following the needs of the body and the occasions for which it was intended Clothing

designed for working conditions is called prozodezhda; in a broader sense, the term

refers to dedicated clothing for certain occupations, whether for work, relaxation, or sports It should have been characterized by simplicity, practicality, functionality, hygiene, expediency, comfort, and rationality How vital this segment of Soviet man's life was is shown by the fact that this idea was discussed at Narkompros (Народный комиссариат просвещения) in 1919 at the highest party levels [1]

Figure 1:Stepanova`s design of sportodezhda Figure 2:model of Stepanova`s design

origin attachment: [18] Constructivism was an art form that emerged in the first few post-revolutionary years The first working group of constructivists was founded in March 1921[5] In those years, the field of design was a relatively unexplored area, and the division between art and engineering became a gray area, giving the impression that this field was devoid of artistic laws Constructivists applied a methodology quite similar to modern design, which is reflected in the approach to the material, where the economic segment was taken into account, and in the application of color, line, volume, and texture, all to create

a functional object that corresponded to the set ideology A prominent segment in their

_ program is the idea of a new role for the artist who, with the help of technological development, participates in constructing a young socialist state with his creativity [1] Precisely for this reason, the aestheticism of fine art was rejected in favor of practical work, improving the quality of everyday life

Constructivist fashion design was subordinated to achieving the goal reflected in the creation of socialist clothing Thus, the design of high fashion and elite classes disappeared because it was not suitable for the material status of an ordinary worker or peasant The clothing of the new Soviet man was supposed to reflect the spirit of collectivism and equality and, in the social context, to influence the improvement of social behavior, culture, and education Therefore, the constructivist design was one of the ways to improve general social relations and reconstruct life according to socialist standards

2.1 Constructivists and fashion

In the general overview of the development of the new concept of fashion and the textile industry of the Soviet state during the 20s of the last century, the contribution of constructivists in fashion and design is not negligible These avant-garde artists, in a kind of retraining of their artistic creativity, realized their first achievements through theater design or traditional creative crafts [6] Costume design for theatrical performances has become a form of propaganda [7] for new artistic ideas and a new model of living, sometimes independent of the drama's action Designing a new everyday environment underwent stages of experimentation through conventionalism Finally, constructivism tended to shape an ideal life model per reality

Figure 3: Popova`s dress design Figure 4:Popova`s textil design

origin attachment: [19] origin attachment: [11] Four constructivists were engaged in textile and clothing design: Rodchenko (Алекса́ндр Миха́йлович Ро́дченко), Tatlin (Влади́мир Евгра́фович Та́тлин),

Stepanova (Варва́ра Фёдоровна Степа́нова), i Popova (Любо́вь Серге́евна Попо́ва)

[8], of which the last two entered mass production, themselves team formulating a constructivist approach and methodology for work in the work process [5] The basis of constructivist design was the development of the so-called prozodezhda [6] Along with Tatlin and Rodchenko, Lamanova (Наде́жда Петро́вна Ла́манова), Ekster (Алекса́ндра Алекса́ндровна Эксте́р), Stepanova, and Popova [9] joined this understanding, of which the last two artists make a significant contribution in this field The primary position of constructivists reflects in supporting the principles of functionalism in the production and practicality of clothing at the expense of reducing universality Stepanova stated in one lecture: " there is no single type of clothing, but specific clothing for a specific production function " [6] Clothing intended for a firefighter or a surgeon is specific to that profession It must meet specific requirements, which would mean that the work clothes of these two professions would not be interchangeable Therefore, spetsodezhda is clothing that fulfills the specifications for certain occupations, but it is still categorized as work clothes, that is, as prozodezhda [1] Tatlin [10] worked on the concept of "material culture," which arose from the idea of production art formed in 1918 He is one of the first constructivists who believed that engineering and art are interdependent He thinks it is necessary to spread awareness about the involvement of artists in the production process to increase the quality of the industrial product Tatlin's introduction of designers to the factory was based on the idea

of modern design in the creative process where the product is a product of lasting artistic value while adapting to function [1]

Figure 5: Stepanova`s textil design

origin attachment: [19]

_ During his work in the Department of Material Culture, Tatlin dealt with mass clothing and textile design prototypes from 1923-1925 created several new clothing designs, the most famous being the coat and work suit His designs brought new forms of clothing for everyday life; the coat was wearable in several seasons with a cut that emphasized functionality through the quality of the material These clothes were not supposed to suffocate the body and were distinguished by the absence of decorative details It is not known whether any of his designs found their way into industrial production However, Tatlin became (1925) a Committee for Standard Clothing member at the Leningrad Institute of Art Culture (Государственный институт художественной культуры – ГИНХуК) [5] He intended to eradicate the idea of promoting social status through clothing and liberating clothing from traditional rules He tried to create clothes that are both economical, functional, and suitable for every occasion, that is, to satisfy all aspects

of activity through one type of clothing, and this is the element by which he differed from other constructivist designers [1] It is essential to point out that both Tatlin and Rodchenko thought that textile design must be closely related to the norms concerning clothing design

