Summer 2014: Books: New Icons of Fashion Illustration

'The art of the contemporary fashion illustrator can be seen as defying the times - an anachronism in this age of the digital photograph, instant internet communication and technology-driven creative processes. Even when computer software is used as a too, the idea of forging a career as a fashion illustrator today seems highly unrealistic. Yet in spite of this, or possibly even because of this, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, from the UK to the USA, highly accomplished and highly successful fashion illustrators are working away.'

'Perhaps this is because capturing the ephemeral world of fashion creates a document of our society and the times in which we live. Often the seemingly inconsequential drawings and portraits of fashion illustrators tell us more about our values and lifestyle choices than the posed, edited and re-touched images of photo shoots. Fashion illustration is, by its very nature, of-the-moment. The characters in Jordi Labanda's illustrations, for example, speak to us of the latest style from fetishes, from the clothes that the figures wear through to their body language.'

(Personally I don't really like Labanda's style very much, I think it is the digital flat look which puts me off but I like his themes and characters recognisable from the fashion industry.)

'It is also true that we are currently rediscovering craft and technique and seeking to preserve skills- such as drawing from life at speed - that were in danger of disappearing. Fashion illustration is an art based simply on the skill of the hand and eye. The delicacy of the line in an image by Cedric Rivrain, for instance, reminds us of this.'

Sasha in Lanvin, 2008. Cedric Rivrain. 'The skill of the workrooms that made this dress is honoured by this illustration. Rivrain lovingly records the sheen of the fabric and every exquisite fold the seamstress stitched. The mask and necklace provide a perfect balance through their shapes and lines.'

Model in Louis Vuitton, 2007. 'A conceit imagined by Fragonard or Dali, this image combines the romance of Leda and the Swan with the knowledge that swans are vicious creatures to make an impossible reality. The style is poetic, with an underlying oddness which is heightened by the model being both naked to the waist and wearing exaggerated shoes.'

(Drawing from life at speed is something I really need to challenge myself with and practice loads over the course of the next year!)

'The hand of the illustrator demonstrates both the timeless craft of illustration and the follies and fancies of the current mode. With his sharp observations and graphic lines, Piet Paris provides another fine example of this, confirming that fashion illustration is and always has been about a great deal more than a pretty drawing of a pretty dress.'

'H' for 'Haute Couture', 'Fashion ABC' series, Het Parool, 2010. 'It takes a moment or two to work out that the extravagant seamstress is working on the vast bustled skirt of the model. Notice how Paris links the cotton reel, the bow in the model's hair and the bow shape balanced on the bustle.'

'The enduring art of illustrating fashion has been explored in many forms, from exhibitions to books. Many of these publications and showcases have been about artists of the past, however. While they demonstrate that the artists who stand the test of time are both those who use the recording of fashion as part of a larger picture and those who focus on the illustration of fashion as an end within itself, there is little available on today's artists of tomorrow. This compendium seeks to fill that gap and celebrate fashion illustrations renaissance.'

'Tellingly, it is at the height of our interest in multimedia and cross-media communication that our interest in fashion illustration has become much more widespread. From department stores to jewellers, all major fashion businesses are investing in the art of the illustrator and realizing there are myriad styles for the drawn image, from polished technical effects that only the computer can achieve to traditional pencil or water colour delicacy. Major fashion stores across the globe surprise us by using, say, Tanya Ling for their campaign as opposed to the glossy images of photographic studios.'

Christian Dior A/W 09, 2009. 'Frog fastenings give a Russian or military air to this suit with its tightly belted waist and slim lines. The ineffable chic of the wearer is balanced by the unexpected hue of her hair, which imparts a slight air of eccentricity to the portrait.'
Tanya Ling has a style that is widely recognizable: 'a possibly oblique and faintly sardonic, but always kind view of the fashion world. Her ladies lunch in Chanel, shop in Lanvin and walk the dog in Balenciaga. They reflect the fashion seasons by appearing in furs or chiffons; they sport the latest 'must haves', whether patterned tights or an unswept hairdo. They favour timeless colours such as black and grey and use red as colour punctuation. Above all, in their passion for all things fashionable, they really give the impression of knowing what's hot and what's not and all about style, down to the very tips of their well-manicured (in this weeks colour of varnish) fingertips...Her marks whirl across the page and there is an animation to the illustrations that is in total contrast to the tightly controlled image of the fashion world... these are women who are animated and communicative, busy and with plenty to say.
The individualism of each designer Ling draws for is reflected in the individualisation of her characters... A notable point about Ling's work is her rendering of, focus on and evident love of hairstyles; no illustration is complete without its bold portrayal of a hairdresser's masterpiece...They are not sterile reproductions of a garment and the fabric it's made from, but rather skilled commentaries on a specific world, which will be studied in a hundred years by people wanting to find out what women really looked like when wearing fashions of the day.

