FASHION Magazine
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The shining: How gleaming metallics and the like are lighting up both art and fashion
By Betty Ann Jordan
The art world—much like the fashion world—loves to redefine colour every chance it gets. Recently, a new batch of materials and technologies has enabled artists and designers to work with exquisite light-infused hues, ranging from peek-a-boo prismatics to sizzling minerals and gleaming metallics.
Iridescence, for example, can be seen in both cutting-edge exhibits and the latest fashion collections. A visual property of mother-of-pearl and moonstones, oil slicks, alloys and minerals, iridescence occurs when light plays over micro-grooved surfaces and separates into prismatic colours. For a visual cue, see photos of Carey Mulligan at this year’s Met Ball: her scaled Prada halter dress, made entirely of metal paillettes, reflected a different spectrum of hues in nearly every red carpet shot.