The Role of a Fashion Illustrator:

Where fashion starts.

...a design begins, with a drawing.

What does being a fashion illustrator entail?

·    Creating and sketching ideas for clothing and accessories. This may be raw drawing or the use of CAD software, it’s very important to know the ins and outs of CAD. 

·       Fashion designers work with fashion illustrators in an attempt for them to see their vision on paper, it’s a team effort therefore it’s important to be good at working as a team and to communicate well. 

·       Creating illustrations that predict upcoming fashion trends.

·       Fashion illustration isn’t just involved in the making of clothing but is also featured in magazines, marketing campaigns, and television ads, it works hand in hand with graphic design. 

·       Lots of collaboration is involved in being a fashion illustrator with creative directors, designers and fashion buyers. 

·       Taking criticism is a huge part of the role in this field of work. It’s important to take this criticism as a good thing, a way to make your work even better and to impress your clients. 

What Qualifications are needed to be a fashion illustrator?

·       An undergraduate degree is always a good place to start, especially if you are still figuring out what you want. However, internships and other forms of work experience are a great way to learn skills required in the role and to follow someone already in the job role as you get first-hand experiences of what the job consists of.

Necessary skills for the role...

·       Excellent communication skills

·       Knowledge of the fashion industry- it's key to know what used to be trending over the years and what’s current in order to shape your designs around society’s wants.

·       Know your consumer - it’s important to know who you are designing clothes for so then you can adapt to their preferences.

·       Decision-making skills - it can make the difference between a successful year or not depending on how calm you can stay when making stressful decisions to make the right ones.

After doing some research on fashion illustrators throughout the years, I came across Antonio Lopez and I am obsessed with his sketches!

As Vogue say 'Before there were influencers there was Antonio'

They were abstract and sort of told a story at the same time by showing such emotion in the model's face.

Antonio's career lasted through the 1960s and 80s. He is known for not only his fashion illustrations but breaking the stigmas around sexuality which was a first for this time period.

He was brought up around fashion as his parents were in the industry, it was in his DNA. He began to showcase his talent at a young age as he would make fashion sketches for his mother.

When he was a young teen he and his family moved from Puerto Rico to New York, kick-starting his career.

During his university years at FIT, he began his first job at 'Women's Wear Daily' and just a year later he began to work for 'The New York Times'. As his career went on he landed jobs at Harper's Bazaar and Elle magazine where he created his legacy.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Swann Galleries News. (2020). Artist Profile: Antonio Lopez. [online] Available at: https://www.swanngalleries.com/news/illustration-art/2020/08/artist-profile-antonio-lopez/.

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