Roman Architecture appears to comprise elements of Nature...

Roman Architecture appears to comprise elements of nature – Where is the link?

How could the Roman culture influence fashion?

Abstract By thoroughly studying sources of natural inspiration and ancient Roman culture I have been provided with an expansive amount of evidence and knowledge to illustrate the relationship between the two subjects.

The concept of biomorphism demonstrates how nature is analysed and adapted to originate organic designs within fashion and architecture.

Through the admiration of numerous contemporary designers, I highlight how nature has been depicted using an assortment of concepts and techniques – Nicole Dextras and John Patrick both incorporate upcycling into their fashion collections; whether it’s through the use of natural objects in a literal sense, or by utilizing natural fibres as their working material.

By researching into the background of the ancient Roman period, I establish a strong understanding about their identity, the structure of their Empire and the inspirations that encouraged them to develop their culture. Wholly, the Romans were influenced by the Greeks in a number of fields – this led to the composing of Classicalism, a movement inspired by Greco-Roman cultures and an art that has been used to influence contemporary fashion.

As one of the more focal subjects, I aim to signify where natural motifs were commonly found within Roman architecture and foremost, uncover the origin of the style.

Unbeknown to me, it was intriguing to learn how Greco-Roman architecture was inspired by the proportions of the human body, a natural source of inspiration that I hadn’t originally considered.

The significance of scale and form subjected to Roman architecture encourages me to explore Land Art – I found that this technique played an interesting role in helping me to illustrate natural objects being used to create something that could be admired, and similarly, how the Romans used natural materials to construct their magnificent architecture.

Furthermore, by elaborating on the concept of proportions within architecture, I establish a topic that evidently linked to fashion – the notion that Couture collections are over-exaggerated to grab attention in the same way that the Romans buildings were overemphasized to demonstrate cultural superiority.

Additionally, I analyse the typical dress of the ancient Roman period in order to distinguish the key elements that may possibly influence recent fashion trends. I evaluate two contemporary fashion collections that have been inspired by the classical world: Vera Wang Spring Resort 2008 and Valentino Spring 2015 Ready-to-wear.

Roman culture and architecture has enabled artists and designers to manipulate the significance and realism of proportions, provided structural knowledge and has assisted in the influencing of contemporary fashion trends.

Introduction ‘The Rinceau, in architecture, is a decorative border that features stylized vines with leaves, fruit or flowers’ (Encyclopaedia Britannica, N.D) – this piece of information, is the foundation of my essay. Throughout my most recent textiles projects, I’ve noticed a recurring theme of studying the natural world as my focal source of inspiration; but, it was during an expedition to Rome that I established a more dominating passion for the Roman culture and architecture.

Although the two themes are rather distinct, as touched upon with my opening statement, I noticed that various examples of natural forms were integrated into the Roman ruins.

Where are they commonly found? Why were they used? My intentions are to thoroughly explore the topics individually before identifying whether together they have or could, influence fashion.

Rinceau - S7hauhe. (2011)

Natural Inspiration What is nature? The word has an accumulation of definitions; however, in regards to my thematic inspiration, I’m solely referring to the natural physical world – earthy, unprocessed objects; plants, flowers, animals and landscapes (Cambridge dictionary, N.D). I’m constantly captivated by the workings of the natural world – the miscellany of colours and textures that surround us.

Haywood, S. (2014) Floral Decoration, Haywood, S. (2014) Bark Texture, Barnes, D. (2011) Knitted Textures, Barnes, D. (2011) Felted Rug, Fulton, H. (2014) Spring.Summer 2015, WGSN.

Nature is perhaps one of the most common sources of inspiration found within the textile industry – it’s extremely unlikely that it will ever be completely disregarded from design, whether it’s within the textiles, fashion, interiors or architectural industry.

Nicole Dextras An example of a contemporary piece that combines nature and fashion is ‘Weedrobes Wardrobe’ by Nicole Dextras - an environmental artist who works in a multitude of media including sculpture, interactive public installation and photography. Below is an example of one of the pieces from the collection ‘Yucca Prom Dress’. It was constructed from Yucca leaces, flowers and thorns and represents a yearning for a fashion industry built on sustainable materials and practices.

This piece of art suggests the idea that by losing our connection with nature, the flower only plays a superficial role - Is it possible that this suggestion could be associated with the Romans? They chose to adorn their pillars and temples with floral patterns for a reason; what were they? Did they want to be viewed in a particular way by other empires/countries?

On her website, Dextras explains the motives behind her work ‘...The Weedrobes series, which began in 2005 as an experiment in making garments from leaves and flowers has now evolved into a series that also examines consumerism, the fashion industry and the constructed landscape.’

I find it intriguing how a piece of art that would appear to be fairly self-explanitory, in fact, has a much deeper significance behind it.

