Fashion industry and arts patronage

This paper examines the relationship between the business of fashion and the world of art. The sponsorship of cutting-edge artists by luxury brands and an engagement with the discursive practices traditionally associated with the arts is interrogated using an interdisciplinary approach that explores the ambiguities, moralities, methods, networks and connections to wider social, cultural and economic issues.

Research methods include visits to the key locations discussed, interviews with the employees of relevant institutions and the interpretation of cultural phenomena such as building design, photographic images and corporate and promotional material. It will be argued the new order of business patrons of the arts play a significant role in the formation of public taste as they use art to augment their business and boost their cultural status.