Drawing Fashion: Manolo, YSL and the Melbourne Scene

Fashion illustration is experiencing a renaissance. Fueled by the shareability on social media, talented illustrators can now catch the eye of both consumers and fashion houses on the look out for fresh ideas. Fashion on Film curator James Nolen will host a panel of local expert fashion illustrators about the sketches that happen before a stitch is sewn, and how illustration is leading the fashion world into innovative, uncharted territory. The subjects of this year's program, Yves Saint Laurent and Manolo Blahnik, were both furious sketchers. Yves would create hundreds in preparation for each collection, and Manolo, who has created over 30,000 shoes in a career spanning close to five decades, has a pencil attached to his bed in case of somnolent inspiration. Joining James on the panel will be Melbourne-based fashion illustrator and educator Angie Réhe whose work has appeared in a host of high end mastheads including Vogue, Elle, Harper's BAZAAR, L’Officiel, as well as Jimmy Choo and illustrator Katie Geppert who (amongst many things) has been developing some unique works for one of the hottest designers/labels of the moment, Virgil Abloh's Off-White and rounding out the panel will be Danielle Whitfield, Curator of Fashion and Textiles at the National Gallery of Victoria.