Rock & Rose   +  the fashion illustrator

The Fashion Illustrator

Riktor & Rolf SS10

If you havent already heard of The Fashion Illustrator, I recommend you check it out straight away!! I had a little chat with Jordan the artist behind the amazing illustrations...

So tell me a bit about how you got into illustration...

I originally got into illustration when I was going to school at Parsons School of Design in NYC. I was getting my Masters in Fashion Marketing there, but they required that we take a bunch of design classes, too. That included several fashion illustration classes. I ended up loving them even more than my marketing classes so I took extras every chance I could for electives.. I took advantage of the classes available at the school since alumni of the them included Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, and the boys of Proenza Schouler.

Have you always loved Fashion?

I have always loved fashion. I use to wait every month for my GQ to come when I was young. After my undergraduate, I knew I needed to pursue it as a career and that's when I headed to New York..

Do you have a favourite Artist/Illustrator?

I love to see designers' illustrations and wish they would publish them more rather than just throwing them away after the garment is constructed. My favorites are probably those of Mark Badgley and James Mischka (of Badgley Mischka). They use to sketch each garment before constructing and I use to always want them because they were so good.

Can you tell me a bit about your internships?

I interned at Calvin Klein in PR, and got to meet and work a little bit with Francisco Costa which was a dream. He is a genius with innovative textiles. After CK, I interned at Badgley Mischka where i got to work with Mark and James who are the nicest guys I have ever met. Then I was at Gucci in the marketing department, and although I never got to work with Frida Giannini, her work has always been inspiring to me.

Who is you favourite Fashion Designer?

My favorite menswear designers are Band of Outsiders, Maison Margiela, Calvin Klein by Italo Zuchelli, Bottega Veneta, and Dior by Kris Van Asche. For womenswear, I love Proenza Schouler, Donatella Versace, Lagerfeld, Alexander Wang and DIE for Rodarte.

Do you sell you illustrations...I'd buy them!!

I do not sell my illustrations yet. A few people have asked me on my website but I just haven't ever thought to yet because I kinda just started my blog to share what I was sketching rather than just letting it pile up on the corner of my desk. I'm thinking about starting to put some up for sale if people would really like them enough to purchase..

One of my favourites is Ashley Olsen in Givenchy, do you have a favourite of your illustrations?

As far as my favorite sketch so far, I think I also like the Ashley Olsen one, too. The Olsens are my style icons. I love seeing what they wear in their everyday life. Anna Wintour is the only one I love more than them...so stay tuned for when I illustrate her :)

How long does each drawing take you?

Each drawing takes me just a few minutes to sketch out. The coloring is what is more time consuming.

What materials do you use?

For materials, I use a basic mechanical pencil to sketch, and then a combo of colored pencils and markers to color them in. Each is drawn on 11x14" sketch pad paper.

Alexander Wang SS10

Balenciaga SS10

My Fav, Ashley Olsen in Givenchy