Before photography ruled the magazines, fashion was drawn. The art of the fashion sketch, then and now.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 2 November 2026
What is fashion illustration?
Drawing or painting clothes to communicate a design or a mood. Designers use sketches to develop collections, and illustrators create images for magazines, advertising and books. For the first half of the 20th century, illustration, not photography, dominated fashion magazines.
Who are the most famous fashion illustrators?
- Georges Lepape and Paul Iribe, who illustrated Paul Poiret’s designs
- Erté, the Art Deco illustrator of Harper’s Bazaar covers
- René Gruau, whose bold brushwork defined Dior’s image for decades
- Antonio Lopez, the energetic illustrator of 1970s and 80s fashion
- David Downton and a new generation sharing work on Instagram
Do designers still sketch?
Many do. Karl Lagerfeld sketched every look himself, and sketching remains the first step for many designers, even as digital tools and draping on the mannequin play a larger role.
Read on Ayerhs: Karl Lagerfeld – The complete guide · From sketch to gown: what is an atelier?