Ruben Toledo for Nordstrom

Recently, the FIT Archives Special Collections created a Facebook page sharing thier wonderful artistic treasures. I’ve posted a few examples from The Frances Neady Collection featuring the iconic fashion illustrators of the 80s.

In an era that eventually became replaced by photography, the fashion artists crafted another dimension evoking the design’s attitude and fantasy. But the 2000s brought back that vision with Ruben Toledo‘s clever and whimsical fashion renderings for Nordstrom. The monthly fashion books became more collectible showcasing pages and pages of Toledo’s art.

Jean Philippe Delhomme for
Barneys New York

Paving the way were the satirical Barneys New York campaigns of the 90s. Selecting French illustrator Jean Philippe Delhomme abstract fashion depiction moved the compass towards less literal and more editorial redefining the idolized form.

Now, the illustration presence is felt more through the editorial pages or special book projects. Through the economic downturn and consumer confidence continues to follow peaks and valleys, literal imagery prevails in the current campaigns.

Visit the FIT Archives Special Collections Facebook page and view the wonderful Bergdorf Goodman album featuring design sketches for customers to place their custom orders from 1950-1969.

Department of Special Collections and FIT Archives’s Photos – The Frances Neady Collection. Artist: Harvey Boyd

Department of Special Collections and FIT Archives’s Photos – The Frances Neady Collection. Artist: Antonio Lopez

Department of Special Collections and FIT Archives’s Photos – The Frances Neady Collection. Artist: David Croland

The Parsons pre-college summer intensive class
sketching the Sidewalk Catwalk mannequins
in NYC’s Garment Center.

Students don’t always look to school for their summer vacation, but a chance to experience Parsons The New School for Design attracted many high school seniors.

Last Friday I just completed teaching a 4-week summer intensive course in Fashion Drawing with 16 very motivated high school seniors excited to begin their college career in fashion design. Working in collaboration with their Concepts instructor Gene Lakin, the class illustrated and designed their vision, for some, for the very first time.

Parsons is known for its rigorous curriculum graduating many of the industry’s top designers. The fashion pre-college program at Parsons is an invaluable opportunity for high school students to begin and nurture their fashion sensibility while living in New York City.

Developing the student’s design illustration skills, sketching quick poses is essential to understand the live model’s movement, clothing volume and drape. But The Fashion Center Side Walk Catwalk public art display of 32 designer original mannequins presented by LF USA was an irresistible exercise.

The Parsons pre-college summer intensive class sketching the Sidewalk Catwalk mannequins in NYC’s Garment Center.

Student designers chose their favorite mannequin and created the illustrations in about 3 hours. The fashion still life provided an opportunity to study in detail the construction, drape, finishes and begin the process to abstract the fashion figure. And spending a few hours in the Garment Center, the pre-college class acquired the industry’s frenetic pace.

The Parsons pre-college summer intensive class sketching the Sidewalk Catwalk mannequins in NYC’s Garment Center.

As we were finishing, I met CNN.com reporter Brooke Elliott researching her story of the Sidewalk Catwalk. Another aspect to the assignment as I discussed with Brooke was to share the Garment Center’s controversy with the students. With organizations like Save the Garment Center to maintain the current zoning for fashion related manufacturing and wholesale, the Sidewalk Catwalk brings public awareness to the Garment Center’s productivity and creativity.

The Parsons pre-college summer intensive class sketching the Sidewalk Catwalk mannequins in NYC’s Garment Center.

Browse through the gallery below of the pre-college student Sidewalk Catwalk sketches and click on the thumbnail to view a larger image.

Chiara Barlow sketches Elie Tahari

Isabelle Levine sketches Rachel Roy

Julia Rosenthal sketches Nanette Lepore

Deirdre Gaine sketches Jason Wu

Emma Leppo sketches Prabal Gurung

Rachel Richter sketches Tommy Hilfiger

Brooke Benson sketches Jill Stuart

Michaela Overton sketches Jason Wu

Mary Diamond sketches Elie Tahari

Annica Litavis sketches Badgely Mischka

Madison Mckinley sketches Isaac Mizrahi

Madeline Gong sketches Nanette Lepore

Alli Whitehead sketches Victor Alfaro

Lubov Dudenko sketches Rachel Roy

Kimber Walker sketches Parsons

July 17, NY Fashion Model Drawing Meetup.
Photo: Christopher Musci

July’s Meetup continues to expand, increasing our network and joining talented designers and artists to sketch the fashion model. Our airy studio at The Center, in the West Village, captured gorgeous afternoon sun, lighting our beautiful model Sharri Sutton.

The spirit of the Meetups are also to showcase the diverse styles and interpretations of the fashion pose by the range of creative members.