Dextras creates each piece as a wearable sculpture which has been constructed from local and renewable plant materials - I believe that this concept alone shows, quite literally, an immediate link between nature and fashion, therefore supporting the idea that nature alone is an extremely dominent theme in contemporary arts. Dextras continues to describe how the piece is then photographed with a model in a landscaped urban setting, emphasizing the impact of the humans on the natural environment. The third stage consists of a public intervention in a shopping area where the garment wearer engages with passersby regarding the issues of disposable consumer goods. The garment/sculpture is later installed in a garden or park setting and left to decompose over time (Dextra, 2010).

Dextras, N. (2010) Yucca Detailing and Dextras, N. (2010) Yucca Prom Dress

Dextras, N. (2010) Yucca Dress in Landscaped Urban Setting and Dextras, N. (2010) Fallen Petals.

Bearing in mind that my natural inspiration is working in conjunction with Roman architecture, I find it fascinating how the designer has ironically created objects from natural materials in order to make others aware of certain environmental issues before allowing it to decay. This immediately brought my attention to

Roman architecture and how it was constructed for a purpose or to signify something and now we merely have ruins to admire due to age and decay.

Opposed to the more apparent and literal examples of natural-inspired textiles, the use of environmentally friendly practices have become more prominent in recent years (Scafidi, 2013). It’s possible that the use of organic materials within fashion could be considered as a literal form of natural inspiration, as the materials; such as cotton, wood and wool, are all created using elements of nature.

John Patrick John Patrick, a designer who prioritizes organic materials and fair labour practices strives to create cool, contemporary, eco-conscious attire (Patrick,2014). During New York Fashion Week 2013, his debut collection achieved understated glamour through the use of natural, organic and recycled textiles (Fashion Compassion, 2013). How do organic materials link to Roman architecture? You have to consider that both outcomes were created using up-cycled or natural materials – the Romans would have used stone, wood and concrete to construct their buildings (Milani-Santarpi, N.D); therefore, the basis of each matter is methodologically similar.

It’s also fascinating to see that by focusing on using purely organic materials; the colours are fairly muted and neutral, reflecting the colours of Rome’s marble and concrete buildings.

Patrick, J. (2014) Look 4, Look 15 and Look 21 (Organic)

Taking into consideration that the concept of re-using natural materials is present in both Nicole Dextras’ and John Patrick’s projects, the two outcomes are remarkably different.

This statement led me to prematurely research into Roman architecture and its inspirations – I learnt that the Romans borrowed heavily from Greek architecture prior to developing their own distinct style by 5 BC (Encyclopaedia of Art, N.D).

Referring back to my comparison of Dextras’ and Patrick’s work, I believe that the similarities are based on the concept of taking the same working techniques/ethics and manipulating them in order to be original, adding their own personal touch.

Dextras, N. (2010) Roses, Haywood, S. (2014) Temple of Hadrian, Patrick, J. (2014) Look 13. (Organic

Biomimicry The term biomimetics was taken from the Greek - bios, which translates to ‘life’ and mimesis, which means ‘to sustainable solutions to human challenges by means of imitating nature’s patterns and strategies (Nikon Horizon, 2014).

Nature has been a long drawn source of inspiration within the design of both historical and contemporary architecture (Riegl, 1993). Biomorphism, or the incorporation of organic forms within design, possibly originated around the times of ancient civilizations – the lotus flower was a potent ancient Egyptian symbol/icon that was often depicted in art and used to decorate the capitals of Egyptian pillars. According to ancient Egyptian mythology, the Lotus symbolized the sun, creation, rebirth and regeneration (Alchin, 2014).

The church of La Sagrada Família, which was begun in 1882, is a well-known example of how nature’s functional forms can be used to renovate a structure (Sagrada Familia, N.D).

Antoni Gaudi realized that nature provided more than mere decoration - his structural forms mimicked those found in nature thereby providing him with both aesthetic and functional benefits. The columns mirror trees or human bones, roof structures mirror leaves and the arches mirror rib cages; the functionality gained from replicating nature’s designs allowed him to reduce the materials originally needed to build strong structures (Zammit-Lucia, 2011).

Figueras, G. (2011) Sagrada Familia Gaud Nave Central

Sandra Backlund I’ve always been fascinated by the unnatural link between organic and geometric forms through knitting.

Contrasting in nature, organic forms are typically asymmetrical with an irregular outline whereas geometric forms tend to have hard, defined lines or angles (Jirousek, 1995).

A knitwear designer whom I’ve admired over the past few years is Sandra Backlund.

Backlund’s design aesthetic is sculptural, architectural and dynamic. Striving to exaggerate and accentuate the female form, she alters proportions to produce futuristic designs from a variety of materials, such as heavy wool, paper and hair (Simpson).Sandra Backlund manipulates strong, geometric shapes to highlight, distort and transform the natural silhouette whilst subconsciously creating curved, organic forms. I believe that this supports my original essay statement in the sense that Backlund’s work visually illustrates an architecturalnatural relationship.

Farago, P. and Backlund, S. (2007) Organic Knit 1. Backlund, S. (2010) Structural Knit.

