Fashion Illustration Is In Style And Here's What You Need To Know About It

Art and graphics have always played a pivotal role in branding, but now a new wave of illustrators are beginning to change the way companies approach their creative process – both in terms of design and external communication. Culture Trip highlights some such fashion illustrators below and explains why they are the ones to watch.

Fashion and image have an indisputable, symbiotic relationship. However, with the evolution of Instagram, photography has become a far more diluted (and, subsequently, far less powerful) medium; overexposure to the same kinds of images coupled with a general apathy towards photography as an art form (now anyone can take or find a beautiful image through their phone) has meant that brands are looking elsewhere to cultivate an identity.

Step forward illustration.

In a recent report, Creative Review spoke to Refinery 29 about this trend. Refineryemploys illustration as a means of offering a more diverse, nuanced and poetic take on the stories they publish. ‘Visual identity and creativity in storytelling is absolutely at the heart of every single idea – and through that collaboration, we’re able to do really innovative work,’ says Kate Ward, Senior Vice President and Head of International at Refinery. Magazines such as The New Yorker have long recognised the power of illustration and, in times of political strife, the ability to offer a precise, devastatingly apt image – such as the one of Donald Trump on their cover this week – is more powerful than ever. In a market saturated with identikit photographs, illustration offers a change from the status quo: an opportunity to create something visually fresh without the extravagant budget of high-end photo shoots. Nowhere is this change more evident than in fashion.

Ugo Gattoni

Parisian illustrator Ugo Gattoni is a long-term Hermès collaborator and created their Korean mascot, Mino. On top of that, Gattoni has worked on intricate and detailed illustrations for some Hermès silk scarves, including his Hippopolis version, as well as working for the brand on their exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery.
A post shared by Artist (@ugogattoni) on May 22, 2017 at 11:09pm PDT

Lotta Nieminen

Lotta Nieminen has worked for a host of major clients including Volkswagen and The New York Times. Nieminen has also worked with Hermès, creating a range of window displays for their East Coast stores.
A post shared by Lotta Nieminen (@lottanieminen) on Jul 18, 2017 at 9:02am PDT

Claire Barrow

One of London’s most exciting young creators, Claire Barrow’s illustrations blend a dystopian, eerie aesthetic with a bright and distinct use of colour to create a unique design identity. An artist and fashion designer, Barrow has flawlessly blended the two mediums to create a cult following, as well as timeless, stand-out pieces.
A post shared by Claire Barrow (@claire_barrow) on Jun 5, 2017 at 4:14am PDT

Julie Verhoeven

Working across print and fashion illustration, designer and artist Julie Verhoeven incorporates illustration into the heart of her own collection. However, her colourful, surreal drawings have also brought about many collaborations with brands such as Peter Jensen, H&M, Mulberry, Versace and Louis Vuitton.
A post shared by julieverhoeven (@julieverhoeven) on Aug 16, 2017 at 1:20am PDT

Angelica Hicks

Pun-loving illustrator Angelica Hicks has made an art of marrying bright, cartoon-like drawings with cutting witticism. Her Instagram covers everything from Kim Kardashian to Adidas to Donald Trump’s armpits, and in April this year she published a book, Tongue in Chic: The Fabulous Fashion World of Angelica Hicks. Most recently her work attracted the attention of Gucci, who commissioned a series of 11 t-shirts for a capsule collection.
A post shared by Angelica Hicks (@angelicahicks) on Aug 16, 2017 at 10:22am PDT

Jo Ratcliffe

London-based illustrator and animator Jo Ratcliffe has worked on campaigns for Sephora, Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton and Nike. Her fluid, bright style is playful and provocative, featuring powerful women in positions of strength. Ratcliffe is also creator of the ‘Femoji’ sticker app, for anyone looking to up their texting game.
A post shared by Jo Ratcliffe ☻ (@jo_can_draw) on Aug 15, 2017 at 3:17am PDT

Kelly Beeman

New York artist Kelly Beeman’s beautiful, Modigliani-esque portraits have featured in campaigns for Dior, Dries Van Noten, JW Anderson, Loewe and Mara Hoffman. Her bright, patterned and intricate works seamlessly marry fashion and art, placing clothes at the centre of the cultural conversation.
A post shared by Kelly Beeman (@kellymariebeeman) on Jan 15, 2017 at 7:27am PST

Pepe Muñoz

Pepe Muñoz, Celine Dion’s current back up dancer, is also a fashion illustrator on the rise. Having only recently caught the attention of the fashion industry, Munoz is already collaborating with big names like Dior. Follow his Instagram for classic fashion sketches.
A post shared by Pepe Muñoz (@pepemunozillustrations) on Jul 7, 2017 at 5:32am PDT

Jayde Fish

A Gucci collaborator ahead of Angelica Hicks, Jayde Fish was one of the first illustrators to work with the brand, creating a Snapchat-inspired mural on display in New York City. Her pattern-centric work often features animals, and in addition to the mural, Gucci had previously commissioned a tarot card design from the artist.
A post shared by Jayde Fish (@mrsjaydefish) on Feb 25, 2017 at 11:37am PST

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