Preparing for the sessions, I’ve been having good ‘fashion’ luck from Park Slope’s summer stoop sales! The last pose of the afternoon that inspired wonderful drawings and paintings came from a fortunate street find of a Marithé + François Girbaud dress.

July 17, NY Fashion Model Drawing Meetup.
Photo: Christopher Musci

Created from a techno synthetic fabric, the top and sleeves were smocked for body hugging shape with a drop waist asymmetrical skirt.

Styled with a cloche hat I found in London and Sharri’s spectator oxfords, transported the dress to the 20s. After 3 hours of modeling, Sharri took a thoughtful seated pose and these posted illustrations by Beverly, Edson and Yuan definitely caught her introspection.

Check out our Meetup page for more information and addtional pics and drawings. Our next session will be August 28, 2010 at The Center from 1-4pm. Come draw!

Watercolor painting by Beverly Brown from the July 17, 2010 NY Fashion Model Drawing Meetup.

Ink and watercolor rendering by Yuan Jen Hsiung from the July 17, 2010 NY Fashion Model Drawing Meetup.

Marker sketch by Edson Alves from the July 17, 2010 NY Fashion Model Drawing Meetup.

Colored pencil illustration by Sherry Sklar from the July 17, 2010 NY Fashion Model Drawing Meetup.

Colored pencil illustration by Nisa Pharms from the July 17, 2010 NY Fashion Model Drawing Meetup.

Marker sketch by Geoffry Gertz from the July 17, 2010 NY Fashion Model Drawing Meetup.

One of Fairchild Books most successful titles “Portfolio Presentation for Fashion Designers” by the Fashion Institute of Technology’s veteran, Linda Tain, has just released its third edition!

A complete comprehensive survey of fashion design portfolio concepts, originally published in the 90s, “Portfolio Presentation for Fashion Designers” has been quickly adopted by universities and design professionals.

Tain draws upon her 25+ years as a professor at FIT and industry experience to assemble a broad perspective of illustration styles by category with presentation solutions. Also included are an overview of mood boards, customer profiles, flat sketching and techniques and resumé building.

A sketch by Brooke Ahrendsen for
“Portfolio Presentation for Fashion Designers”

Since the book’s first edition, I’ve contributed to chapters with examples of my design illustrations used in fashion presentations. Linda’s positive energy and talent is contagious and attracted me to the project.

“Portfolio Presentation for Fashion Designers” includes not only wonderful diverse industry illustration examples by talented designers and artists but also an important historical perspective such as the sketch by Bonnie Cashin posted below. Cashin’s minimal drawing style is as clean as her fashion almost becoming a ‘shorthand’ to express her philosophy.

The third edition now printed in gorgeous color and adopting a larger format on heavy glossy stock will become a perfect addition for a designer’s library or a great inspiration for anyone who is looking to enter the fashion industry.

An original Bonnie Cashin sketch found in “Portfolio Presentation for Fashion Designers”

A page from Renaldo Barnette’s design journal for “Portfolio Presentation for Fashion Designers”

An example of a casual menswear design sketch using Adobe Illustrator CS4 by Geoffry Gertz for “Portfolio Presentation for Fashion Designers”

July’s hottest temperatures are bringing Chris and I often to Broadway this summer! Last week, we finally got tickets to the highly anticipated show American Idiot based on the album of the same title by one of the greatest punk bands Green Day.

At rehearsal, Green Day, Michael Mayer, and Tom Kitt. Photo: Carole Litwin

American Idiot, directed by Tony Award winning director Michael Mayer, known for his direction of the Tony Award musical Spring Awakening, brought to Broadway life Green Day’s raging and poignant music. The musical’s book by Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong and Mayer captures a moment in all of our lives where disenchantment sometimes trumps optimism especially in the post 9/11 world. Told through the lives of young wannabes trying to escape their suburbia, the energetic rock opera keeps the momentum high.

The clever industrial minimal set by scenic designer Christine Jones and lighting designer Kevin Adams, both winning Tonys for their design, simply morphs into the narrative creating the urban panorama. The vibrant talented cast and band push the show’s pace from the beginning to the encore demonstrating their vocal and performing artistry. And the musical orchestration by Tom Kitt drives Green Day’s rock intensity while expanding Armstrong’s lush memorable anthems.

American Idiot is playing at the St. James Theatre.

The fashion industry moves at lightening speed with taste-makers pontificating the trend of the moment; but, even at a dizzying pace, you can’t help but fall in love with just a few favorites. And at times, clothing can become a point of reference in our lives.

The Off-Broadway play, Love, Loss and What I Wore by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron, based on the book by Ilene Beckerman and directed by Karen Carpenter, speaks about that relationship between women and their fashion.

Carpenter’s direction features a multi-generational monthly rotating cast stylishly sharing essays recounting personal moments weaving the dresses, make-up or accessories that completed the memory. Not the label conscience fashion, maybe one or two designer brands were named, but more the emotion that designers hope resonate from their designs.

