Back in the 1920s, Coco Chanel declared black a tone worthy of women’s wear and single-handedly invented the “little black dress”. In her stubborn pursuit of simplicity, she declared it a practical, versatile and elegant cure for the over-the-top, uncomfortable clothes that women of her time were expected to wear.
The color that once bore the reputation of funeral-wear has since come a long way in fashion, and it’s hard to imagine a closet without a pair of classic black pumps or a woman who doesn’t own a cocktail dress in the achromatic color.
Inspired by its vital role in the world of style, The Volts has curated a collection of black dresses, jackets, tops, shoes and accessories that will go on sale this week. And in the spirit of this much-anticipated sale, we wanted to share some images and icons that helped remind us that black was, is, and always will be the color for fashion.
Supermodel Naomi Campbell shows us her morbid side in this controversial shoot by Mert & Marcus for Interview Magazine’s August 2010 issue (above left), and Lara Stone poses starkly in Calvin Klein’s 2011 collection campaign (above right).
Fashion photographer Pierre Dal Corso plays with geometry by dressing a model’s face instead of her body in the stunning yet simple image here above.
Ellen von Unwerth, one of today’s most high-profile commercial photographers, shoots almost exclusively in black and white and is known for her erotic portrayal of supermodels and actors including Amber Heard (seen here in the above-left image shot for V Magazine).
Unwerth’s path was paved by Helmut Newton. With work spanning five decades, Newton understood the richness of black and white photography and is still recognized today for his signature gritty, provocative aesthetic. (Above right: Helmut Newton for Thierry Mugler 1998, Below: supermodel Linda Evangelista by Helmut Newton).
In front of the camera lens, on the red carpet, and on the street, black continues to stand its ground as the color of choice for the style savvy.
Above: Erin Wasson in a sheer cocktail dress (left), Agyness Deyn on the street in tomboy chic style (center), and Daria Werbowy (right) on the red carpet in a sexy cutout floor-length gown.
