1952 - modern art leaves its mark on the summer fashion

In past seasons playclothes have copied the styles of little boys, striptease girls, bullfighters and buccaneers. This year (1952 - my annotation), sometimes deliberately and sometimes by accident, designers have taken cues from the work of modern painters. The bold colors and kaleidoscopic patterns of contemporary art, which have been applied in the home to everything from chairs to china, are now being applied to beachwear and summer cocktail clothes. The photoshoot presented today was done by the famous Erwin Blumenfeld for LIFE Magazine (US) in may 1952.

(above) Splashy print flowers and strong stripes combined in one outfit by Brigance are for american women who want to dress like a Matisse harem girl after swimming. The camisole top ($10) is boned. The soft pants ($12) are in popular length that ends in a band just below the knee.

Picasso's influence is shown in harlequin checks, which suggest his early circus figures, and the double-image effects of his later work. Pants are tailored cotton in above-ankle length ($15); the shirt has the season's biggest sleeves, puffed out by crinoline ($15, both Polly Hornburg).

Newest swimsuits with tight tops, wide pants or skirts reflect the ballet bodices and tutu skirts of Degas' dancers. Here are (from left to right) a checked cotton (Del Mar, $16), two in velveteen with drawstring pants (Brigance, $25 each), a pique (Jantzen, $11) and two in striped cotton (Brigancem $18 each).

Short sun or evening dress (Tina Leser, $50) is in the authentic pareau cloth worn by Gauguin's tahitian girls, whom he portrayed either bare to the waist or with one shoulder only covered. This dress copies the latter, more conventional style. Giant hibiscus-size earrings (Miriam Haskell, $25) are porcelain and gold.

The perennial T-shirt's most elaborate version is in silk twill, designed by Emilio of Capri. Smiling from its front is a Pagliacci clown mask with abstract moons which recall the humorous designs of spanish surrealist Joan Miro.

Tubular top completely covers shorts or bathing suit, has a wide turtleneck to slide over the head easily (Coral, $3.95). Here photographer Blumenfeld sets it against the kind of geometric pattern used by painter Piet Mondrian, who experimented with arrangements of primary colors but never included any model.