'Today, while fashion illustrators continue in their traditional role of recording and observing- communicating through line the essence of a season- they also have much broader horizons. These include advertising campaigns, of course, but also designs for accessories, such as bags, and even china plates - and this by illustrators as diverse as Julie Verhoevan, David Downton or Jeffery Fulvimari. Moreover, as technology rides roughshod across craft in many domains, fashion illustration is reinventing itself through the application of technology, albeit in tandem with more traditional drawing skills. Indeed, Richard Haines's swift hand-drawn lines are posted on-line in a matter of minutes.'

http://designerman-whatisawtoday.blogspot.co.uk/

'Above all else, however, there remains the joy and wander of watching an illustrator put a drawing instrument to paper and capture, in a few brief seconds, the line and form of the model, the pose and the movement of the garments.'

JASON BROOKS

Model Walking, Pink, 2008.
'Smiling directly at the viewer, this long-legged elegant strides confidently across the page in her killer heels.
The bold strokes of the artist leave much unsaid and yet tell us everything we need to know.'

'The Jason Brooks girl and her companions inhabit a world that we long to enter, where gloss and glamour reside alongside a seemingly endless good time - be it on a beach or in a bar... One element defines and is common to all his work: detailed observation. The basic ability to draw without technology, and the understanding of line and medium underpin the entire output of this artist. There is never any doubt that the rose held by the model will be exactly the right rose, that the tilt of an eyebrow will convey exactly the correct mood.'

'His commissions spread across a wide range of clients and products, and from early newspaper work through to major campaigns Brooks has bought the same rigour to everything he has touched. Colour has always played a key role in Brooks's work, with a sharp use of contemporary colour balance in many of his images. Reflecting trends while retaining a personal identity and signature style is always a challenge for a fashion illustrator. Concerns of longevity also enter into the perceived stylishness of a fashion image, be it illustration or photograph. However, Brooks remains totally in control - whether in his glossy digital images or his simple line drawings- by distilling the essence of what he wishes to say.'

CECILIA CARLSTEDT

Untitled, 2011.

'Her work has a magical quality, which does not reveal itself at first glance. In her portfolio there are many examples that demonstrate her technique of taking a figure and partially representing it in a simple, bold and recognisable manner while at the same time allowing it to blur into abstraction. Such graphic boldness is balanced by the exquisite drafting of the model's face, hair and hands, while the shadowed silhouette tells the observer a great deal about the personality and attitude of the subject.'

'The images are in the great tradition of fashion illustration with their story telling quality, using the medium to convey more than the simple factual representation of a garment. Carlstedt deploys an extraordinary variety of poses and positioning within her work, from close-up portrait in repose to on-location activity. She uses her illustrative skills to tell many different stories- a sexy story, a holiday story, a romantic story - there is always a narrative and a specific atmosphere associated with her fashion illustrations. It is particularly interesting to note the colour palette of the work, which reflects a specific Scandinavian sensibility within a controlled spectrum.'

Untitled, 2011.
'White against black conjures up an almost nostalgic feel here, with soft washes and feathery brush strokes.
These images evoke vintage cinema, thanks to the skilled handling of monochromatic lines and spaces.'

'There is a specific soft face-powder shade, which transcends season or fashion, to which she faithfully returns, and for which she finds a myriad of uses. Of course bold colour is used, but rarely. All of these elements combine to give the work of Cecilia Carlstedt that 'something special' that both the client and the viewer are searching for- original work with personality and presence.'

JEAN-PHILIPPE DELHOMME

Vivienne Westwood, Muse Magazine, 2009.
'This fearless fashion portrait is quite simply the distillation of Vivienne Westwood for all time. The unnatural red hair, the draped tartan and scattered badges, all underlined by the bold pose, offer us the definitive Westwood.'

'The boundary between fashion illustration and the socially observation found in cartoons is often blurred. Tongue-in-cheek approaches to the fashions of the day have coloured the work of illustrators since the British caricaturists James Gillray and Thomas Rowlandson in the eighteenth century. Jean-Philippe Delhomme pins down fashion 'types'. In an interview he once said, 'People might get it or they may not. It's amusing for those who get it, and they are not unpleased that others don't.'

'His first illustrations were published in British Vogue...In 1987 he created for French Glamour the series 'Polaroids de Jeunes Filles' - pictures that viewed a specific section of society with a wry sense of humour. By the early nineties his style was internationally recognised and his gouache illustrations with witty captions were used by Barneys New York for their seasonal advertising campaign... That the creative directors at Barneys, Ronnie Cooke Newhouse and Glenn O'Brien chose to replace photography with illustration says much for Delhomme's ability to communicate both an affection for and a humorous approach to the terminally stylish and aspirational world of modern society.'

'His blog, 'The Unkown Hipster', details the comings and goings of the world according to Delhomme, and his oblique slant on the sophisticated world of the fashionable continues to enchant viewers everywhere.'

http://unknownhipster.com/

BIL DONOVAN