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Frida Kahlo: style icon

One's wardrobe reveals one's politics;

it is the story one lives by;

it is one's symbolic self.

HONORÉ DE BALZAC

Photographic Portrait of Frida Kahlo by Nickolas Muray

FRIDA KAHLO is long overdue for consideration as a fashion icon. She used the same creative approach to her appearance as she did to her art; she expressed herself in a truly individual way.  Her life, her look, her work were all part of her creative output. Born in 1907 the daughter to a Mexican mother and a German photographer in Mexico at a time when photography was still a relatively new discipline, she was automatically immersed into a highly visual and colourful world. Frida suffered many hardships throughout her short life, including a near fatal tram accident at the age of 18 which left her with significant injuries that haunted her fragile body for the rest of her life and her turbulent relationship with the Mexican mural painter Diego Rivera. To some, she could have been considered an invalid. However, that is not how Frida is remembered. In her art, paradoxically, she comes across as both a strong and vulnerable soul. It was this resilience and determination which led her to lead  a life full of passion and creative expression.

Frida evidently cared very little for what others thought of her appearance; she insisted on wearing traditional clothes, handmade from the most delicate textiles, collected from all over the world. According to her husband Diego's wishes, in 2004 her wardrobe was opened fifty years after her death. It revealed a colourful and intimate treasure trove of embroidered velvet Chinese capes, Oriental silk skirts, and many handmade traditional Mexican garments. Each piece of clothing displayed fine detailing and decoration; each a work of art that Frida loved and enjoyed. Just as she found painting therapeutic when trying to work through her suffering, I am almost sure that the beautiful clothes she used to mask her malformed figure and emotional turmoil also helped to lift her spirits.

Frida in her bedroom in the Casa Azul, 1952
 (Photograph: Bernice Kolko)

But, what makes Frida a style icon?  Firstly, she is instantly recognizable from her hair pieces, chunky jewels to her many brightly coloured skirts. Secondly, she accessorized every outfit to the maximum and got away with it. Why? Because it was just another creative output to her. Her inspiration wasn't taken from Chanel's latest collection, which was making headlines during the 1920s and 30s and influenced many so called modern Mexican women. Instead, Frida looked to traditional ethnic groups and loved the inherited artistry they used to embellish their garments with precious silk threads and painstakingly handmade lace. 

Frida with a headdress of black cords in Casa Azul, 1941

(photograph by Florence Arquin)

Her style was an eclectic one, interwoven with an integral sense of identity and an appreciation of traditional craftsmanship. She chose to take many stylistic references from the native Indians in Mexico, whose traditional style of dress was considered to be unsophisticated and old fashioned. Frida felt that Mexico itself was loosing her own sense of identity, weighed down by a draining revolution, political chaos and a hunger to modernize and catch up with the American palette for everything modern and new. Almost one third of her paintings were self-portraits, it's obvious from the detail in her clothes that her wardrobe was an extension of her art and self-expression.

Frida in studio with her painting 'The Two Fridas'

Finally, we should acknowledge Frida's influence on the fashion world. She was the inspiration behind many collections from Christain Lacroix to Givenchy. In 2010 she was the muse behind Karl Largerfeld's photo shoot in German Vogue, where he styled Claudia Schiffer with statement ethnic accessories, full skirts and over sized flower hair pieces. I think Frida would have found it ironic that she had inspired Chanel's head designer and made the pages of Vogue.

Claudia Schiffer, German Vogue (April 2010)

Frida Kahlo’s Wardrobe is the subject of the Frida Kahlo Museum (Casa de Azul, Kahlo's former home) in Mexico's current exhibition, showcasing over 300 of the artist's belonging. This exhibition will be on display until November 2013.