"Discover the fashion illustration book on creative directors' desks". Jackie Mallon, Fashion Editor Fashion united.com

Copyright Aeffe

“We can truly state that fashion illustrations are a form of art. I am always excited to see how my creations will be interpreted by the creative and unprejudiced hand of an increasingly growing number of young illustrators. 

Collaborating with Fida for my Fall Winter fashion show was very exciting. At a time when we were forced to unveil our collections behind closed doors and deprived of the human warmth that makes our work special, interacting with these artists meant that a precious moment was created, even if at a distance.

Alberta Ferretti 

Copyright The Fible Vol.002

Earning your stripes

"Fashion illustrators should be paid more, says FIDA

Fashion illustration is a dynamic form of contemporary image- making with a growing presence on social media, in print and in brand campaigns. But Patrick Morgan, founder of FIDA, the world’s first awards to promote fashion illustration and drawing around the globe, asks, “Could someone please tell me why a photographer should be paid so much more? The only thing I can think of is the production, the lighting, the team etc. We need to change the whole mindset.”

Morgan is speaking during a panel entitled “Surviving as a fashion illustrator” in which he explains that there is a growing movement to replace the term fashion illustrator with fashion artist because the former suggests fast, low-budget work while the latter carries connotations of gravitas around work that requires days, even weeks, of labor. The career of a fashion illustrator often involves working at live events where the stress of creating quality work

on the spot falls solely on the entourage-free fashion illustrator. “Maybe our agility, our ability to be more accommodating, is our downfall,” poses Morgan. “Maybe we need to be more divas to command the fee and change the mindset of the commissioner.”

by Jackie Mallon via fashionunited.com 

Print details

Book, 235mm x 285mm 128 full colour illustrated pages

Casebound hard cover printed full colour on 170gsm silk matt laminate Scodex heavy gloss

spot varnish

GF SMITH - 150gsm Munken Kristall T/W Rough

Colorplan 175gsm Factory Yellow endpapers (start and finish
of book) plain finish

De-bossed foils Gold 6123 & Red 6717

Red head & tail bands Red cloth bookmark
Red thread-sewn binding 

Contributing Artists/Academics & designers 

Peter Dundas - Former CD Pucci / Currently Dundas World

Massimo Nicosia - Former CD Pringle / Currently Zegna CD

Salvo Nicosia - ALBERTA FERRETTI , PHILOSOPHY di Lorenzo Serafini presso AEFFE SPA

Audrey Schilt - Former VP Ralp Lauren Joseph Salah - VP Coty
Gill Button - Dries Van Noten Illustrator Laura Laine - Fashion artist

Nuno Da Costa - Vogue Portgual fashion artist Ugo Gattoni - Hermes
Richard Haines - Renowned fashion artist
Bil Donavon - Fashion artist

Cecilia Carlstedt - Fashion artist
Tina Berning - Renowned fashion artist
Antonio Colomboni - Art Director Toilet Paper Magazine Laird Borrelli-Persson - Editor Vogue fashion archives Roberta Pinna - Vogue Italia fashion
Pepe Munoz - Celine Dion creative fashion director

Supporting Schools & Partners

Conde Nast College of Fashion / Isitituto Marangoni / Accademia Costume & Moda / FIT /Parsons / The New School 

P. Turner, Head of VIP Gucci

“I have always loved fashion illustration. It allowed my mind to travel before I even knew fashion would be my destiny. Today, I think there is a new relevancy to fashion illustration.
It feels like a creative counterbalance to the immediacy and limits that social media now imposes on our world.

We launched the Fida X Dundas fashion illustration competition to create a spotlight on the wonderful work created around our brand - it’s amazing to see the medium alive and thriving.”

Peter Dundas, CCO, Fashion designer

“I owe my career to innovators such as John Galliano, and growing up with designers such as Alexander McQueen, Jean Paul Gaultier and Vivienne Westwood, who helped cultivate a natural predisposition to daydream and to escape from whatever was troubling me, through fantasy and imagination.”

P. Turner, Head of VIP Gucci

Laura Laine, Fashion illustrator + glass artist

Copyright The Fible Vol.002

“Fashion illustration today has few rules. There is great energy and excitement and a palpable surge in interest everywhere. Social media has democratised the process and levelled the playing field (while not always raising standards)

But some things never change. Drawing is still paramount and at the heart of every successful image.”

David Downton, Master fashion illustrator

Copryright The Fible Yellow Neon

“I have had the honour to be a FIDA Ambassador since the very beginning and I am more than happy and proud to see how fashion illustrators keep creating such powerful images. FIDA is pushing fashion artists from anywhere in the world to rethink the impact of illustration within and outside the fashion industry.
I can see the amount of time, research, hard work and creativity behind every single entry to the Awards, FIDA is celebrating not only the winners but anyone who keeps challenging fashion illustration and its possibilities.”

Francesco Io Iacono - Fashion illustrator 

copyright Michael Choi

“Oil painting does not have to be perfect at first, you can make changes easily the next day. It is okay to not be precise initially with this traditional medium, which has actually helped me explore construction in a creative sense. Almost like draping with a paint brush, a detail that is not working out at the moment can be designed a different way a few hours later, without having to start all over again. To me the clothing also feels more substantial and there is a better sense of the end product with this traditional form of painting.”

M. Choi, Fashion artist + designer

“Fashion illustration is this mercurial yet tangible space where body, garment, look and context collide, stretching beyond the language of a photograph to

speak directly with the viewer.”

J. Layla 

Copryright Jessica Bird

“Even if I am doing something a bit more controlled, I will loosen up first with some blind drawings of the subject, so that when I move onto the real thing I can take the essence and freedom of the blind drawings into that work.”

J. Bird

“As social media expands and we are inundated with images, fashion illustration has never been as important.

Not as a competition to photography, but as an alternative way for a viewer to process: fashion illustration lets us interpret, dream and fantasize in wonderful ways! Long live fashion illustration!”

R.Haines 

Copyright Cecilia Carlstadt

“Fashion illustration for me is a natural extension stemming from all the creativity that goes into the fashion industry. It becomes another layer of expression that continues to build on a story.”

Cecilia Carlstedt 

Copryright Laura Laine

“Even if I am doing something a bit more controlled, I will loosen up first with some blind drawings of the subject, so that when I move onto the real thing I can take the essence and freedom of the blind drawings into that work.”

J. Bird

“As social media expands and we are inundated with images, fashion illustration has never been as important.

Not as a competition to photography, but as an alternative way for a viewer to process: fashion illustration lets us interpret, dream and fantasize in wonderful ways! Long live fashion illustration!”

R.Haines