WOOYOUNGMI AW2012 campaign.

Menswear label WOOYOUNGMI continue their artist collaborations for each campaign with this latest one by Clemens Krauss. Titled 'Laughter and Value', 2012, oil on canvas, 190 x 140cm.

Each season WOOYOUNGMI will collaborate with an artist to support their work and allow them to interpret the season's collection. The artist will not only produce a piece of work that will become the print advertising campaign but also exhibit their work in MANMADE WOOYOUNGMI. 
These are only the first two in the running series, I absolutely loved their last campaign artwork by Lee Song (below) 'Around The City' (detail), 2011, oli on canvas, 162cm x 130cm and the slight nod to Ed Hopper, one of Lee's favourite artists.

Information from WOOYOUNGMI's website:

The whole concept of how modern man lives all isolated without fulfilling the needs of being attached in a group and being loved, which is the third stage of the psychologist Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, is what WOOYOUNGMI 2012 A/W Collection and Clemens have in common in their work.

In his series 'Concepts of Isolation' Clemens Krauss consequently explores the vulnerabilities of the individual in the social context. Although modern times seem to provide all sorts of amenities, society at the same time is faced with growing alienation and isolation. Yet men are social beings who after fulfilling basic physiological and safety needs long for love, friendship and intimacy

Clemens Krauss distinctively painted those modern men living their lives alone and isolated as they are not being loved and alienated from their busy lives with family and co-workers, with his very thick impasto depictions and has thrown a big question mark for the solutions for recovering from everyone’s suffering.

Lee Song, one of Korea's current rising artists, was chosen as the first collaborator. The WOOYOUNGMI designers Woo Youngmi and Woo Janghee not only admire his unique style of simple line with sophisticated detailing but also connect with his approach to his work. In the short conversational film entitled Let Me Eat Cake both artist and designers express their desire to describe and heal their contemporary through their work. Both are examining the modern world and its ongoing daily routine. They would like to offer something to their viewer / customer as a break from the habitual. Fashion and art are not vital to our existence but through them we can taste a different outlook. 

Judith Van Den Hoek

Dutch illustrator and graphic designer Judith is someone whom I have been keeping an eye on for some time.


The influence of Gruau and Downton is clear in her work for sure, yet it avoids being completely derivative, due to the slightly more sharper approach to her lines and the soft grey tones of her backgrounds. There is a clear sense of determination to boil the image down to as little as possible, demanding the absolute satisfaction out of just one single line or two for the silhouette, the complete hallmark of a true minimalist approach. Judith openly states her love for Gruau in her interview with Fashionarium, and her sense of reductivism is something I greatly admire.


Materials wise, Judith uses Paint tools, Copic Ciao Felt pen (100 Black), pencils and Black marker. Photoshop is also used after drawing to give to the illustration a fresh and clean look. Her work has won her interest by Vogue Nederland whom she now currently illustrates for. For more of her work, check her blog or tumblr. 

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F.I.G's open evening - Vogue's Fashion Night Out.

As part of the annual event, Fashion Illustration Gallery showcased the prints and originals of it's roster of illustrators at it's venue on Cork St in London (situated just behind Bond St).

I strongly suggest going to F.I.G's open evenings whenever possible if you are fortunate enough to live in London. William Ling, gallery owner and the man in charge, has created a public platform for showcasing the most prolific illustrators in the business, something that has been somewhat lacking when it comes to fashion illustration. Seen as the minority and occasional alternative to photography and editorials, public and industry folk alike aren't always aware of the history of fashion illustration and aren't exposed to just how incredible some of the best talents are, or the work they put out for for high profile clients. With a focus on displaying commissioned pieces, F.I.G had three gloved assistants on hand to display to visitors both prints and originals from the artists.

A big focus of the open evening was on David Downton, who was on hand to sign copies of Masters Of Fashion Illustration in the new paperback edition, and previewing a new series of prints with the gallery which will be available later this year. I managed to have a small chat with Downton again after meeting him previously at LCF's Go Figure exhibit, talking mainly about Gruau and naturally asking him to sign my copy of Pourqoui Pas? (fanboy moment - being very flattered when he mentioned he loved my work, argh). It was also great to manage a brief catch up with Decoy favourite Richard Gray (Downton and Gray have known each other for years having both illustrated from the couture shows and salons) who I'm happy to say is still interpreting Keko Hainswheeler's accessories for a series of personal works after illustrating one previously for the double page spread in Decoy 3.

On display; Downton's original of Cate Blanchett for Vogue Australia's 40th anniversary issue.

With illustration legends Gray and Downton at F.I.G.

Also showcasing their newest member, a series of three new prints by Ricardo Fumanal are available with F.I.G, including 'Automatic Lover' for Hercules Magazine, 2008, which was used for Decoy's cover on Issue 2.

I unfortunately ended up rushing out to meet a friend and didn't get a chance to have a look through their selection of rare books like 'Antonio's Girls', or take enough photos for this post like I should have. Regardless, make sure you sign up to F.I.G's mailing list or their facebook to keep updated with their latest news, signings, and available pieces.

Commons & Sense issue 43

I'm honoured to say that I'm featured in the new issue of Tokyo based Commons & Sense along with good friend and talented illustrator Tara Dougans. C&S is a goldmine for anyone with an interest in fashion illustration, holding the most illustrated content I've seen in a high profile mag in years. The last two issues included Decoy favourites David Downton and Richard Gray (link to editorial) and have introduced me to several talents I had not yet come across. I'll be updating this post with more information and illustrators once I receive my copy in the post . . .

Click images to enlarge.

Issue 43, from Alexander McQueen fall 2012 editorial, by Tara Dougans.

Issue 43,  from Hermes fall 2012 editorial, by Richard Kilroy 

issue 42, from David Downton's beauty editorial.