Stepanova and Popova started by applying constructivist design to the costume design of theater performances Popova approached costumes as prototypes of production clothes, and these are the first realized models of prosodezhda [5] We are discussing Meyerhold's productions, Popova's The Magnanimous Cuckold and Stepanova's The Death of Tarelkin In a report to INKhUK (ИНХУК - Институт Художественной Культуры), Popova explains the concept of her costume design for the play, presenting them as prototypes for workers' industrial clothing The emphasis is placed on comfort, functionality, and the absence of physical restrictions on movement Stepanova further devoted herself to realizing the set norms through theater costume design Although both artists received criticism for their commitment to areas that would belong to an applied art, there was support from like-minded people and collaborators, led by Radochenko, from the magazine LEF (Левый фронт искусств) Both were convinced they could transfer the constructivist ideology to these areas, even though the industry wasn't prepared for it [1]

Stepanova thought that new clothing modernism is reflected in the functionality, in the form, that is, the external appearance of the clothing, which arises from the requirements

of function and material That is why it was necessary to leave the artisanal production system and focus on developing mass production Furthermore, although the existing new concept denied the decorative segment of the design, Stepanova recognized the presence of an aesthetic element as a by-product in the creation process Therefore, it was possible to consider clothes as beautiful only to the extent that they possessed clarity, simplicity, functionality, and economy, with a certain degree of harmony between their constituent parts [5]

2.2 The work of Stephanova and Popova

The work of Stepanova and Popova confirmed the constructivist ideology of equating art activity with production technology and the need for technical development to affect art

by setting new requirements [6] In one of her articles, Stepanova deepened this view:

"The basic task of a textile artist today is to connect his work on textiles with the design

of dresses to outlive all craft methods of work, to introduce mechanical devices to get involved in the life of the consumer." and most importantly, to know what happens

to the clothes when they leave the factory."[5] Their belief that the mechanization of modern industry is necessary for the further development of art was firm, which is why they found themselves so quickly and readily in the active production process of textile design And clothes Popova wrote: "The era in which modern humanity has just started

is industrial prosperity, so in organizing the elements of artistic production, one should turn to arrange the material elements of life, that is, industry, so-called production."[6] The technology of industrial textile production was not at a desirable level after the First World War, so cooperation with interested artists was almost necessary On the other hand, there was a lack of professional and experienced staff, and collaboration with foreign companies was in short supply For these reasons, both Stepanova and Popova started their work in 1923 at the First State Textile Printing Factory in Moscow, supporting the idea of basing production on domestic artistic ideas [6]

The artists presented demands that would ensure the right to vote and the participation of artists in the work of production, cooperation and directing the artistic side, then monitoring the work process and developing marketing On the other hand, both artists started to master the methods in the technology of work, but this didn't mean the absence

of conflict due to insufficient understanding Sketches of textile designs were redone, often on a large scale, which was a consequence of the difficulties in the factory Both sides were forced to compromise to reach a satisfactory solution in such conditions This involvement of Stepanova and Popova should be seen as a stage of their artistic evolution and an experimental realization of the production-constructivist program [6] They developed a principle that was adapted to the clothing according to decoration and material Emphasis is placed on the functional role of clothing, and design is consequently subordinated to it Clothing is no longer taken as a static element on the model, based on the reflection of aesthetic taste and lifestyle, or as a work of art It was

an active element adapted to the needs of movement during labor and the daily activities

of its wearer However, the results in the field of design were not negligible [5] Textile design was another link in the total reconstruction of life by the formed idea of production art At the same time, the textile design was a suitable medium for the rhythmic and geometrized constructivist style

Stepanova devoted herself to the design of clothes for certain professions She designed clothes for surgeons, firefighters, and pilots Popova approached the formation of the theoretical basis in developing the method of costume design for plays, highlighting three critical elements in the format: ideological, analytical, and technical These last two played a primary role in Popova's later work in the textile and clothing industry [5] Popova stated that she wanted to dress as an ordinary woman - to create a dress perfect for every day, holiday, or formal wear for any woman The material quality could be decisive for society's more affluent or educated strata Still, with a good choice of pattern

on the material, the effect of a glamorous dress could be achieved even with simple

_ models This was a practical undertaking by Popova, as she replaced the needs in specific requirements due to the existing limitation in designing models for work and sportswear The new textile design was integral to the newly designed functional clothing [1]

Creating a unique design that would satisfy the needs and tastes of a broader class was a demanding undertaking that Popova undertook Her design begins with reduced forms inspired by folk art to further complicate the motifs in the imaginary space The goal was

to go "halfway" to the consumer and encourage them with new forms, to move away from the standards of the general taste, and transform everyday life with a unique style Popova's design is characterized by a refined combination of colors in a specific construction with realized spatial depth Popova made numerous designs, but only about fifty were realized [11] Although similar in style, Stepanova's structure is more rhythmic with a greater degree of compositional form It is characterized by a more significant presence of linear and graphic elements because they are based on the shapes

of circles, triangles, and squares, which would reflect the intention of subordination to mass production technology [6]