Charming fashion illustration boards are presented as the actors create the impression punctuating the individual stories. Everyone is treated to a drawing lesson encouraging the audience to use the provided page in the play’s program to illustrate their most memorable fashion.

Haylie Duff and Nick Zano at the
Love, Loss and What I Wore after party.
Photo: Christopher Musci

Chris and I recently attended a performance this month featuring Haylie Duff. Haylie immediately engages the audience perfectly playing off Penny Fuller, Sharon Lawrence, Ashley Austin Morris and Myra Lucretia Taylor completing the ensemble.

As you enter The West Side Theatre in New York, make sure to view the wonderful sketches from the audience displayed in the lobby and included in this post. Love, Loss and What I Wore is also playing in Los Angeles and Toronto.

Love, Loss and What I Wore ensemble at the opening night after party.
Photo: Christopher Musci

The audience’s memorable fashion sketches from Love, Loss and What I Wore.
Photo: Christopher Musci

Warhol’s legacy will always live on viewed from a lens filled with haute glamour mixed with irony. The Stamford, Connecticut based Samuel Owen Gallery recently debut The Modern Show/Famous for 15 Minutes – Icons of the 1970′s and 1980′s.

A special guest, stylist Corey Grant Tippin, was available for a Q&A recounting his experiences working closely with Warhol creating the images from the “Ladies and Gentlemen” series. And in Warhol fashion, guests participated in a Polaroid art installation shot by Tippin.

The talented artist Paul Caranicas attended the event and shared his photos with us!

A Warhol portrait of Wilhelmina Ross from the “Ladies & Gentlemen” series

Warhol portraits from the “Ladies & Gentlemen” series

Corey Grant Tippin sharing his Warhol Factory days. Photo: Paul Caranicas

Corey Grant Tippin shooting Polaroids for the live art installation. Photo: Paul Caranicas

Corey Grant Tippin’s finished live art installation

I’ve been waiting for a summer anthem and the Euro dance mix Dancing On My Own by Robyn from her recent Album Body Talk Part 1 just might fill that void. My playlist is usually packed with lofi acoustic tunes, but the energy from Robyn is the perfect compliment. Enjoy!

Download the song by clicking this link Dancing In My Head. For Mac users hold down the option key and Window users right click the link. I’ve included a Flash player if the audio player doesn’t appear above.

Sorry, your browser doesn’t support Flash and I can’t play the tune.

New Yorkers traveled west yesterday evening to watch Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks on the Hudson River. Thanks to a friend’s generous invitation to view the sparklers from the rooftop, Chris shot these cityscape pics! But the show began early with a gorgeous fiery sunset.

Making the event even more thoughtful for our group was meeting a returning decorated soldier from Afghanistan finishing his tour before embarking on future service.

NYC’s Upper West Side Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks! Photo: Christopher Musci

NYC’s Upper West Side Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks! Photo: Christopher Musci

NYC’s Upper West Side Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks! Photo: Christopher Musci

NYC’s Upper West Side Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks! Photo: Christopher Musci

NYC’s Upper West Side Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks! Photo: Christopher Musci

NYC’s Upper West Side Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks! Photo: Christopher Musci

P.S.1′s recently opened exhibition, Greater New York 2010, may not get the ‘love’ but the winner of 2010 MoMA/P.S.1 Young Architects Program: Pole Dance by Solid Objectives is, as my friend Stacy phrased it, “having a ball”.

The elastic interactive environment consisting of the interconnected system becomes a game, shelter or performance piece. Based on a 16X16 foot grid of 30 foot high poles connected by bungee cords, an open net covers the entire field controlling the pivot of the poles. Scattered on top and below, the brightly colored fitness balls become the most desired object. Wading pools and misters give relief from the high temperatures while the audience can trigger sounds by the pushing, pulling and shaking of the poles.

P.S.1′s Warm Up series continues until September 4 with live performances and DJs spinning the summer dance party! And at the bottom of the post are examples of clever installations from Greater New York 2010. If you stay for dinner in the Long Island City, we recommend Lounge 47 for the great American fare.

Pole Dance at July 3, 2010 Warm Up at P.S.1 by Solid Objectives.
Photo: Christopher Musci

Pole Dance at July 3, 2010 Warm Up at P.S.1 by Solid Objectives.
Photo: Christopher Musci

Pole Dance at July 3, 2010 Warm Up at P.S.1 by Solid Objectives.
Photo: Christopher Musci

David Adamo’s “Untitled (rite of spring)” from P.S.1 Greater New York

Deville Cohen’s 18-minute performance video, “Grayscale (A Video in Three Acts),” from P.S.1 Greater New York

Naama Tsabar’s “Speaker Wall” from P.S.1 Greater New York