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Embracing Authenticity: Joan Mitchell's Enduring Style Legacy

Early Insights into an Artist's Wardrobe

In 1981, the prominent American Abstract Expressionist, Joan Mitchell, made an appearance in Vogue magazine. She was captured wearing a black leather jacket, a vibrant blue turtleneck, and rust-colored trousers. Her signature eyewear and simple, practical haircut, alongside her striking diptych titled Two Sunflowers (1980), completed her memorable image. This depiction perfectly encapsulates Mitchell's often remarkable personal aesthetic.

The Unconventional Fashion of a Visionary Artist

Art critic Barbara Rose, in a companion piece, highlighted Mitchell's refusal to remove her glasses, even for photographs, noting the profound discipline evident in her artwork, which contrasted sharply with her casual demeanor regarding dress and home decor. Rose suggested that Mitchell could easily be mistaken for a latter-day Beatnik, underscoring her nonconformist spirit.

Celebrating a Centenary: Reevaluating Joan Mitchell's Impact

This year marks the one hundredth anniversary of Mitchell's birth, an occasion recognized by a new exhibition, "To Define a Feeling: Joan Mitchell, 1960–1965," at David Zwirner in New York. This milestone offers a valuable opportunity to revisit the life and artistic contributions of one of the 20th century's most significant artists. Whether observing her pieces like George Went Swimming at Barnes Hole, but It Got Too Cold (1957), La Vie en rose (1979), or the extensive La Grande Vallée series (1983–84), viewers often encounter a spectrum of profound emotions. Mitchell masterfully infused her canvases with the dynamism of color through bold brushstrokes, and even direct application with rags and hands, crafting a visual symphony. At the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris, where her art was showcased alongside Claude Monet's, the majestic rhythms and profound enigmas of her paintings left a lasting impression.

Fashion as a Reflection of Artistic Integrity

As hinted by Rose, Mitchell was not overtly concerned with fashion trends. It is quite conceivable that her views on clothing paralleled her artistic philosophy. In a 1991 interview with the New York Times from Vétheuil, France, where she had resided since 1968, she famously stated, "My paintings have nothing to do with what’s in and what’s out."

A Rebel's Wardrobe: The Enduring Appeal of Anti-Style

This sentiment is echoed by gallerist John Cheim, who knew Mitchell in her later years. He described her as "anti-style, very much an authentic rebel," much like her artwork. Cheim noted her preference for practical attire such as jeans, corduroys, turtlenecks, untucked Oxford shirts, suede athletic shoes, and cashmere scarves, which she wore effortlessly and impressively in any setting.

First Impressions: Mitchell's Unforgettable Presence

Cheim first encountered Mitchell in Manhattan in 1981, after a performance of Parade at the Met Opera. He recalls her wearing a "broad-shouldered, waist-length fur ‘monkey coat’ and slacks, with large, dark glasses." She reminded him of a character from a 1940s Hollywood movie, akin to Joan Crawford, Katharine Hepburn, or Barbara Stanwyck, highlighting her striking and timeless presence.

Formative Years and Artistic Beginnings

Born in Chicago, Mitchell hailed from an affluent family. Her father, James Mitchell, was a physician and head of the American Dermatological Association, also dabbling as an amateur watercolorist. Her mother, Marion Strobel, co-edited Poetry magazine, which featured acclaimed poets like Ezra Pound. As a young girl, Mitchell was a debutante, an accomplished diver, and a champion figure skater, yet she favored dungarees and masculine shirts. Her artistic journey began early, discovering Van Gogh at the age of six, and she even penned poetry, once writing, "Her eyebrows were plucked and she wore French heels."

Navigating Societal Expectations and Personal Expression

The distinctive aspects of Mitchell's style can be partly attributed to the diverse social spheres she traversed. Sarah Roberts, senior director of curatorial affairs at the Foundation, suggests that Mitchell spent many years reconciling the expectations of her family, who desired her to be a refined young lady, with her own rebellious spirit and inclination towards the art community. It was common for Mitchell and her sister to change clothes multiple times a day; in a letter to her former lover Mike Goldberg, Mitchell, then 28, mentioned frequently altering her attire to please her father while he was hospitalized. Concurrently, her preference for trench coats, tailored trousers, simple knitwear, and loafers with socks in 1950s New York—an aesthetic she maintained in Paris through the 1960s—stood out at a time when women's fashion was dominated by fitted dresses, hats, and hosiery, making a quiet yet powerful statement.

