Skip to main content
FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $50

The Women Behind the Inspiration: A Fashion Collection Inspired by Female Artists

The Women Behind the Inspiration: A Fashion Collection Inspired by Female Artists

We all know that art and fashion are the most influential industries in the world but what may be new news to some is that they are also industries that have been dominated by men for a very long time. As a result, the rise of female artists being recognised and celebrated for their work has been slow paced. In this article, I will introduce some of the most inspirational women in art and fashion and discuss how they are pushing boundaries, defying stereotype standards and redefining what it means to live beautifully and on their own terms.

The Muse, Maker, Masterpiece collection pays homage to an unorthodox collective of creators who have made impactful contributions to the feminist movement. Throughout their colorful lives and careers, these women have created new worlds of possibility for education, empowerment, and working women in the arts. This collection is for those who are moved by their stories and want to wear their legacy.

The Women Behind the Inspiration: A Fashion Collection Inspired by Female Artists. The line features a range of 7 activewear staples designed to empower you to pursue your passions in style: street, swim, sweat, or studio. Made from premium high-performance moisture-wicking compression fabric featuring an exclusive hand-drawn marble print - each piece has been artfully designed to flatter every figure, spark creativity and inspire your next adventure.

Lisa Frank 

The Muse

 Lisa Frank is an American graphic artist who is best known for her colorful and whimsical designs on school supplies and children's clothing. Born in 1956 in Lima, Ohio she attended the University of Arizona where she studied fashion design and illustration. 

When she started her own company, Lisa Frank Inc., she became infamous for creating all of her own graphics from scratch. She would draw everything by hand with pencils and markers on paper or cardboard cutouts, which were then photographed and transferred to silk screens for production. 

The Maker

School supplies truly were my first ever fashion accessories. I can still remember the pure excitement I would feel picking out folders, pencil cases and lunch boxes printed with Lisa Frank’s wildly colorful designs knowing that when I showed up on the first day of school I was going to BE SEEN and that felt amazing. When I think back as far as I can remember Lisa Frank truly was the first artist that ever inspired me and began to mold my design aesthetic. Her use of electric neon and soft pastel color pallets are so iconic and still inspire many of the hues and tones I love working with today. So when dreaming up this list of creative females who have empowered, motivated and moved me to become the designer and maker I am today it was a no brainer that Lisa Frank Would be on that list. 

The Masterpiece

Be still, our nostalgic hearts. Inspired by Graphic Artist Lisa Frank and the fanatical hand-drawn detail found in her fantastically psychedelic worlds of technicolor, the Frank Fit n’ Flare Pants are here to make you look and feel like a goddamn '90s unicorn. Designed with Lisa's imaginative child-like spirit in mind, these flares are guaranteed to make all of your outfits look as magical as koala bears clinging to rainbow-flavored ice-cream cones. Looking to garner a Lisa Frank cult-like following of your own? Then... "You gotta have it!"

Did you know? Before her signature designs became the desired school-supply motif of children the world over, Lisa Frank received her first million-dollar sticker order at age 24, and while still in college?

Click here to shop the Frank Fit N’ Flares.

Carrie Bradshaw 

The Muse

Sarah Jessica Parker is an American actress, producer, designer and author. She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw in the HBO television series Sex and the City. She is a semi-autobiographical character created by Candace Bushnell, who published the book Sex and the City, based on her own columns in the New York Observer. Living for fashion with her brown hair, green eyes and sky high stilettos, Carrie soon became the symbol for fearless independence personified through her personal style - even notoriously confessing to buying Vogue instead of dinner because she felt it fed her more. But the storyline of each season and episode truly revolved around her intimate female friendships and quest for “real, ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can’t-live-without-each-other love” dating a range of not so eligible bachelors set against the breathtaking backdrop of New York City. 