Farago, P. and Backlund, S. (2007) Curved Organic Knit

Ancient Rome As previously stated, I’d originally intended on using nature as my focal source of inspiration but it was during a trip to Rome that I established a more dominating passion for Roman Architecture. th ‘August 27 2014 – Dear Diary; today was the first opportunity I’ve had to explore Rome, The Eternal City. I’ve always been captivated by the historical and architectural qualities of the Italian capital, therefore I was eager to slip on my Roman sandals, devour my Colazione and Caffè Macchiato and go exploring. ‘

Haywood, S. (2014) Rome, Italy.

Roman Culture In legend, Rome was found in 753 BC by Romulus, its first king. It wasn’t until 509 BC that Rome became a republic; a government ruled by a senate and the Roman citizens. For the duration of the next 450 years, the power and influence of Rome continued to grow, resulting in the conquering of the rest of Italy before expanding into France, Spain, Turkey, North Africa and Greece (Malam, 2008).

The Romans were captivated by the Greeks and adopted a number of their customs over time: Greek art, literature, mythology, philosophy and architecture to name but a few. This contact with Greece had a noticeably important effect on the cultural development of Rome (Lloyd, 2013); however, with Greek culture came Greek gold and those leading the Republic fought over this new wealth. Eventually, the Republic collapsed in civil war and the Roman Empire began.

Maish, L. (2007) Cancelleria Relief Frieze

Starting in 27 BC and ruling under the name Augustus, Octavian was Rome’s first emperor. Over the next five hundred years, the succeeding 147 emperors collectively expanded Rome’s territory and by AD 200, their vast empire stretched from Syria to Spain and from Britain to Egypt (Malam, 2008).

Rome was a tolerant empire; local identities and religions continued to flourish in parallel with a growing sense of common Roman identity (Haywood, 2012). The ancient Romans were inclined to individualism (Potter, 2013) and enjoyed a lifestyle that prioritised personal comfort, style and pleasure – they developed traditions and a way of life that fitted in with their concept of family and community (The Census, N.D).

The Roman Empire The Roman Empire operated somewhat, like one colossal family – although the Emperors were representatives of the government as a whole (Potter, 2011), they made great efforts to keep the people of Rome fed, entertained and happy (Haywood 2012). In order to support my theory, Donald L. Wasson stated ‘...For the most part, the people of the Roman Empire were kept reasonably happy, even during times of duress, as long as the emperors provided grain for bread and games/entertainment. This resulted in the construction of lasting monuments to honour many of the emperors – the Baths of Caracalla, the Arch of Constantine and Trajan’s Column. The emperor was a supreme ruler who provided stability for the people. It was never a constitutional office, quite simply, the emperor was the law.’

To further support my statement, David Potter explained that ‘...The Roman fixation on communal participation is even enshrined in the official designation of the state – the ‘res publica populi Romani, or ‘public possession of the Roman people.’ To be one of the people – a citizen – was therefore to be co-owner of an extraordinary entity’.

Doran, J. (2012) Octavian

Additionally, within the same piece of literature, it‘s stated that ‘...An essential quality required by a Roman citizen was that of virtus, meaning virtue - defined as ‘the quality or practice of moral excellence or righteousness’. To the Romans, the word virtus was similar to the Latin term for man, which in turn, meant that only male qualities could be of service to the state. So established was the concept that virtus was essential to the community as a whole, that women were also expected to demonstrate their own particular form by playing a supporting role to the males within society.’

Haywood, S. (2014) Trajan’s Column, Rome

Expanding on my original statement that ‘the Roman Empire operated like one colossal family’, I started to explore the structure of the Empire more thoroughly. In Rome - and across the empire - status mattered; this led me to review the social hierarchy of ancient Rome.

The Roman society was highly class-conscious and hierarchical. The social structure of ancient Rome was based on heredity, property, wealth, citizenship and freedom. It was also based around men: women were defined by the social status of their fathers or husbands.

Indubitably, the emperor stood at the pinnacle of the hierarchy and the remainder of the Roman society was divided into six classes: Patrician, Senators, Equestrians (the three high classes) Plebians were a middle class and Freed-people and Slaves were considered to be the lowest classes (The Roman Empire in the First Century, N.D).

Seeing that the main objective of my essay is to, in summary, find links between the ancient Roman culture and the fashion industry; I found it fascinating how the hierarchy of the Roman Empire paralleled with the chain of command within the fashion industry.

Berry, J. (2011) Alexander Mosaic 100BC

The fashion industry is probably one of the most extensive fields within the manufacturing world; but in order to manufacture the products to sell, an entire hierarchical arrangement is required to ensure that goals are reached whilst the highest standard of work is maintained. Similarly to the Roman Empire hierarchy, the Creative Director, Marketing & Promotional Manager and the Sales Director, to name but a few, are the professionals who sit at pinnacle of the fashion industry ladder. They are considered to be the masters of their field and work together to ensure that their company runs smoothly – they boast administrative level powers and authorities to execute the upmost important decisions. This almost parallels the powerful roles of the Roman emperor and Patricians. The word “patrician” comes from the Latin “patres”, meaning “fathers” - these families provided the empire’s political, religious, and military leadership; all of which were imperative components within the Roman Empire (The Roman Empire in the first century – Patricians, N.D).

