AMM401 Cultural Portfolio 2010-11 COVER SHEET for each individual piece of writing DETAILS Event: ‘Drawing Fashion Exhibit’, Design Museum, London Date of Event: 3 November 2010- 6 March 2011 Title of Piece: Fashion Illustrations Exhibit –‘Drawing Fashion’ Design Museum, London Word count: 868 Publication: Wallpaper.com Context

Wallpaper is a London based design, interiors, fashion, art and lifestyle magazine, providing readers with trendsetting international articles. Wallpaper strives to visually stimulate its audience with top notch photography accompanying print and online articles. In print since 1996, Wallpaper offers content that is thought provoking, edgy and sophisticated; covering the areas of art, architecture, interiors, fashion, travel, cars, technology, lifestyle and events. Wallpaper.com has 5 million impressions per month. Covering the same areas of interest as the print version, Wallpaper.com has 550,000 unique visitors who stay on the site for an average of 6.6 minutes. The online version of Wallpaper was launched in 2006 and has a devoted editorial team that updates the contents of the site on a daily basis. The fashion section of Wallpaper.com covers the latest news and events while offers editorial content on an international level. Wallpaper.com covers many aspects of the fashion industry on a global level including Fashion Week, fashion and design exhibitions and designers profiles. Please note: This is not a published article. This article was written as part of a course requirement at City University London and is being submitted as a writing sample.

Fashion Illustrations Exhibit –‘Drawing Fashion’

Design Museum, London

The Design Museum’s exhibit, Drawing Fashion

shows the art of fashion illustration from 1910 to the

present, from illustrators who did work for designers

such as Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, Karl Lagerfeld,

Lanvin and Yohji Yamamoto. Drawing Fashion

showcases this lesser known style of art and offers a peek into how fashion and style

has evolved over the years. From flapper girls in the 1920’s, to suits and hats in the

1930’s, to the sleek and sexy imagery of the modern era, Drawing Fashion offers the

viewer a retrospective look into the way women were perceived to be as well as shining

light on the art of fashion illustration.

The Design Museum has put together what could be viewed as a historical fashion

show by exhibiting these fashion illustrations. Walking through Drawing Fashion is

like walking through the pages of old fashion magazines. The clean aesthetic of the

Design Museum, London Drawing Fashion Exhibition

Drawing Fashion Exhibit designed by Carmody Croake Architects, Design Museum, London

exhibits design created by Carmody Groarke Architects with great

consideration for the illustrations and allows the viewer to only focus on the

fashion illustrations and their details.

Since the early half of the 20th century, fashion illustration has been a way

for artists to showcase not only their talents but to show the style and

dress during that era. In its early inception, fashion drawing was used as a

means of advertising. Before photography became dominant and widely

available, illustrators would create detailed pieces of art to be used to

showcase the latest fashion trends. If you can remember a time before

internet and television, before technology changed the way we receive

information, women in America were able to look at the illustrations in their

fashion magazines and know how the women in Paris dressed. Elite

fashion publications such as Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Femina and

L’Officiel relied on these illustrations up until the late 1930’s when

photography became more readily available. Now, the art of fashion

illustration is practiced by few but is still valued and used more by couture

designers to showcase their unique point of view. The illustrators are seen

more as artists, able to produce unique and personalized pieces that both

show off the fashion as well as the illustrator’s individual style.

Looking at an illustration by Christian

Bérard gives the viewer a chance to

see what high fashion was like in 1937.

The elegant woman pictured in the

illustration, wearing a long flowing coat

paired with a floor length draped

evening gown, both designed by

Lanvin, takes the viewer back to 1937

Paris. Much emphasis was put into the

details of the clothing as it was the only

means for those who were not able to

attend the runways shows or go to the

boutique in Paris to see the designs.

During the late 1940’s to early 1950’s

fashion illustration took on a new

appearance. Not only was the style of

dress changing but watercolours began

being used. Magazines like Vogue and

Harpers Bazaar were still on top and

helped promote this new style of

illustration while promoting the new

subcultures like the beatnik movement

and mod.

During the 1980’s, Antonio also known

as the Pied Piper of fashion illustration,

was able to continue the art of fashion

illustration even though by this time it

was hardly used. Antonio worked with

fashion icons such as Jean Paul Gaultier

and Karl Lagerfeld despite the decline in

popularity of fashion illustration,

providing fashion illustrations that were

Christian Bérard for Lanvin 1937

Antonio for Karl Lagerfeld 1972

unique and personalized to the specific designers but also expressed his

point of view. His influence on the industry can be seen in a special section

in the exhibition devoted to his work. There is also a video produced by

Fashion Monthly showing how Antonio used live models to inspire him and

help bring his illustrations to life.

Fast forward to the modern era where fashion illustrations have become

more abstract and art like and more about creating a piece of art and less

about advertising and showcasing the latest trends. While the popularity of

fashion illustration has declined, artists

like Mat Gustafson have found a niche

with couture designers who value a

unique and personalized touch.

Gustafson has done work for Yohji

Yamamoto and has been featured in

Vogue Italia in 2001 and Vogue China

in 2010. The section of Drawing

Fashion devoted to the time period of

1990-2010 shows how the ‘cult of the

Individual’ illustrators like Gustafson

and Aurore de la Morinerie have the

artistic freedom to interpret the designs

in their own unique style.

The Design Museum’s exhibit Drawing

Fashion showcases some of the best

fashion illustrations over the decades. The simplicity of the exhibits design,

with its illuminated white walls, allows the illustrations to stand out and pop.

From 1920 Vogue advertisements to 1960’s pop art to the avant garde

illustrations of the modern era, Drawing Fashion offers a look into the

evolution of fashion trends and overview of the changes in fashion

illustration through the decades. The exhibition runs from 3 November

2010 till 6 March 2011. There are also talks and events corresponding with

this exhibition including a talk with legendary shoe designer Manolo

Blahnik, who will be answering questions and signing copies of his latest

book of shoe illustrations titled Manolo’s New Shoes.

‘Couture I’ by Morinerie 2010