Fashion Illustration

Question 1

Georges Lepape

Answer 1

(1887 - 1971)

• French illustrator best known for his 10 year collaboration with Paul Poiret, Paris’s leading haute couture designer at the time
• His work features elongated female forms and simple, geometric, elegant designs,
• Studied at Ecole des Beaux – Arts. His uncle was a dealer of Japanese woodcuts, which influenced him
• By 1920: Lapape was at the top of his profession. created covers for Harper’s Bazaar, La Gazette du Bon Ton, and the first cover for Vogue U.K. Magazine (Oct. 1916), and Vogue France
• ads for luxury goods, film posters, catalogues, theatre program illustrations for the Ballet Russes (Russian Ballet), and created costume and set designs
• Lepape moved to New York City in 1926 to work for Vogue U.S.
• worked until his death 84

Question 2

Answer 2

Georges Lepape

Plate from Les Choses de Paul Poiret (1911)

Question 3

Answer 3

Georges Lepape

Question 4

Answer 4

Georges Lepape

Vanity Fair (1919)

Question 5

Answer 5

Georges Lepape

Vogue U.S. (1927)
many of Lapape’s covers include interesting hand drawn type

Question 6

Answer 6

Georges Lepape

Vogue U.S. (1933)
many of Lapape’s covers include interesting hand drawn type

Question 7

Helen Dryden

Answer 7

(1887 -1981)

• Largely self-taught American illustrator during her peak, she was described by The New York Times as the “highest paid woman artist in the United States”
• Born in BALTIMORE and moved to Philadelphia at 7 years old. She described her work as: “a combination of things I like, in the way I want to do them.”
• 1909: moved to New York City. was turned down by fashion magazines. Conde Nast bought Vogue less than a year later made changes, including using Dryden’s work, worked together for 13 years
• was inspired by the Paul Poiret’s catalog illustrations (including Lepape).
• Dryden also worked as a costume and scenery designer starting in 1914, and created ads for luxury items.
• 1925: She began industrial design (tableware, lamps, tableware, etc) and had a job as the art director of the Dura Company (automotive parts and giftware manufacturer) until the 1929 stock market crash.
• Her work on the interiors of the 1936 Studebaker Dictator and President (two cars) established her as an important 20th century industrial designer.
• Even with continued work, she never recovered from the stock market crash and by the end of her life, she was living in poverty.

Question 8

Answer 8

Helen Dryden

Vogue (1913)

Question 9

Answer 9

Helen Dryden

Vogue (1920)

Question 10

Answer 10

Helen Dryden

Vogue (1921)

Question 11

Answer 11

Helen Dryden

Vogue (1921)

Question 12

Erté

(Romain de Tirtoff)

Answer 12

(1892 - 1990)

• Changed his name so as not to embarrass his distinguished family. Erté = French pronunciation of his initials, R.T.
• Known for his Art Deco illustrations and designs featuring bold colors and exotic ornamentation Erte is considered by some to be the father of the art deco movement.
• He was born in St. Petersburg, Russia to a distinguished military family who objected to his career choice. drawn to the theater and at one point wavered between becoming a dancer or an artist,
• 1907: Moved to Paris, where he was influenced by the work of Aubrey Beardsley. Worked for Paul Poiret (1913 – 14) and designed costumes for dancers and performers of the theater (Mata Hari, Sarah Bernhardt, Anna Pavlova, etc).
• 1915: He received his first substantial contract with Harper’s Bazaar magazine from 1915-37 and created more than 200 covers!
• Erte illustrated for many other magazines including: Cosmopolitan, Ladies’ Home Journal and Vogue.
• His work still influences fashion and fashion illustration into the 21st Century.
• He designed costumes, program designs and sets for the Ziegfeld Follies of 1923 and Folies Bergere (Paris cabaret) and George White’s Scandals.
• 1925: Erte moved to Hollywood, where he designed sets and costumes for several movies, including Ben-Hur.
• worked steadily through the great depression designing sets and costumes for operas, theater productions, and ballets all over Paris, Monte Carlo, New York, and Chicago.
• He worked throughout his entire life and had a major career rejuvenation during the 1960s. An exhibition of 170 of his works in New York in 1967the Metropolitan Museum of Art, bought the entire collection (first time this happened).
• he also designed fashion, jewelry, costumes, sets and interiors and worked in the graphic arts.
• Erte died of kidney problems at 97. He was rich, full of energy and worked until the end of his life.

Question 13

Answer 13

Erté

Harper’s Bazar (January 1918)

Question 14

Answer 14

Erté

Harper’s Bazar (January 1920)

Question 15

Answer 15

Erté

Harper’s Bazar (November 1926)

Question 16

Answer 16

Erté

Harper’s Bazar (November 1932)

Question 17

Answer 17

Erte

Question 18

Answer 18

Erte

Part of the Alphabet Suite (1976)

Question 19

Answer 19

Erte

Part of the Alphabet Suite (1976)

Question 20

Answer 20

Erte

Part of the Alphabet Suite (1976)

Question 21

Answer 21

Erte

-His best known image is Symphony in Black - originally created in the 1930s, but reproduced often in the ‘80s and ‘90s. This image was used repeatedly by the artist himself in paintings, prints and sculptures. It is considered an essential art deco image - all black, use of negative space, long slender, lines.

