Beyonce at the Wearable Art Gala, 2019. Image credit: @BEYEDITS on Twitter

Beyonce's mom, Tina Knowles Lawson, and her partner, Richard Lawson, have breathed life into Wearable Art Galas for the past 3 or so years. The Wearable Art Gala is now a star-studded annual event that is fortunately coming soon to television for us all to drool at on Oprah's OWN television network.

Ms. Tina has always been a fashion icon, styling Beyonce and Destiny's Child since long ago. It is therefore no surprise that her involvement with the Wearable Art Gala and the philanthropic arm she and Richard have brought to it is thriving. While the clothes most people wear to this gala may not be everyday street clothes, the trend has garnered enough footprint to make it onto the regular clothing isles. What is this wearable art you ask? Read on.

Wearable art, also widely recognized as Artwear or "art to wear," describes uniquely designed clothing items or jewelry that are produced as works of fine or expressive art. The term "wearable art" suggests that the work is meant to be embraced as a serious and original artistic creation or statement. The purpose of wearable art was once to draw attention while it was being displayed or modeled, but now it can be worn as regular clothing.

The history of wearable art

Wearable art first appeared in the 1960s, developed in the 1970s, and continued to expand well into the 2000s. The items from Viktor and Rolf from their 2015 fall couture show are possibly the most well-known. Carefully made clothing was viewed as a way to express oneself and, in addition, as a way to resist mass production. The movement's upbeat beginning, which saw clothing as a means of self-expression, has evolved into a brand-new, modern clothing trend. The majority of the delivered pieces are displayed and sold through galleries, stores, and specialty fairs, supporting the claim that they are a type of art.

How can you start a wearable art business?

If you want to create unique pieces to showcase at a local wearable art gallery or at an upcoming wearable art show, DIY may be your go-to. Also, in 2022, entire businesses now exist solely to collaborate with artists to create distinctive fashion products for consumers. You can receive royalties for clothing produced using your designs or artwork without any experience in manufacturing, shipping, or retail. Read on for more details.

DIY your wearable art

If you have compelling art skills, then this will work in your favor. Start by rounding up all your input materials like fabric (or ready-made plain clothes), stamps, paint, brushes, etc. Look out for the Hobby Lobby sale to get these items at reasonable prices so that you can minimize your costs. It will take you a few days to create your pieces, but your work will also determine the price you can sell the items for.

Sell your artistic designs instead

If you would rather sell only the designs and not the actual clothing items, any one of these top five companies can transform your art into fashion. They are truly located at the intersection of art, fashion, and technology.

1. The Social6

Thousands of artists have created original works and uploaded them to Society6, a marketplace where you can buy everything from fine art prints to tote bags and throws. It's a pretty sweet deal because Society6 handles fulfillment and shipping as well as paying artists a predetermined rate for any items that sell.

2. Bucketfeet

Anyone can submit artwork to be printed on a variety of shoes through the curated platform Bucketfeet—really, it's fantastic! If your design is selected, you'll receive $1 for each pair sold and up to $250 upfront. This is an excellent way to compete for exposure and perhaps even generate some extra income, given that these guys were chosen by Nordstrom and are available in hundreds of physical stores and online!

3. Threadless

Threadless allows makers and artists to sell their creations on the platform. After submitting your concept, you must wait while the threadless community rates each design. Each week, new designs are selected for publication, and the winning designers receive sizable royalties in addition to having their creations worn all over the world.

4. RedBubble

RedBubble is a little different than your typical art gallery; it's an online gallery for artists. Redbubble does not charge artist fees or commissions; instead, they set a base price (covering the cost of production) for each product they sell and give you the option to set the retail price. Therefore, if the base price for an art print of a certain size was $4, you could choose to mark it up to $6, $20, or whatever you like. When someone purchases, Redbubble keeps $4 while you keep the remaining amount.

5. Zazzle

Zazzle uses cutting-edge technology to print original artwork on a wide range of products, including water bottles, watches, bags, and iPhone cases. Zazzle allows artists to choose their own royalty rates between 5 and 99%, which has an impact on the final price of the product. Of the 5 websites we've listed, they have probably been around the longest, and all of their products are credible.

Final thoughts

Wearable art has fast become an acceptable trend to express yourself in the way you dress. If you have the artistic skills to make unique creations, go ahead and start a business. DIY and sell your creations on Etsy or your website, or put up your designs on the suggested top 5 companies that can transform your art into fashion.