Working downwards and sitting within the executive level of the fashion industry are: Production Artists, Fashion Designers and Visual Merchandisers, amongst others. These professionals aren’t equipped with decision-making authorities and have to work on the orders from senior level professionals. They possess vital experience and extensive knowledge of the field. Again, these roles resemble those of the Equestrians in the Roman Empire – they ranked immediately below Partricians and that they became an important human resource, whose work underpinned the smooth running of the Roman Empire (The Roman Empire in the first century – Equestrians, N.D).

Conclusively, the subordinate workers sit at the bottom of the fashion industry ladder: Assistant Fashion Designers, Retail/Store Managers, Trend Forecasters and Trainees, to name but a few (Fashion Company Hierarchy, 2013). These professionals work at an operational level and follow orders given by the ‘Equestrians’ of the fashion industry.

Following suit, this role coincides with those of the Plebeians, Freed-people and dejectedly, slaves. The term ‘plebeian’ referred to all free Roman citizens (aside from the members of the Patrician, Senatorial or Equestrian classes) - Rome’s working class – those who had little individual power; but collectively, made a big impact (The Roman Empire in the first century – Plebeians, N.D).

Although the Roman Empire has no observable link to the fashion industry, I believe that the comparison of the two hierarchies has demonstrated a way in which the concepts and operations have been inherited by modern industries and organisations.

John Haywood stated that ‘Rome was embellished with public baths, theatres, triumphal arches, aqueducts and temples so that Augustus was able to boast that ‘I left Rome a city of marble, though I found it a city of bricks.’ – I believe that alongside the Roman virtues, the structure of the Empire and the adoption of the Greek culture, the Romans were aiming (and possible succeeded) to become the most powerful domain in existence.

Rome stood entirely apart in its aspiration of greatness. The city’s monuments comprise the most masterful and incomparable range of architectural typologies and evidently; concrete traces of works that were completed by the Romans are still present today (Cartwright, 2013).

Rome’s greatness lies in the fact that it was not the passive heir to the Hellenistic period (the spread of Greek culture and civilization) but instead; by imposing a winning formula, adopting a combination of unique, ancient cultures and successfully influencing the world for many centuries thereafter (Malam, 2008) "Greece, conquered, led her conqueror captive" is an expression used to describe the triumph of Greek over Roman culture (Guisepi, N.D). In ‘Roman Art & Architecture’ it is stated that ‘...in Greek archaeology, any object you turn up is beautiful; in Roman, you are delighted if you can argue that it is second-rate’ – this gives the impression that because the Roman’s adopted the Greek’s style and concepts, the objects that they produced were merely mediocre and not as magnificent as assumed. I consider this to be a rather conceited outlook to have, especially when linked back to the fashion industry – trends are continuously being passed down and developed further to keep a running of contemporary and innovative styles.

Roman Art During a literature review of ‘Landmarks of the World’s Art – The Classical World’ by Donald E. Strong, I came across a paragraph that read: ‘We need to remind ourselves constantly that it was the Greeks who discovered the methods of representing man and nature in sculpture and painting which we accept as natural, and that very often when we observe in the history of Greek art some vital step towards the understanding of the human body..’. I believe that this small passage supports my original essay question to a point - Although Roman works weren’t directly mentioned, the fact that we have the knowledge that they had adopted a number of the Greek customs, is enough to accept the concept of nature being purposefully incorporated into Roman architecture – but for what reason?

Donald E. Strong continued to present the relationship between Roman and Greek art by stating ‘The Romans nd in the 2 century BC inherited the artistic patronage of the Hellenistic Kings. As their enthusiasm for Greek art developed, the two traditions became clearly and firmly established’, followed by ‘The choice of the philhellene Romans ensured the survival of the Greek artistic tradition through the period of the empire. Nor indeed should we underestimate the power of the Romans to develop and add to that tradition. We have to acknowledge that it is to the Romans that we owe not only a great part of our knowledge of Greek art, but the creation of a ‘classical tradition’ in art.’ Collectively, I believe that these statements confirm that the Romans created replicas of Greek art whilst adding their own personal touch to the work. Roman art and architecture are not bad Greek art and architecture; they are different in aim and achievement, based upon evolving, not merely repetitive values (Wheeler, 1964).

Conclusively, despite the fact that the Roman’s artistic forms were essentially borrowed, they expressed in them, more-so in their architecture, their own qualities and nature.

