Fashion illustration has evolved with changing technology and shifting cultural aesthetic cues. We have a look at the shifts in this medium from early last century to today.
There was once a time when illustration was the primary medium for communicating fashion. But it began a slow decline from around the 1930's when Vogue replaced their illustrated covers with photographs until the 1950s when it all but disappeared.
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| Vogue Covers |
Rene Grau |
Nuno da Costa |
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| Paul Holland | Jacqueline Bisset | Nadia Flowers |
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| Julie Verhoeven | Petra Dufkova | Pieter de Groot |
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One of the last well known fashion illustrators of the last century, Rene Grau created iconic pieces for some of the world's most revered fashion houses.
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Graphic Design and the quest for fresh art direction has resurfaced illustration as a medium for expressing fashion looks and ideas. These are some of the illustrators making names for themselves today.
Nuno Da Costa
Nuno is a London based, self taught illustrator specialising in fashion and beauty imagery.
Nuno's illustrations fall mainly in two categories, colour and black and white brush work but always retain their up to the minute sense of style.
Having worked with top fashion creatives Neil Moodie, Lisa Butler and Zoe Irwin, Nuno's illustrations have been seen in Wonderland, Marie Claire, You and Cosmo. Nuno was also appointed as exclusive fashion illustrator to designer Melissa Odabash on her first Ready to Wear collection which debuts in Spring Summer 2010.
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Paul Holland
Striking traditional mark making techniques are Paris based illustrator Paul Holland's forte.
Influences lie within the worlds of ‘le freak et le chic’, fashion, music and celebrity. Retaining an eye on trends past, present and future, his vivid style lends itself very well to a variety of commissions.
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Jacqueline Bisset
Jacqueline's illustrations can be found regularly in the glossies along with many overseas publications. In recent years Jacqueline has had success with an array of exciting book covers for top publishers.
A recent commission through DDB (Paris) for Givenchy will soon be gracing ads in magazines and on billboards worldwide.
Continuous experimentation with traditional mediums and evolving her style to update keeps Jacqueline's work varied and exciting.
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Nadia Flower
Combining hand-drawn and computer-based imagery, Nadia works happily across a variety of visual mediums, from fine art painting to fashion and textile, as well as pure illustration for the editorial and advertising markets. Based in New Zealand, Nadia has produced work for clients around the world, and has also appeared in group exhibitions and book publications in Australia,Tokyo, and the US.
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Julie Verhoeven
Julie Verhoeven has worked in numerous ways across fashion and design, from illustration to creative direction and design consultancy. She studied fashion at Medway College (now Kent Institute), graduating in 1987, and began her career as first design assistant to John Galliano, continuing this role with Martine Sitbon in Paris. She went on to head Italian brand Gibo. She has collaborated on fashion projects on international fashion brands including Louis Vuitton and Mulberry. Verhoeven contributes regularly to publications including Dazed and Confused and Self Service.
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Pieter de Groot is a South African graphic designer living and working in London.
Got some illustrations to share? Let's see them!
Have a look at these amazing pieces from Masa Martinovic .
There is a great illustrator in Cape Town, Nicole Cronje. Nicole is not a fashion illustrator as such but since she has a Fashion Design background it makes up the subject of alot of her work. I love her pictures, she is a really amazing local talent!!! Check out her web site www.nicolecronje.com