# Intricately Painted Frocks Fort Makers Have Created 'The Dress Project' for Unique Wearable Art By Chalaine Mantha | Published 2011-02-04 | Fashion Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-dress-project References: [coolhunting](http://www.coolhunting.com/style/fort-makers-the.php) & [fortmakers](http://fortmakers.com/wordpress/) 'The Dress Project' is a clever innovation by the Brooklyn folk collective [Fort Makers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/abstract-fantasy-home), who have created wearable art in their latest venture. They wanted to [combine art and fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/joy-artist-capsule) in a literal sense, and thought [hand-painted dresses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/1460-8eyelet-boot) were the best way to go about it. The dresses by the Fort Makers were formed from button-down shirt-dresses. The idea for them was to convey "a sense of all-American style." **Implications** - Personally, I wouldn't be ashamed to wear one of these funky DIY shirt projects. They may not be everyone's style, but they speak to me and I love the fact that they're hand painted. The world needs more people willing to just start brand-new fashion trends from their garages. Who knows where the next Marc Jacobs will be found? ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.9/10 - Popularity: 42% | Activity: 7% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 30% men, 70% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/fashion) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Wearable Art:** The trend of wearable art is gaining popularity as artists and designers combine art and fashion to create unique pieces. - **Hand-painted Fashion:** Hand-painted clothing, like the intricately painted frocks by Fort Makers, is becoming a disruptive innovation in the fashion industry. - **DIY Fashion:** DIY fashion projects, such as the shirt-dresses created by Fort Makers, are empowering individuals to start their own fashion trends. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Fashion:** The fashion industry can explore the potential of wearable art and hand-painted fashion to bring artistic expression to clothing. - **Art:** The art industry can collaborate with fashion designers to create wearable art pieces that blur the boundaries between art and fashion. - **Creative Retail:** The DIY fashion trend opens up opportunities for creative retail businesses that cater to individuals seeking unique, hand-painted clothing options. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Wearable Art Streetwear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/a-days-march-1.md) - [Elegant Easy-to-Wear Shirt Dresses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-shirt-dress-collection.md) - [Artistic Dress NFTs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/unwearable-dresses.md) - [Couture Ketchup Dresses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/la-robe-ketchup.md) - [Dynamic Shape-Shifting Dresses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/primrose-dress.md) - [Disruptive Fashion Art Galleries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dirty-looks.md) - [Abstract Fantasy Home Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/abstract-fantasy-home.md) - [Worldly Paint Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paint-collection-for-men.md) - [Peace-Resembling Dress Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/peace-dress.md)