The Unfussy Elegance of an Artist

Jill Weinberg Adams, whose association with Mitchell began when Adams worked for gallerist Xavier Fourcade in the late 1970s, observed, "When I was getting to know Joan, I think she had decided she didn’t have to impress anybody with what she put on. But that doesn’t mean she wasn’t particular or didn’t care." Adams noted Mitchell's upbringing in an upper-class family, suggesting she was well-versed in presenting herself appropriately in various social and professional contexts.

A Distinctive International Flair

Artist Billy Sullivan, who met Mitchell when she was exhibiting at the Robert Miller gallery in the late 1980s, described her as "the Wasp who conquered France and had great love affairs!" He felt her style, characterized by an international sensibility, was typical for someone from Chicago. "She wasn’t going to go with the latest look. She had her look," Sullivan emphasized.

Mitchell's Charismatic Demeanor and Practicality

Sullivan also noted Mitchell's undeniable "swagger—the way she held a cigarette, the way she moved." He confirmed they never shopped for clothes together, adding, "Oh, she wouldn’t do that."

Beyond Fashion: A Keen Observer's Eye

Guy Bloch-Champfort, a lawyer and author of Joan Mitchell: By Her Friends, remarks, "Regarding Joan and fashion, I’m sure she did not really follow it." However, she was observant. Bloch-Champfort recalls Mitchell noting his mother's Chanel attire during a hospital visit. A letter from Mitchell to her ex-husband Barney Rosset in 1979, preserved in the Foundation's archives, famously mentions her modern, high-low fashion sense, combining Yves Saint Laurent trousers with Adidas sneakers. She wrote of finding comfort in Adidas sneakers, planning to wear them everywhere, even to the White House if necessary, paired with her velvet Saint Laurent pants.

Unwavering Authenticity in Appearance

Artist Peter Soriano, who considered Mitchell a mentor, described her as "no-nonsense and practical," even down to her distinctive, straight-cut hairstyle. He recounted her impatience with those who constantly fussed over their appearance, citing an art critic who frequently brushed hair from his face, much to Mitchell's annoyance.

The Ever-Ready Suitcase: Mitchell's Traveling Wardrobe

Adams and Bloch-Champfort both remember Mitchell's suitcase, often kept open on the billiard table at Vétheuil. Adams explained, "It was the suitcase to go on the road, to come to New York, to visit her sister in California, and even though it would often be on the billiard table open, I don’t think it was something that she unpacked and repacked for the next trip." She believed it contained Mitchell's current selection of clothes for when she was away from her studio.

Making a Statement: From Casual to Bold

Bloch-Champfort, who worked for Dior and Celine while friends with Mitchell, recalls a green-blue wool cardigan of his that she wore to the 1982 opening of "Joan Mitchell: Choix de Peintures, 1970–1982" at the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris. This choice, more casual than, for instance, the sapphire-blue velvet blazer, blue turtleneck, and mauve flared pants she sported at a Whitney opening in 1974, was nonetheless specific, audacious, and a clear departure from her bourgeois background.

Cherished Garments: Gifts and Personal Expressions

This pattern of unique personal expression extended to her cherished garments. Many pieces Mitchell was frequently photographed in were gifts from friends. She often wore a golden yellow parka from Bloch-Champfort in her Vétheuil garden and treasured a Willem de Kooning T-shirt given by her dealer, Xavier Fourcade. A standout example is a sweatshirt featuring four white bears with red ribbons, a gift from artist Matthew Morley, which she wore in Marion Cajori's documentary, Joan Mitchell: Portrait of an Abstract Painter.

The Secret to Joan Mitchell's Unforgettable Style

Mitchell's vibrant and distinctive sartorial style, which emerged long before the art world broadly embraced fashion, deserves recognition for its authentic and uninhibited character. A memorable scene in Cajori's compelling film shows Mitchell seated at a table with a vase of yellow flowers, likely from her garden. Her attire—a blue cardigan, slim cords, and black leather slippers—appears unremarkable, yet exudes a perfect, brilliantly "Joan" essence. This, ultimately, was her great style secret: as Adams aptly states, Mitchell simply "set aside conventional expectations and independently dressed for herself."