Hello! 
Just about to enter de Fashion Illustration Rally!
I made some improvements since my latest illustrations, don’t you think? 
New portfolio is coming soon!!
Trend or not?
Before the beginning of each season, fashion designers and magazines tell us about the upcoming trends. They tell us what’s in and out, what and how to wear clothes, hair and make up. Then, we start shopping for those things that we suddenly started to like so we can be at our most fashionable look for the new season. I don’t really know how that happens inside our heads but we do it and we like it!!
For this autumn / winter, the world of fashion is telling us to go back to the 40′s, as I already posted here, but this is not the only trend to follow! However, we don’t have to love every trend that comes out, so, what I want to share with you on this post are some styles that I’m seeing at the stores but I don’t seem to like very much!
This style was used a few decades ago: bell bottom jeans, remember? :O This kind of jeans became popular in the 1960′s and were last used in the 1990′s. Can you believe they are back?!! I don’t!
In addition to the bell bottom jeans I’m seeing in the stores a lot of jackets with bit of fur and leather clothes. .. First, real fur makes me sick so, when I talk about fur, I mean fake fur!!! But I have to say I’m having mixed feelings about this one… the leather jacket is a must have in the closet I think! It always makes you look cool for going out or even for work. Nonetheless, don’t go buy a lot of these items, specially furry items, just enough to get the feel of the wild side, but no so much that you’ll be looking like you actually live in the wild!
Next are the man looking boots for women! Do you know what I’m talking about? I have to say that I’m a shoe fanatic, high heels mostly, but I also enjoy a cool pair of tennis shoes and flats. But, I’m not feeling the kind of boots that make a women’s feet look like it’s 2 sizes bigger! I think that a lady to feel comfortable shouldn’t forget about still looking feminine. Keep that in mind
So, what I mean is, when you go shopping for the new season, think about what you really like and what looks good on you, because you can be a fashion victim but don’t be a fashion addict!
xoxo
Art in fashion
On October 5th in Paris, Fashion week through out fashion capitals came to an end! Along the past month fashion magazines showed the latest trends for Spring and Summer of 2012 from many designers. Some designers that we don’t know who they are (at least I don’t), from designers we do know and from designers that we simply worship!
It was one long month which started on the 8th of September in New York, followed by London, Milan and Paris.
It was time to forget all those problems related to recession and crisis and put on the most fashionable outfit to attend the shows, at least for the lucky ones that got an invitation!! For a few weeks the world was a glamorous and beautiful place to live, making women dream about shopping that one dress that is similar to the one they saw on the fashion reports.
Although fashion magazines make several reports of most shows, which is very confusing because there are so many of them, there are only a few that really stand out. You see, if you have the chance to follow the shows it’s impossible to notice that some designers make beautiful clothes, but, on the other hand, there are other designers that are true artists!!
These designers are truly inspirational, they see ahead and they are the ones that set the trends for the next season. To them, all details are important: the garments, models, accessories, the setting of the show… nothing seems to miss and everything works like an orchestra playing in perfect harmony…
So, this season the designers that, to me, made an impact and actually made Art are:
For those who don’t know this by now, it was the last show for D&G as it merged with the mainline Dolce & Gabbana. This collection comes down to a bunch of different and colorful scarfs that were put together. By saying this you might think “what??”This could have gone really bad but the result is simply breathtaking!
Have you seen the show yet? It is simply amazing!! With a scenery resembling the bottom of the ocean the Chanel collection emerged showing nothing but beautiful things!
This was my favorite collection, I have to say. I loved the gipsy theme and if I could, I would have the whole collections to my self 
Jean Paul Gaultier is a very unique designer so, he makes not only unique collections but also unique fashion shows! On this show the music began and each girl took a number and walked around as though she were at an auction or beauty pageant. The audience was told what each girl likes – including her hobbies. Strange right? But his creations are pieces of art.
Who doesn’t know Louis Vuitton? Who wouldn’t like to own one of his bags (a real one!)? I have to say that I only knew Louis Vuitton for his extremely expensive bags that are only seen on movie stars and football players, but when I saw his show I was amazed! As the show started all the models were unveiled at once scattered beautifully across a white, glittering fairground carousel. Not to mention the collection in it self! Music, garments, scenery, it all came together in a perfect way.
I’ll leave you with some pictures of these events so you can see what I mean. I hope they inspire you like they inspired me
xoxo
Back to the 40′s
I don’t know if you noticed, but ,in the past few years, we’ve been watching some trends from earlier decades such as the 60’s and the 80’s becoming trends of the 21st century.
Back then I suppose people would think that by 2011 we’d be wearing futuristic clothes, but no, we like jeans too much to replace them with space suits! After all we are still driving cars, not flying them!
This autumn /winter 2011/2012 the 40’s are back! What does that mean exactly? Let us go back in time for a while:
Fashion in the 1940’s was very influenced by the World War II. I don’t want to give you a boring history lesson, I will only share a few things so you can understand why the 40’s is like it is!
Before the war, every year New York fashion designers went to Paris to attend the French fashion shows in Paris, capital of haute couture. After the shows they returned to de US and copied the French designs. When the Germans occupied Paris in 1940, the New York designers couldn’t go there anymore. So, to overcome this, they concentrated on sportswear. And we all know how that turned out! This led to the United States emerging as the sportswear capital of the world. (in Murrayontravel)
After 1940 and until the end of WW2, the production of clothes had several restrictions, because wool and nylon was needed by the military, so fabric had to be rationed and synthetic fabrics developed in the 1930´s became the material most often used for womans clothing.
So, to comply with these restrictions American designers “created a style of suits for women Skirts were short and straight topped by short jackets of twenty-five inches or less in length. Cardigans matched skirts and sheath evening dresses replaced the long flowing gowns of the thirties”. (in - Murrayontravel)
After the war, women were tired of following these restrictions and were ready for a change.
A new look was introduced by Christian Dior in 1947 with longer and fuller skirts and woman fashion changed to a much more romantic and feminine image, starting to wear a variety of peplums in skirt hems, necklines and waists. A-line skirts topped with soft blouses embellished with bows and puffy sleeves. Full collars and lace were also in vogue. (in - Murrayontravel)
The new 40’s look gave an hour-glass figure and a new, feminine extravagance denied for so long.
Back to 2011, Gucci, Miuccia Prada, Jean Paul Gaultier, among others, autumn/winter 2011/2012 collection introduced a season full of absolute 40’s glamour.(in- Vogue) So, for all the ladies that love to dress up every day, this is the season for you! Have fun with it
How to start
Before I started do draw fashion illustrations I had to update my knowledge about fashion designers and latest trends. Not that I didn’t follow the latest trends, but without a little bit of research one can be a few steps behind. For instance, I just started to see at the stores the autumn/winter 2011 collections when fashion week in New York, London, Milan and Paris just happened and are showing the Spring/Summer 2012 collection! (the Emilio Pucci was my favorite by the way… so far!)
There is still a lot for me to learn, but it will be fun and rewarding to look back and see the evolution.
The next step was to find my own style, which is not easy, specially because there is so much information available! That makes it much harder to make choices and to know what is good and what is bad! Very confusing! I have to say that I’m still figuring that out, but that’s occupational hazard!
What I’m doing now is staying as focused as I can, researching everyday, to see what’s new, and practice, practice, practice! Well, and now write as well!
I can say that I love vintage style with a twist of modern, but there is also a part of me that really loves all that is the excentric and burlesque so you’ll be seeing some opposite styles in here!
You should be thinking: and that’s what you do for a living all day every day?!! The answer is: I wish!! Maybe one day!! But I’ll leave that story for the next post!
Until then!
xoxo