Amanda (2014) Roman Mosaic

Neo-Classicism Taking forward the subject of ‘Classical Art’, it’s important to recognize that this period has influenced artistic styles from the early Renaissance until the present day. Neoclassicism, which began in Europe during the late 1700's, was an artistic movement where ancient Greek and Roman stylization were revived in European art (Buchel, 2009). th At the tail end of the 18 century, women’s fashion were based on the Empire silhouette – characterized by a high waist, the dress traditionally had a flowing gathered skirt that fell to the floor. Heavily influenced by the flowing garments worn by women in ancient Greek art, the gowns were made with finer fabrics such as white lawn or muslin (Jarrett, 2013).

It’s fascinating to see how the ancient civilizations have influenced various forms of design throughout history.

Another dominant Neo-classical trait was found in architecture, where buildings from the classical period have been imitated through the boasting of a number of features: Symmetrical shapes, tall columns, triangular pediments and domed roofs. This notion leads me to delve further into the influences and significances of Roman architecture and learn why people were, and evidently, continue to be inspired by the structural design (Craven, 2014).

David, J.-L. (1799) Madame Raymond de Vernina, Brainard, J. (2008) L’église de la Madeleine, HistoryWiz, Dominique Ingres, J. A. (2014) The Apotheosis of Homer

Roman Architecture ‘The buildings and the sculptured moments of the Empire are far different from those of the Greeks, but they nd make creative use of Greek motifs and, at least until the end of the 2 century AD, the Romans maintained a wholeheartedly respect for Greek form in sculpture and painting. From the first we see important differences of taste between Greek and Roman, and as the Empire progresses, there appear new ideas, religious and artistic, which are directly opposed to the classical.’ – This quote taken from the literature ‘The classical World’ re-examines the idea that the Roman’s merely used the Greek works as a foundation and adapted the designs to create something that was significant to them.

Haywood, S. (2014) Arch of Septimius Severus, Roman Forum, Haywood, S. (2014) Temple of Hadrian Column Full , Piazza Di Pietra

I consider the subject of Roman architecture to be extremely vast, therefore I’ve decided to pinpoint what I feel to be the more imperative components, which will inevitably assist me in discovering the connection between nature and Roman architecture. As one of the most recognisable architectural elements within Rome and a definite example of a structure with an acquired nature-related bond, I thought that the exploration of Roman columns, grand buildings and temples would be most beneficial in providing evidence to fulfil the investigation into my topic.

It’s thought that the Greek columns evolved from the basic Egyptian column design: a structural object consisting of a pedestal, a column and a capital (Dunn, N.D). There are three main column types: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian (Carpenter, N.D). Returning to the previously stated fact, the Romans replicated the ideas of the Greeks; this included the columns, although the Roman columns varied slightly in design.

The Doric and Ionic columns were rather basic in appearance. The Corinthian, on the other hand, is stated to be the most ornate of the orders, characterized by slender fluted columns and elaborate capitals decorated with acanthus leaves and scrolls (Edwards N.D). According to the architectural writer Vitruvius, the origin of the acanthus leaves came from the sculptor Callimachus, who drew a set of acanthus leaves surrounding a votive basket (Vitr. 4.1.9-10 – Becker, 2014). This was merely a more prominent example of natural motifs found within Roman architecture – rinceau’s and anthemion for instance, are also decorative elements commonly found in Roman architecture.

Alan (2014) Illustration of Ionic, Doric and Corinthian Columns

I believe that the Romans exploited their architecture to boast their achievements. In the literature ‘Ancient Rome’ John Malam explains how the Fourm Romanum was the symbol of Roman power and Glory. He continued to explain ‘...it was always the nerve centre of ancient Rome – the place where politicians, lawyers and soldiers made great speeches. It was also used for processions, trials, elections, banquet, gladiatorial games and religious ceremonies’. Along with the fact that the Roman Forum was ‘...hemmed in on all sides by government buildings, law courts, temples, basilicas, archways, statues and columns’ it’s clear that the ancient Romans intended that public buildings should be made to impress, as well as being perfectly functional.

John Haywood stated in ‘Chronicles of the Ancient World 3500 BC’ that Emperor Augustus used art and architecture to glorify his rule. This encourages me to believe that this was the Romans literal and bold way of brandishing their power, stability, prosperity and achievements to the rest of the world.

Haywood, S. (2014) Roman Forum, Rome, Italy

Relating back to John Patrick, the designer who relies on using natural, organic and upcycled materials to create his products; it intrigued me to reflect on the materials used by the ancient Romans to construct their architecture. Whilst reviewing a piece of literature online, it was brought to my attention that the Romans invented concrete (a mixture of lime mortar, sand, water and stones), a strong and readily available substitute for stone. Continuing with ‘...Tile-covered concrete quickly supplanted marble as the primary building material and more daring buildings soon followed, with great pillars supporting broad arches and domes rather than dense lines of columns suspending flat architraves. The freedom of concrete also inspired the colonnade screen, a row of purely decorative columns in front of a load-bearing wall’.

