Art a la Mode: Fashion illustrators

Laura Laine

An important part of fashion is illustrating your designs and I think the most important part of this is getting your own unique style for this. As such I will take the time to show one of my favorite fashion illustrators, she definitely embodies the vision of unique (in a good way) fashion illustrations.

The very obscure, yet beautiful and flowing fashion illustrations of Laura Laine. Her illustrations have clear movement and can be considered art as well as illustrations. She mostly uses pencil sketching as a medium to create her stunning drawings . Despite the fact that her work is mostly black and white –due to the fact that she uses pencil sketching as a medium -, she does use some colour . She uses crayon or ink to add some colour to some of her breath taking drawings. It is very evident that she has a good understanding of her mediums and where colour should be added. It is this fact and her razor sharp eye for detail that make her work so captivating in my opinion.

(I do not take credit for this image)

She originated from Helsinki , furthermore it was in there that she studied to be a fashion designer at the University of Art and design Helsinki (She is currently tutoring there). Some of the work this Finnish illustrator has done includes: Vogue Nippon, GAP, Elle, Zara, Telegraph, Rad Hourani, The New York Times, T magazine, Tommy Hilfiger, PÃ¡p Magazine, Forecast, Trendi, Muse magazine, The Guardian, I.T. Post magazine, Escada , Iben Hoej, and Daniel Palillo. At present she has exhibitions of her work in San Francisco and Los Angeles ); and is also part of Darling management – a Scandinavian based agency- . She is in fact a freelance illustrator at this point in time .

(I do not take credit for this image)

In an interview she had in 2008 with Charles design diary she had this to say about her style of pencil drawings: ‘’ my drawing style is something I'm not so conscious about; I just do what I feel like at the moment. Lately it's been twisted-bodied girls with a melancholy attitude’’ .

Laura laine substantiates that there is no time to stop dreaming! Like anyone she still has some dreams for the future. As they say ‘Never look back unless you’re planning to go that way ‘. These future plans include working for a fashion magazine or company she likes or even something in animation . For someone so talented the sky is the limit and I for one would be excited to see more of her work. I also find this inspiring as she shows there is no limit to success or rather wanting success (even venturing to new grounds with something like animation).

(I do not take credit for this image)

With her unique way of drawing she transforms something plain as a pencil sketch into something remarkable. I have to admire her for this. Her attention to detail and ability to shade gives charm to her drawings. I love that her drawing style is something never before seen, it is very unusual yet intriguing It is distinctive to the utmost point of being so. One could call it characature of the typical model with shiny hair and skinny body and tiny feet. She manages to put a pop of colour in just the right place, just the right amount and right colour. She is noticeably a very skillful illustrator, this is apparent in the fact that she has such a good understanding of her medium. She has a talent for creating texture, you can clearly see what type of fabric she wanted to express.