A significant stylistic similarity in Stepanova's designs between theater costumes and sports-type clothes is obvious precisely because of the adaptation to the needs of body movements An example is the costumes she designed for the play The Death of Tarelkin for Meierkhold's theater in 1922 She replaced the decorative segment with a two-color canvas constructed in a geometric form based on the shapes of the human body [5]

Figure 6: Lamanova's design, Illustrated by Vera Mukhina

origin attachment: [20]

In sportodezhda, Stepanova believed that it was necessary to create the effect of freedom

and comfortable movement through the minimum number of clothing items that would

be easy to wear Still, it was necessary to sort the clothing according to the type of sport The essential difference would be in color and shapes and with badges and emblems that

Stepanova proposed This simplified clothing variant was designed with strictly straight lines and geometric motifs through the application of several colors satisfying the functionality principle (color board) However, it is impossible to say that there was a complete rejection of stylistic concepts here Instead, a new style standard could be defined through new principles They were reflected in the strict application of geometric elements in the design of sportswear and textiles through the angular forms of prosodezhda because no patterned material was used to highlight the precise shape and structure of the clothing According to Stepanova, simplicity and combination of colors should be considered when choosing patterns and colors Thus, by including constructivist artists in textile design through engagement in factories, conditions were created for the mass production of applied art products [1]

By constructivist principles, and yet out of the need for rationalization in fabric production, both Stepanova and Popova replaced traditional Russian floral motifs with geometric shapes Their designs propagated economy in artistic means and the maximum use of combinations of geometric forms with a limited color range In addition, the goal was to promote the new industrial tasks of the constructivists in favor of geometrizing the form at the expense of uniquely painted design Further elaboration through the repetition and complication of geometric shapes formed patterns of motifs in textile design that can be compared to the fine art of these two artists Nevertheless, despite the reduced form of simple clothing pieces, clothing design could not fully satisfy the functionality criteria during the transition period of the 20s The fact is that constructivist practice had to be modified to integrate fabric design and clothing design in the conditions of industrial training [5]

2.3 Traditionalosm in Lamanova's design

The first contribution to the renewal of the textile industry and the development of new

"revolutionary" clothing was made by the already recognized designer Nadezhda Lamanova (1861-1941), who, with the support of the state, founded the Art Studio of Contemporary Clothing to research the design of work clothes At the beginning of

1920, she was joined by the painter Aleksandra Ekster [12] and the sculptor Vera Mukhina [13] (Ве́ра Игна́тьевна Му́хина) [14]

As she exhibited at the First All-Russian Art-Industrial Exhibition in 1923, Lamanova brought the economy to her design, subordinating it to fabrics she knew were widely available in industrial production and applied technical simplicity The reason was the desire to meet the standards of mass production and the needs of a vast population [15] Nevertheless, despite the incredible support that this recognized creator had, none of her creations entered the production process of mass production

The critical difference between Lamanova's designs and other constructivists was her interest in folk art, which was present in most of her work It is reflected in the application of decorative elements in the form of traditional folk art ornaments, but in a simplified form, partly in a modernist and geometric manner In addition, Lamanova transformed certain parts of traditional folk clothing and included them in her fashion

_ creations Thus, the famous long shirt known as "Tolstovka" found its way into her

1925 album "Art in Everyday Life" (Искусство в быту), redesigned as a jacket [16] Her favorite garment was a long jacket or kaftan, worn over a dress or skirt, creating an effect of modernity through a long, straight, simple but practical form

Lamanova researched design based on traditional folk creativity, adopting simplicity through reduced decorative segments and practicality in manufacturing The presence of the folk costume as primary in the general population and its entry into contemporary fashion through a redesigned appearance is only a confirmation of the existing practicality and simplicity, which were necessary as principles of constructivist design

On the other hand, this confirms Lamanova's experience in the field of design because this kind of creativity was more in line with the principle of the reality of everyday life Her works are a much-needed link between the entrenched traditional forms of the textile industry and the overly innovative principles of constructivist design [14] According to Lamanova, the connection with the new constructivist standards is in the practicality of the national costume The ideological reasons for applying this design are its applicability in the production of prosodezhda This type of clothing had the characteristics of adaptability during physical work, the easy transformation from everyday to festive, from summer to winter, and a close connection with everyday life [15] With such features and a redesigned appearance, the application of this clothing would not have to be limited to rural areas but could also be present in urban areas Lamanova believed that, with the inclusion of dynamism in the form, this design could become the "new Soviet dress."

Figure 7: Outfit by designer Nadezhda Lamanova 1925 – replica in GUM, Moscow

2017; origin attachment: [21]