Gorgeous Gowns Are Unconventional Canvases Covered in Classical Paintings

A glamorous dress can act as an unconventional canvas for a gorgeous work of art. This idea is beautifully highlighted in Paint Me Over, a photography series by Marina Danilova that features a model donning extravagant gowns painted with stunning depictions of landscapes and architecture. Long voluminous skirts and form-fitting bodices act as vessels for large, textured brushstrokes whose fluidity conveys glittering flecks of sunlight and vibrating, reflective scenes. As the model shifts her poses, the paintings always look different—some areas are obscured while others revealed—and they offer alternative interpretations of a single composition.

Designer Svetlana Lyalina is the woman behind the fashions seen in Paint Me Over. She is best known for her couture wedding dresses, but she created this special line in collaboration with paintings by Nikas Safronov. Originally worn for a recent 60th birthday of Safronov, they’ve since been immortalized in the exquisite Paint Me Over images, which happen to be shot in his stunning home, among gilded furniture and regal drapery.

Marina Danilova: Website | Instagram | Behance
via [Design You Trust]

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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