This concept reminds me of up-cycling, the art of re-using a substance, the concrete mixture, in order to create a new material or a product of better quality or for better environmental value, the architecture (MilaniSantarpi, N.D).

Land Art This leads me to explore Land Art; A technique where natural objects are utilized to construct a unique sculpture which then compliments and enhances a given location (Swede). The two examples of land art, shown below, are most intriguing - they were both structured and designed in a solid, uniformed manner Clougha Egg Cairn by Richard Shilling was constructed by stacking millstone grit cairn in the shape of an egg, whereas Gerry Barry’s Crescent was created by sticking branches or poles in water (McMeekin, 2014).

Shilling, R. (2008) Clougha Egg Cairn, Barry, G. (1970) Crescent

It is clear from my research that our surroundings can be manipulated and embellished in order to be admired or appreciated more – this leads me to back to Roman architecture and the significance of their magnificent columns, temples and triumphal arches. Moving forward with the facts that I’ve previously explored, in ‘Chronicles of the Ancient World 3500BC’ it’s explained that ‘during the reign of Augustus (27 B.C – 14 A.D), Rome was transformed into a majestic city. The city was embellished with public baths, theatres, triumphal arches, aqueducts and temples so that Augustus could boast that ‘I left Rome a city of marble, though I found it a city of bricks.’ This statement supports my previous theory that the Roman’s used their architecture to brandish their power, stability, prosperity and achievements to the rest of the world. One element of that quote that I found rather interesting was the comparison of the city to bricks – it’s ironic because during my time in Rome, my father was relentlessly complaining about the time we were spending looking at the architectural ruins – something he referred to as ‘rocks’.

Visual Survey This notion led me to question whether the Romans purposefully constructed their buildings to be prodigious in height in order to create a particular impression to those not accustomed to Rome or the Roman Empire.

As part of my research, I asked a large number of people to partake in a visual survey to find out whether the physical state of an object influences how it is viewed by a person.

My visual survey consisted of two images, both of which showed the same object, except one was fully formed whereas the other was in ruin. I asked each individual to share their initial thoughts/words that they’d use to describe what they were observing.

Haywood, S. (2014) Image One, Haywood, S. (2014) Image Two

After accumulating a total of 72 responses, I found that the results were as expected.

I selected a number of words that were frequently used to describe each picture. Image One was described as being: magnificent, impressive, monumental and grand, along with the representation of wealth, strength and greatness. These are all positive words that mirror the suggestion that the Romans wanted to display their power and evoke admiration and importance through the size and quality of their architecture. In contrast, Image Two was described as being: broken, worn stones, ugly, crumbled and distressed. There’s clearly a strong dissimilarity between the two images and by conducting this survey, I’ve managed to support my theory that the physical state of an object influences how it is viewed by a person.

Following this discovery, I believe that physical state is highly significant in fashion - the basis of this statement mostly relates to Haute Couture and catwalk fashion.

Designers experiment with over-the-top looks in order to create pieces that exceed natural dimensions, whilst using exaggeration to grab attention and indicate future trends (Trend Hunter, N.D). Couture is an effectual way for designers to make a statement of their strength and technical ability – it’s used as a fantasy; something to be a desirable but unobtainable dream for people who view the collections (Marriott, 2014) How does this link to Roman architecture? Linking back to the concept of designers using couture and catwalks as a way of over-exaggerating, similarly, the Romans used the same concept whilst designing and constructing their architecture. It was when the Romans became more inventive, that there was an increase in imperial patronage, allowing for ever bigger and more impressive building projects to be constructed, not only in Rome, but across the Empire, where buildings became propaganda for the mighty and perceived cultural superiority of the Roman world (Cartwright, 2013).

What I find fascinating are the commonalities between fashion and Roman architecture – for instance, an article on ‘The Guardian’ website discusses the function of silhouettes on the catwalk: ‘Silhouette defines fashion at its most primal level. You can use clothing to convey status in different ways.

One: tailoring; the softness of the body is hidden behind a silhouette that appears square, manmade, almost robotic, and therefore suggests power in the sense of work, money or business.

Two: drapery; giving an air of spiritual or moral status, of strength or power beyond that visible to the naked eye (think of the lavish folds worn by religious leaders, by judges, by royalty, by brides) (Morley, 2014)’ Vitruvius wrote a supporting statement that strangely, almost contradicts my original declaration regarding the similarity between the two subjects. He said "...they measured a man's foot, and finding its length the sixth part of his height, they gave the column a similar proportion; that is, they made its height, including the capital, six times the thickness of the shaft, measured at the base. Thus the Doric order obtained its proportion, its strength, and its beauty, from the human figure" (Landart, 2014). This proves that the notion of intensifying dimensions and natural forms in order to create a particular impression was used by architects during the ancient Roman period and currently, by fashion designers. It also further supports the theory behind my visual survey – the idea that the physical state of an object influences how it is viewed by a person.

