Surrealism gives importance to the subconscious. It is where an artist’s true imaginative and creative prowess resides. A Surrealist artwork tends to disavow the normalcy propagated by the rationalist movement. When we talk about surrealism, our mind wanders to The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali; his most recognised paintings amongst others. But Dali was not merely a painter of the surrealist. He immersed himself in the aesthetic movement.
Who is Salvador Dali?
Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, better known as Salvador Dali was born on 11 May 1904. Throughout his career, he enjoyed immense appreciation for bringing forth truly bizarre depictions of life, death, time, and space. For some, he is the leading exponent of the surrealist movement. In addition to being a celebrated painter, he also dabbled in films, graphic arts, design, photography, and sculptures. Each of his pieces was truly an existential marvel.
Salvador Dali and Fashion
Salvador Dali’s paintings line the walls of uncountable renowned museums and art galleries. These unusual paintings were a reflection of his creative abilities and the artist himself. If you were to google Dali right now, you can expect an eccentric figure sprouting a thin moustache, supported by a cane. This was Dali in his prime. A mix of absurd and high glamour has forever etched Dali as a true fashion icon.
Baby! It’s Cold Outside
Today the streets are lined with denim, fleece, and bomber jackets. It seems as if the appeal of a fur – Oops! Faux fur (thanks PETA) has surprisingly vanished. If we could borrow one piece of clothing from the wardrobe of the ICONIC Salvador Dali, it would definitely be the floor-length leopard-print fur coat. Not only does it look gorgeous as a final layer over his trademark pin-striped suit, but also keeps away the cold.
Courtesy – Bridgeman Images (L)/ Harper’s Bazaar (R)
Ah, Shucks! It seems like Kim Kardashian has already beaten us to it when she donned leopard print for the 2022 Milan Fashion Week.
Can’t Control the Chalk-stripe
If there was one thing Salvador Dali appreciated, it was good tailoring. Suits are chic, but with a solid colour scheme, it is easy to get lost in the swarm of corporate men gliding off to work, a wedding, or god forbid, a funeral. To funk up the appeal and the look, he went for a three-piece suit. The suit was of course a double-breasted chalk stripe.
Courtesy – Horst P. Horst (L)/ BAMF Style (M)/ Pinterest (R)
While we do understand the intricacies involved with both chalk-stripes and pin-stripes, it’s hard to differentiate them from afar. From a distance, Salvador Dali looked like a groovy version of Michael Corleone from ‘The Godfather’. He also reminds us of that one time Barney Stinson donned a diamond striped suit in ‘How I Met Your Mother’.
Ruffle your Feathers; and your Shirts
Salvador Dali’s love for suits is not foreign knowledge. But how do you augment and reinvent a double-breasted suit? You put ruffles on it. Dali gave us looks after lewks with his ruffled shirt. The lace connotes a subtle Victorian romance. While the tailored suit represents structure, the flowing ruffles indicate a peculiar fluidity. Had it not been for his moustache, we would have definitely confused him for our favourite ginger, Ron Weasely.
Courtesy – Terry Fincher (L)/ Harry Potter Fandom (R)
Don’t Trash the Stache
People often write books about famous personalities. In fact, Salvador Dali has been a popular subject for many researchers and scholars over the decades. But have you heard of a book solely devoted to his moustache? The idea was absurd, but so was Dali. And YES! There exists a book, dedicated to Dai’s iconic moustache.
The photographic book, titled ‘Dali’s Mustache’, was crafted by Philippe Halsman in 1954. The book showcases a whimsical Dali progressively getting more offbeat solely using his moustache. He twists and turns them into shapes; attaches flowers onto them; imbibes them into popular imagery; and puts them into focus through strategic camera angles. When asked about them, Salvador Dali glibly replies “[they are] like two erect sentries, defending the entrance to my real self.”
By 1954, Salvador Dali’s moustache had become a fashion accessory and he took pride in them. He always kept the ends pointing towards 10:10. According to his wishes, he was buried with his moustache in the same position. Eerily enough, when his body was exhumed for a paternity test in 2017, the moustache was still intact. Could somebody tell us what moustache gel he used, and if it is discontinued?
Photo Courtesy – AFP
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I love writing about pop culture and all things queer.
Sub Editor at Abir Pothi
