Fabric painting dates back to 3000 BC in Asia

Did you know that fabric painting goes back to 3000 BC? By the time Alexander the Great invaded India in 327 BC, colorfully printed and painted fabrics were commonly found. Kalamkari motifs were inspired from natural elements such as flowers and peacocks. Epics such as Mahabharata and Ramayana also were depicted on fabrics.

Similar fabric painting techniques were developing into unique forms in other different parts of the world too.

The Japanese hand painted kimonos using stencils

Kimono is the most recognizable Japanese article of clothing and its beginnings date back over a thousand years. The intricate designs that show nature, animals and everyday things were made using a technique called Kyo Yuzen. Stencils were used for hand painting so that lines were sharp and clean. The technique involved painting dye directly onto a cloth. Even today, hand painted kimonos are valued as art objects passed down to generations after generations as family heirlooms.

Leonardo Da Vinci designed hand bags in spare times

Renaissance painter Leonardo da Vinci is famous for his art works such as the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper. But did you know that in his spare time, he designed handbags? He designed a highly decorated leather bag around the same time he was painting The Last Supper. Interestingly, during that era, embroidered purses signified wealth and comfort and were carried by aristocrats and wealthy travelers.

Frieda Kahlo was among the few who designed wearable sculptures

Today, in the world of fast fashion, it is easy to find graphic T-shirts or bags with iconic art. But it was artists such as Frieda Kahlo who gave the world wearable art even before it became the buzzword. The artist famously painted medical objects and made them into wearable works of art. She painted her full body cast that she wore after an accident. She also painted the artificial limb she wore into an objet d’art.