Illustrating the World of Fashion

An illustrator is a person who draws or creates pictures for magazines, books or book covers. In the vast field of fashion, illustration holds an extremely important position. Fashion Illustration is the communication of fashion that originates with illustration, drawing and painting. It is usually commissioned for reproduction in fashion magazines as one part of an editorial feature or for the purpose of advertising and promoting fashion makers, fashion boutiques and department stores.

The profession of fashion illustrator has been in existence for centuries now, for as long as clothes and fashion has been around. The job description of a fashion illustrator has entailed sketching creative ideas for clothing accessories and outfits. An illustrator can be very precise and detailed in their depiction or as vague as they please. They are the one that give life to an idea, breathing life into them on a day-to-day basis. Fashion houses, design studios or going solo are some of the options that an illustrator can look into.

                               

           

Fashion illustrator is a challenging profession and there are a couple of factors that you should possess in order to get into this artistic line. The factor that tops the list is having a hand for drawing, this is an absolute must. If you are a talented artist, half the work is done, but the second step is to polish these skills. Technical skills should also be up to date; these technical skills could range from simple free hand drawing to new computer software.

                                    

                   

Having fashion education on your resume will definitely take you places. While working with designers, your understanding of fabrics and colors will be reflected in your sketches. More than anything, do as many internships as you can to gain knowledge aplenty. Two goals are achieved with this; one is the experience you get and the other is networking. Building connections is very important to break into this glamorous profession.

Belinda Bawa                 Garance Doré             Richard Haines        Dallas Shaw 

Fashion illustration had been on a steady decline for quite some time but is now rejuvenating and this is thanks to the talented people like Belinda Bawa, one of the best known Fashion Illustrators in India. Other international biggies like Dallas Shaw, Garance Doré and Richard Haines are swinging the professional spotlight onto Fashion Illustration. 

Belinda Bawa's Illustrations 

Fashion industry is a competitive field for which a strong foundation is required. The courses at the Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion explores multiple facets of the fashion world, laying a strong foundation to build a career on.