Question 22

Eric

(Carl Erickson)

Answer 22

(1891 - 1958)

• Eric was born in Illinois. He studied for two years at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts.
• Started out in advertising illustration
• 1920: Traveled to Paris and ended up staying there for the next 20 years. He illustrated for French publications and became a staff illustrator for Vogue in 1923, while painting society portraits at the same time.
• Eric was best known for the virtuosity of his line and tone, which created a sense of innate elegance and taste.
• His style differed from earlier fashion illustration because he dispensed with what he saw as “artifice” and just drew what he saw.
• 1940: Moved back to the U.S. and worked for American magazines and illustrated advertisements.
• He dominated fashion illustration for more than 30 years.
• His work looks effortless, but dozens of preliminary drawings were discarded to create the final effect. He always drew from models, never photos and was constantly drawing and sketching when not working on jobs.
• He was inspired by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and John Singer Sargeant
• His own work was a huge inspiration for both Rene Gruau (who we’ll learn about next) and Coby Whitmore (an American magazine illustrator from the 1960s, who we’ll learn about in 3 weeks).
• He was the personification of his elegant world – he always wore a bowler hat and carried a walking stick.

Question 23

Answer 23

Eric

Vogue U.S. (1930)

Question 24

Answer 24

Eric

Coty (1946) & (1947)

Question 25

Answer 25

Eric

(1950)

Question 26

Answer 26

Eric

(1950)

Question 27

Answer 27

Eric

Water-damaged 1917 sketch by Carl Erickson, later owned

by Coby Whitmore

Question 28

René Gruau

Answer 28

(1909 - 2004)

• Illustrated for more than 60 years, but most famous for work created during the 40s - 60s
• Born in Italy. Originally named Renato Zavagli. His father was an Italian count.
• 1920s: He walked away from his father’s royal heritage and took his aristocratic French mother’s name to pursue art in Paris. He started illustrating for fashion magazines in his teens and early 20s.
• Gruau was first published domestically at age 14, and internationally at age 18.
• He became the artistic director of advertising for Christian Dior, before it became popular in 1947. He became close friends with the fashion designer and worked for the House of Dior from 1947 – late 1990s. His work is often associated with the House of Dior.
• Gruau worked in pen, india ink, and gouache. His work is the epitome of glamour and high society. He is known for his bold, minimalist illustration.
• He illustrated for many designers and magazines. He created advertisements for the Moulin Rouge and Lido (dance hall) in Paris (created in the style of Toulouse Lautrec). Gruau also created movie posters and collaborated with many haute couture (high fashion) designers.

Question 29

Answer 29

René Gruau

Question 30

Answer 30

René Gruau

Question 31

Answer 31

René Gruau

Covers for Sir Magazine (1957)

Question 32

Answer 32

René Gruau

Covers for Sir Magazine (1967)

Question 33

Answer 33

René Gruau

Question 34

Answer 34

René Gruau

Unpublished Advertisement (1970s)

Question 35

Answer 35

René Gruau

Question 36

Bobby Hillson

Answer 36

(? - Present)

• English fashion illustrator who worked for Vogue and covered the Paris runway collections for The Sunday Times and The Observer
• Her work epitomized the style of London in the 1960s
• She was always interest in drawing clothes.
• She began working at Vogue (U.K.) out of school as a fashion illustrator for the promotion department. eventually created fashion editorial illustrations for the magazine as well.
• She’s known for her uncomplicated line and expert application of pattern.
• Hillson worked mainly in black and white.
• Hillson covered Paris runway collections for The Sunday Times and The Observer in the 1960s.
• She made a name for herself by providing fashion runway illustrations for the press before photographers were allowed to photograph catwalk shows.
• Hillson became well known for her “Biba” girls. Biba was an iconic and popular London fashion store of the 1960s and 70s. Hillson’s “Biba” girls were young ladies with long legs, bright faces and round eyes.
• Hillson started her own fashion line of children’s wear in 1969
• She started and ran the Fashion MA course at Central St. Martin’s (University of the Arts in London)
• She still lives and works in London

Question 37

Answer 37

Bobby Hillson

Vogue U.K. (early 1960s)

Question 38

Answer 38

Bobby Hillson

Vogue U.K. (early 1960s)

Question 39

Answer 39

Bobby Hillson

Paris Collections runway sketch - The Observer (1965)

Question 40

Answer 40

Bobby Hillson

Bilba Girls

Question 41

Antonio Lopez

Answer 41

(1943 - 1987)

• Lopez was born in Puerto Rico. His family moved to New York City when he was 7. He attended the High School of Art and Design and then the Fashion Institute of Technology.
• He left school for an internship that turned into a job at Women’s Wear Daily (considered fashion equivalent of the bible). He then worked for the New York Times as a fashion illustrator.
• Lopez worked for Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Interview, New York Times.
• Moved to Paris: 1969 – mid 70s
• Lopez is known for his constantly changing, vibrant style. Captured the fashions from the 60s – the 80s. His work was characterized by “comic-book worthy” colors, strong women, and ‘70s modernity. He worked with many different materials throughout his career (pencil, pen and ink, charcoal, and watercolors)
• Died of complications due to AIDS in 1987 at the age of 44.

*students at F.I.T. request his name at the library more than any other illustrator.

Question 42

Answer 42

Antonio Lopez

New York Times Magazine (1965)

Question 43

Answer 43

Antonio Lopez

Elle (May 1967)

Question 44

Answer 44

Antonio Lopez

Vogue U.K. (April 1968)

Question 45

Answer 45

Antonio Lopez

Vogue (1970)

Question 46

Answer 46

Antonio Lopez

Vogue (1970)

Question 47

Answer 47

Antonio Lopez

(1980s)

Question 48

Answer 48

Antonio Lopez

(1980s)