The Maker

So a fun fact about me is I’m OBSESSED with Sex and the City. Like no joke, I have seen every episode over 1,000 times (I can recite most line for line), have been on the Sex and the City Tour Bus in New York City TWICE and even had my first (legal) cocktail at Scout, Steve and Aidens Bar on the show. What continues to draw me towards Carrie’s characters can be summed up into two parts. The first is her love of fashion, specifically how she expresses herself not only through the mix of thrifted, vintage and designer frocks but also how she executes each look with a personal style that is unmatched. Watching the way she treated the streets of new york city as her very own runway, styling an infinite number of accessories in unique ways inspired me to push the boundaries with my own style AND gave me a free education on the most iconic fashion designers I still follow, shop and adore to this day. The second reason I fell in love with Carrie Brdshaws character on the show was her writing. I’m well aware that most fans mock her cringe-worthy writing style but I looked forward to her fashion-focused puns and rehtorical introspective questions each episode. So much so that sometimes when I experience writers block blogging or bunkering down to write product descriptions for Hola Gwapa I imagine myself sitting at her wooden desk, staring out the window of her brownstone, sipping on a cosmo and like magic my fingers always find the keyboard and the inspiration floods back in. 

The Masterpiece

And just like that … meet the Brad Single Shoulder Bra/Top! Inspired by the queen of personal style herself, SATC’s Miss Carrie Bradshaw, this versatile bra/top serves limitless looks so you can take your next BIG creative step forward with confidence. From home on your peloton to the style-clad streets of Paris, this single-shoulder silhouette will keep your favorite girls supported through a sweaty spin sesh or an artful day of meeting your lover's ex-wife for lunch at the louvre just the same. 

Click here to shop the Brad Single Shoulder Bra/Top.

Diana Vreeland

The Muse

Diana Vreeland was a French-American columnist and art director but she is best known for being the editor-in-chief of American Vogue from 1962 to 1971. Owning her powerful vision, she was able to create iconic images that are still recognized today.

She also brought her imagination and wit to life on the pages of Harper’s Bazzar as the first female fashion editor, where she worked from 1943 to 1948, and then again from 1951 to 1962. Vreeland found her greatest calling at 69, as the driving force of the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute. Through a disciplined study of all things sartorial, literary, and artistic, Vreeland became a force that dared observers not to notice. Her personal mantra: "Style: All who have it share one thing — originality." She is now recognized as one of the most influential and cultural figures in the history of fashion.

The Maker

I first learned about Diana Vreeland studying art history at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California. In high school I hated my generic history classes but found myself yearning to learn more about the iconic men and women who paved the way in fashion history during my college years. My teacher would passionately walk us through the life and career of each important fashion figure and my excitement to one day be added to this list grew. Then he introduced us to Diana Vreeland, the most iconic fashion editor at magazines like Harper's Bazaar and Vogue, and I was mesmerized. Our homework assignment was to watch Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel, a documentary style presentation from her beginnings in Paris, to her work as a columnist and magazine editor, and to her role as a curator of a fashion museum. After watching I remember feeling so seen. What I resonated with most about her was how wild she let her imagination run as she USED the art of fashion to create and curate a more beautiful world for herself and the audiences she drew into those stories and editorial spreads. She is someone who I can attribute a great deal of my liberation as an artist to, from the way I think about inspiration to the meticulous nature in which I execute on design - I’m constantly asking myself “What would Vreeland do/say/think?” Without ever even knowing her truly I am indebted to the advice she has given me during the private conversations we have inside my head. 

The Masterpiece

Why don’t you ... go bold in this season's hottest leg-baring short-shorts and show off all your most artful assets? Named after Harper's Bazaar’s first female editor and one of the most influential figures in the history of fashion, Diana Vreeland, the Vree Short Shorts are evocative of her powerful vision and cheeky personality. Designed to sculpt, smooth, snatch, and of course, encourage the eye to travel … you are bound to turn more than just the pages of Vogue as you sizzle on the beach this Summer.

Click here to shop the Vree Short Shorts. 

Frida Kahlo

The Muse

Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter and feminist who became famous for her unapologetic and colorful self-portraits. Kahlo draws audiences in with her visionary power, being the first and most notable female artist to rebel against the canons of art in order to explore her psyche, full of symbols and personal stories, which inspired the imaginations of countless artists around the world. Frida Kahlo has become an icon of the people because of her unique personality and her multifaceted life. She has become a symbol for women's inner strength, for a love of Mexico’s land, people and culture, and for courage in the face of adversity.

