Emerging Fervour

Curator Ria Hawthorne is presenting an exhibition at the Design Museum paying tribute to the big names in fashion illustration.

This exhibition showcases fashion illustrators at their creative heights: Georges Lepape at the beginning of the century, Gruau in the 40′s and 50′s, Antonio throughout the 60s, 70s and 80s, to current artists Mats Gustafson, Aurore de la Morinerie and Francois Berthoud. Film-clips, news reels, music and photography will sit alongside the original illustrations to reflect not only the spirit and the style of the decades but also the wider social and cultural changes of the century.

Le Pape

Francois Berthound

Mats Gustafson

‘Drawing Fashion’ also includes a rare collection of work from classic advertisements, vintage Vogue covers and illustrations from Chanel, Dior, Comme des Garçons, McQueen and Viktor & Rolf.

For information on tickets, check out Ticketweb. Drawing Fashion runs until March 2011 – I hope I’ll be in London before then!

For ticke

We did a piece on Jeni Jaques and Harlow in Chains not too long ago; and we’ve gone one better and managed to get an interview with her. There are few designers who move me with their stories behind their reasons to become designers…Jeni Jaques from Harlow in Chains is one of the very few. Her anwers to my questions are filled with so much passion and love that she would even inspire Gordon Brown to become a jewellery designer. This lady is incredible…take a peek at our interview with her.

EF: Jeni, we absolutely love your style…what inspires you to create these big statement pieces?

Jeni Jaques: Thank you!! I’ve always loved art and creation in all forms: painting, illustration, sewing/fashion design & construction, writing, photography and in recent years constructing one-of-a-kind jewelry and accessories… I’ve also always had a love for older vintage and antique items and have been collecting those since I was a young child. I love the history, mystery and sense of wonder that each and every piece holds: ‘What kind of woman wore this brooch?’; ‘Was this locket a gift from a loved one?’; ‘Did it hold a special meaning?’; ‘What journey has this piece followed to end up in my hands, to use in part to create an entirely new piece?’ It’s mysterious and slightly haunting; I love that…