Contemporary Fashion As with other design forms; the Romans implemented a similar style of clothing to the Greeks, with exception of the traditionally Roman toga – a garment that only a free Roman citizen could wear. Principally, the clothing was very basic in the ancient world, mainly due to the fact that materials were limited – wool was the most commonly used fibre.

The most fundamental garment was the tunic - It was the standard dress of Rome.

Roman men would usually wear white, sleeveless tunics that reached the knee, whereas the women wore them longer and with sleeves.

Roman footwear was rather diverse; sandals that were tied round the ankle with thin strips of leather were worn by both men and women (Roman Dress, 2008).

McGlynn, K. (no date) Ancient Roman fashion for women

To conclude my investigation, I intend on illustrating how the Roman culture, as a whole, has inspired fashion. th Having explored the influences of the classical world on women’s fashion in the late 18 century, I now turn to some contemporary examples.

Vera Wang Spring Resort 2008 Inspired by the Ancient Romans, Vera Wang re-imagined the traditional toga in her Spring Resort 2008 Collection. Creating an elegant style, her frocks came in ‘colour-blocked satins, brushstroke-print silks, and rich metallics’ (Phelps, 2007). A review of Wang’s collection demonstrates a comprehensible link between the cultures of ancient Rome and fashion ‘The Collection was based on the exploration of the vibrancy and seduction of ancient Rome with all of its physical beauty, its poly-cultural society and long lasting influence on civilization. From the vivid colour palette to the easy fluidity of relaxed silhouettes, the collection was also punctuated with structure: carefully engineered cuts and volumes, and dramatic mixtures of weights, textures, and proportions.’ The author continue to described the collection to have ‘ornaments of leaves and flowers worn both on and off the garments’ (Martinez, 2008)

Images: Madeira, M. and Wang, V. (2008) Look 22, 44, 49. (Spring Resort)

Valentino Spring 2015 Ready-To-Wear A second, more recent example of a fashion trend that has been influenced by the classical world is Valentino’s Spring 2015 Ready-To-Wear collection. A summary of the collection expressed how ‘...The collection took its cue from the 18th century tradition of the Grand Tour, a trip taken by young Europeans to explore the art, culture and traditions of Italy. Rome and all-out classicism, views, ruins, and souvenirs were all tapped’ (Harris, 2014). A separate review elaborated further by stating ‘...Chiuri and Piccioli touched on many of Italy's patrimonies, from its antiquities all the way down to its kitsch. Centuries-old interiors—the country is cornice heaven—provided blueprints for a series of colourful dresses printed with vivid flowers and arabesque forms. It was all anchored with flat knee-high gladiator sandals.’ (Harris, 2014) I believe that this collection supports my argument, as it highlights the neo-classicalism movement, natural forms and the style of footwear commonly worn during the ancient Roman period, all of which are elements that were significant during my investigation into nature and the Roman culture.

Valentino (2014) Look 1. (Spring/Summer 2015 Ready-To-Wear

Conclusion From the studying of a diverse selection of natural influences and the history of the ancient Roman culture, I have gathered an expansive amount of evidence and knowledge that successfully illustrates a relationship between the two subjects.

Through the admiration of several contemporary designers, It’s been established how nature has been depicted through the use of various concepts and techniques – Nicole Dextras and John Patrick both incorporate up-cycling into their fashion collections by utilizing natural objects and fibres.

These studies have helped me to demonstrate how nature has been used as a source of inspiration contemporarily.

In order to answer my essay question, I was required to reveal how and why nature was used to adorn architecture during the ancient Roman period.

Following my initial research into the ancient Roman culture, it is ascertained that the Romans were highly influenced by the Greeks in a number of fields. Some examples being: art, religion, fashion and architecture.

In the most fundamental form, I selected one of the most apparent examples of architecture that comprises natural motifs and established that the decorative capital of the Corinthian column was inspired by the overgrown appearance of acanthus leaves. This in itself, I feel, answers the first part of my study question. In addition and unbeknown to me, Greco-Roman architecture was also inspired by the proportions of the human body, a natural source of inspiration that I hadn’t originally considered.

Furthermore, by elaborating on the concept of proportions within architecture, I was able to build a relationship between that and fashion – Couture collections are over-exaggerated to grab attention in the same way that the Roman buildings were overemphasized to demonstrate cultural superiority.

Following the study of typical dress of the ancient Roman period, I was able to distinguish the key elements that have influenced recent fashion trends and subsequently, provide evidence to support my original theory.

As a result, I have discovered that Roman culture and architecture has facilitated artists and designers (over time) with the inspiration to manipulate the significance and realism of proportions, provided structural knowledge that can be utilized in a variety of practices and ultimately, they have assisted in the influencing of contemporary fashion trends.