The Maker 

A few years ago I visited Casa Azul in Mexico City and I was walking through the halls of Frida’s home I caught her eyes staring back at me in a framed black and white photograph hanging on the wall and it pierced my heart to intensely that I started to cry. I can’t remember exactly when I first learned about or fell in love with Frida Kahlo but it feels like she has always been with me. There is this odd knowing feeling that she is guiding me through life, through love, through my career as an artist, and through my self discovery and exploration in womanhood. I resonate so deeply with her rebellious spirit and the conviction she had around her core beliefs. She was a woman who wore her heart on her sleeve - a true embodiment of vulnerability and strength. More than anyone I’ve ever known, every fiber of her being screamed that she was an artist living a short but colorful life that continues to deeply inspire me both personally and professionally.  

The Masterpiece

Deviating from the traditional depiction of female beauty Mexican Painter and Feminist Frida Kahlo chose to paint honestly about subject matter often seen as taboo (including abortion, miscarriage, birth, and breastfeeding) and in turn, shed light on the experiences shared by womankind. In honor of the courage she exhibited embracing both the masculine and feminine sides of herself the Kahlo Knee Length Biker Shorts are designed to inspire your truest self-love. So be your own muse this season and confidently step into style painting a portrait of female beauty that challenges the status quo. And remember: Inspiration is all around you, and even more importantly it is within you. 

Click here to shop the Kahlo Biker Shorts. 

Diane Von Furstenburg

The Muse

Diane Von Furstenburg is a fashion and textile designer and icon. Having launched her eponymous label in 1970, Furstenberg cemented her status with her iconic wrap dress in 1974. Having achieved sales of over one million units less than two years after its inception, the dress became the defining power symbol for an influential generation of women. Feminine yet functional, its design responded to the liberated mood of American society in the 1970s—the era during which women took on the formerly male dominated work force and revolutionized the work wardrobe while they were at it. 

The Maker

I’ll never forget my first trip to New York City. My parents surprised me for my 21st birthday and I spent the entire weekend awestruck, absorbing the city's electric energy. I shopped the streets of soho, took a life changing ride on the sex and the city tour bus and ate my bodyweight in pasta in Little Italy. But on the last day I was adamant about checking one final destination off my NYC bucket list before heading back home so off we headed to the meatpacking district to visit the DVF showroom. For me it was a museum-like experience - an entire showroom ceiling to floor covered in colorful, bold and feminine prints and textures. At the time I was still a textile design student learning everything there was to know about the industry including it’s most coveted designers, Diane Von Furstenburg sitting at the top of that list. First standing out as one of the few female textile designers and secondly for the impact she had on female liberation through her work as a fashion designer. So it wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone to learn that I’ve modeled my career after hers, aspiring to contribute to important culture movements going on in fashion through my designs like she has. 

The Masterpiece

The Von Ruffle Wrap Tie Top pays homage to arguably the most important women's clothing item of the '70s, the iconic wrap dress. Created by one of the first fashion designers to create clothing for women to wear in the workplace Diane von Furstenberg and the wrap style closure came to symbolize power, liberation and independence for an entire generation of women. Once fashioned for the dynamic females of the 70’s and now reimagined for the gwapa gals of now, the wrap tie tops is as versatile as she is effortless. Wear her wrapped tight to an art opening in the early afternoon and then untie her into a loose and low bow to showcase your artful assets later that evening. We don't judge, we just applaud.

Click here to shop the Von Ruffle Wrap Top.

Miranda Makaroff

The Muse

Miranda is a multifaceted Catalan artist: painter, illustrator, designer, DJ and actor. She's fun, multitalented, curious, cheerful and an endless source of good vibes. She loves self-help books, reflecting on everyday social aspects that we usually take for granted, and unveiling colorful and crazy worlds filled with creativity through her Instagram account, "I love color because it’s my vitamin, my passion."