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Table of Illustrations - Alan (2014) Illustration of Ionic, Doric and Corinthian Columns. Available at: http://www.tanglewoodconservatories.com/blog/2014/01/how-is-a-conservatory-like-an-ancient-greektemple/ - Amanda (2014) Roman Mosaic. Available at: http://yumiandachille.com/tag/colour/ - Backlund, S. (2010) Structural Knit. Available at: http://keepwobblin.com/2010/10/sandra-backlund-ss11/ - Barnes, D. (2011) Felted Rug. Available at: http://blog.pawlingprintstudio.com/2010_08_01_archive.html - Barnes, D. (2011) Knitted Textures. Available at: http://blog.pawlingprintstudio.com/2010_08_01_archive.html - Barry, G. (1970) Crescent. Available at: http://inhabitat.com/gerry-barrys-incredible-land-art-installationsharmonize-with-the-irish-landscape/ -Berry, J. (2011) Alexander Mosaic 100BC. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/pompeii_art_gallery_07.shtml.

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Available at: http://www.nicoledextras.com/index.php?/garmentssummer/weedrobes-wardrobe/\ - Dextras, N. (2010) Yucca Prom Dress. Available at: Dextras, N. (2010) Fallen Petals. Available at: http://www.nicoledextras.com/index.php?/garmentssummer/weedrobes-wardrobe/ - Dominique Ingres, J. A. (2014) The Apotheosis of Homer. Artble. Available at: http://www.artble.com/artists/john_flaxman - Doran, J. (2012) Octavian, Emporer Augustus. Available at: http://www.theworldofchinese.com/2012/05/ofemperors-and-empires/ - Dunn, J. (2013) Egyptian Pillar. Available at: www.touregypt.net/featurestories/templehalls.htm - Farago, P. and Backlund, S. (2007) Curved Organic Knit. Available at: http://styleskilling.com/2007/06/15/sandra-backlunds-ink-blot-test/ - Figueras, G. (2011) Sagrada Familia Gaudi Nave Central. Available at: http://diariodesign.com/2011/02/lanave-de-la-sagrada-familia-premio-ciutat-de-barcelona-de-arquitectura/sagrada-familia-gaudi-nave-central-1/ - Fulton, H. (2014) Spring.Summer 2015, WGSN - Haywood, S. (2014) Arch of Septimius Severus, Roman Forum.

- Haywood, S. (2014) Floral Decoration - Haywood, S. (2014) Image One - Haywood, S. (2014) Image Two - Haywood, S. (2014) Roman Forum, Rome, Italy.

- Haywood, S. (2014) Rome, Italy.

- Haywood, S. (2014) Temple of Hadrian Column Full , Piazza Di Pietra - Haywood, S. (2014) Temple of Hadrian Column, Piazza Di Pietra - Haywood, S. (2014) Trajan’s Column, Rome - L’Anson, R. (2013) Roman Forum. Lonely Planet Images/Getty Images. Available at: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/365-photos/forum-rome-italy/ - Madeira, M. and Wang, V. (2008) Look 22. (Spring Resort). Available at: http://www.style.com/fashionshows/spring-2008-ready-to-wear/vera-wang/collection - Madeira, M. and Wang, V. (2008) Look 44. (Spring Resort). Available at: http://www.style.com/fashionshows/spring-2008-ready-to-wear/vera-wang/collection - Madeira, M. and Wang, V. (2008) Look 49. (Spring Resort). Available at: http://www.style.com/fashionshows/spring-2008-ready-to-wear/vera-wang/collection - Maish, L. (2007) Cancelleria Relief Frieze. Available at: http://www.rome101.com/Topics/Cancelleria/ - McGlynn, K. (no date) Ancient Roman fashion for women. Available at:

https://www2.bc.edu/~mcglynka/honors4.html - Patrick, J. (2014) Look 4. (Organic). Available at: http://www.organicbyjohnpatrick.com/pages/collection - Patrick, J. (2014) Look 13. (Organic). Available at: http://www.organicbyjohnpatrick.com/pages/collection - Patrick, J. (2014) Look 15. (Organic). Available at: http://www.organicbyjohnpatrick.com/pages/collection - Patrick, J. (2014) Look 21. (Organic). Available at: http://www.organicbyjohnpatrick.com/pages/collection - Rausa, R. (2012) Techo de la nave central, Sagrada Familia. Available at: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/70326151 - s7hauhe (2011) Rinceau. Available at: http://www.quazoo.com/q/Rinceau?fItemID=1&fditem=&iturl=https%3A//s7hauhe.wordpress.com/2011/04/17/rome/&flink=true&ItemSlideshow - Shilling, R. (2008) Clougha Egg Cairn. Available at: http://richardshilling.co.uk/photo_4359387.html - Valentino (2014) Look 1. (Spring/Summer 2015 Ready-To-Wear). Available at: http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/spring-summer-2015/ready-to-wear/valentino - Valentino (2014) Look 39. (Spring/Summer 2015 Ready-To-Wear). Available at: http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/spring-summer-2015/ready-to-wear/valentino - Valentino (2014) Look 66. (Spring/Summer 2015 Ready-To-Wear). Available at: http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/spring-summer-2015/ready-to-wear/valentino

Rinceau - S7hauhe. (2011)

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