"My goal is to convey positive energy and fun because I think that’s something that has been left on the back burner of fashion. We have become somewhat enslaved and crazy about trends, and I think it’s important to see fashion from a viewpoint of freedom, creativity and playfulness."

The Maker

When I very first discovered Miranda on Instagram ~5 years ago she felt like a breath of fresh air. At a time when influencers and artists were taking themselves more seriously, utilizing their social media platforms as professional portfolios, Miranda was marching to a very own tune. One of my favorite things about her art is that she never bound herself to one medium. One day she would cut and collage paper, the next day she would put paint to canvas and the next she would be collaborating with the top fashion houses to design whimsical prints, silhouettes and campaigns that felt as effortless and playful as she did. Inspired by her IG stories in which she would paint large scale colorful sexual scenes in a bikini poolside in Ibiza, I was able to shatter through the standards I had set for myself about being “taken seriously as an artist” and was liberated to approach art with her same imperfect, unapologetic and childlike spirit. Even today, whenever I am in an inspiration rut I look to Miranda and am instantly reminded to get playful and create because just because getting expressive feels good - plus that's where the magic happens. 

The Masterpiece

As a painter, designer, actor and sculptor, one of my favorite multidisciplinary artists Miranda Makaroff celebrates women by bringing their pleasures and desires to life in vivid colors… and so do the Maka Ankle Length Leggings inspired by her work. From the flattering fit to the striking marble print, this versatile yet classic design is perfectly paired with any outfit, and should be a staple in every wardrobe. So if you’re the type of woman who loves a twist on the traditional and expressing your personal style with no restrictions, repressions, or censorship, then you can’t live another day without these in your visual universe.

Click here to shop the Maka Ankle Length Leggings. 

Tezza Barton

The Muse

Tessa Barton, also known as Tezza, is the founder of the brand by the same name as well as an author, photographer, musician, influencer and creative director known for her iconic film aesthetic and Parisian-like personal style. Building on her success as a pioneer in bringing editorial photography to the social media landscape, Tezza continues to inspire and influence others to discover their inner artist and to live the art of life. 

The Maker

Tezza Barton in so many ways is my career hero. Although many may initially know her as a fashion influencer her aesthetic artistry truly runs so much deeper. As a multi-faceted artist Tezza has turned her creative energy into music, design, photography and fashion creating brands and businesses that speak to the art of living a well curated life. And that’s what I love most about Tezza, she understands that being an artist isn’t defined by any one expression but rather the sum of each individual interest and how it’s holistically applied to the way you live overall. She reminds me that everyone is an artist as long as they approach their craft artfully. With this shift in thinking I’m able to look at life and the art industry much more expansively. I now see baristas as coffee artists, chefs as food artists and so on. Another aspect of my love for Tezza is her contribution to my creative development via the Tezza App, which allows me to edit my photos and videos for Hola Gwapa by applying a variety of editing workflows to an entire body of work. Always a fan of those who share their creative process, my love for her reached new heights when she decided to share it with others Via the Tezza App so that their creative lives could be that much more effective and efficient. 

The Masterpiece

Created as the ultimate fangirl of entrepreneur, photographer, musician, and influence Tessa Barton: this closet staple was designed with a high neckline and low back for maximum street style impact and jet setter appeal. Picture this: you're exploring your favorite city in the Barton Bodysuit, strutting down city streets with the confidence of a six foot plus supermodel. The silhouette moves with you, and the high performance fabric ensures your comfort as you step in front of a gram worthy backdrop, dramatically strike a pose, and slowly lower your shades with a sultry stare and the camera lights begin to flash. Discover the art of life in the Barton Bodysuit.

Click here to shop the Barton Bodysuit.

Comments

Be the first to comment.
All comments are moderated before being published.

Your Cart

Your cart is currently empty.
Click here to continue shopping.
Thanks for contacting us! We'll get back to you shortly. Thanks for subscribing Thanks! We will notify you when it becomes available! The max number of items have already been added There is only one item left to add to the cart There are only [num_items] items left to add to the cart