A Tribute to the Timeless Craft of Fashion Illustration
The Fible Vol. 2: Celebrating the Art and Soul of Fashion Illustration
There are few honours in the creative world as meaningful as being featured in The Fible, the definitive publication celebrating the best in global fashion illustration. Now in its second volume, The Fible Vol. 2 continues to elevate the artistry and emotion behind fashion drawing, showcasing an international collective of visionaries whose work shapes the visual language of style today.
More than just a book, The Fible is a cultural statement — a recognition of fashion illustration as fine art. Each edition is curated by FIDA (The Fashion Illustration and Design Awards), the pioneering organisation founded by Patrick Morgan, dedicated to supporting and spotlighting illustrators and fashion artists around the world.
With its pages held in university libraries across leading art and design schools worldwide, The Fible has become an indispensable reference for commissioners, creative directors, and educators alike. To be featured in its glossy pages is to be seen by an international audience — the gatekeepers of creativity, innovation, and future collaboration.
A Testament to Artistic Legacy: Halston, The Man, The Artist
Among the many icons celebrated within the book is Halston, the legendary designer whose approach to creation was both disciplined and poetic. As his niece Lesley Frowick, Founder and Director of The Halston Personal Archives, recalls:
“He always had a black Pentol felt tip pen in hand and was constantly sketching ideas on lined legal paper. In a brief session he would sketch a million different versions of a look. His hands were beautifully graceful, expressive and precise — everything was done with self-assured Zen perfection.”
Halston’s devotion to the craft of drawing was not simply aesthetic; it was his language of design. He collaborated with legendary illustrators like Audrey Schilt and Joe Eula, championing their artistry at a time when illustration was integral to the fashion industry’s creative dialogue.
As Schilt reflected,
“Halston was extremely respectful of the art form. He supported it and promoted my art by using it as a means to design, to sell from the sketches, and to introduce me to the best influencers of the day.”
This reverence for hand-drawn vision is exactly what The Fible celebrates — the enduring connection between artist and designer, paper and imagination.
Surviving as a Fashion Illustrator: The New Era of Fashion Art
In an ever-changing digital world, the fashion illustrator’s craft remains not only relevant but vital. As Patrick Morgan, founder of FIDA, reminds us:
“Fashion illustration is a dynamic form of contemporary image-making with a growing presence on social media, in print and in brand campaigns. Could someone please tell me why a photographer should be paid so much more? We need to change the whole mindset.”
Morgan’s call for recognition is echoed throughout The Fible Vol. 2, where illustration is positioned as a discipline equal to photography — one that requires not only talent but patience, vision, and emotional intelligence.
During the “Surviving as a Fashion Illustrator” panel, Morgan advocated for the term fashion artist to replace fashion illustrator, acknowledging the depth and labour behind each stroke:
“Maybe our agility, our ability to be more accommodating, is our downfall. Maybe we need to be more divas to command the fee and change the mindset of the commissioner.”
Voices of a Global Movement
The Fible also features reflections from some of the world’s most respected fashion artists and designers, capturing the vibrant pulse of this ever-evolving art form.
Alberta Ferretti shared her admiration for illustration’s expressive power:
“We can truly state that fashion illustrations are a form of art. Collaborating with FIDA for my Fall/Winter fashion show was very exciting — even at a distance, interacting with these artists created a precious moment.”
David Downton, one of the most celebrated fashion illustrators of our time, reflected on the changing landscape:
“Fashion illustration today has few rules. There is great energy and excitement and a palpable surge in interest everywhere. Drawing is still paramount and at the heart of every successful image.”
Francesco Io Iacono, FIDA Ambassador, echoed this passion:
“FIDA is pushing fashion artists from anywhere in the world to rethink the impact of illustration. It’s not just about winning awards, but celebrating everyone who keeps challenging the boundaries of fashion art.”
And from Richard Haines, whose childhood discovery of fashion illustration inspired a lifelong career:
“The power to convey so much and transport the reader with a few lines is as inspiring to me now as it was then… possibly more so in this age of oversaturated media images.”
A Living Archive of Creativity
To be part of The Fible Vol. 2 is to join a living archive — one that connects artists, designers, educators, and collectors in a shared appreciation of fashion’s purest form: the drawn image.
From Jessica Bird’s loose, expressive linework to Michael Choi’s painterly experimentation and Joanna Layla’s iPad immediacy, the book captures the diversity of approaches shaping contemporary fashion art.
As John Booth noted of the featured works:
“It’s really great to see that so many people still feel passionate about fashion illustration as an exciting and important form of communication.”
And Spiros Halaris celebrated the variety within this creative community:
“It was exciting to see the variety in medium and technique — a mixture of traditional and contemporary, with past decades being recaptured and reinterpreted in new ways.”
A Global Platform for the Future of Fashion Art
From collaborations with major brands like Lacoste and Alberta Ferretti to philanthropic partnerships with the Be Well Collective, FIDA continues to champion fashion illustrators and their invaluable role in the industry’s cultural ecosystem.
As the organisation grows, The Fible stands as its shining beacon — a beautifully curated volume that not only honours the past and present of fashion art but inspires the next generation to draw until your hand hurts, as Pepe Muñoz so perfectly put it.
To be featured in The Fible Vol. 2 is to become part of fashion history — a global showcase of imagination, craft and creative excellence.
Explore more and apply for upcoming FIDA projects at fidaworldwide.com
Discover The Fible Vol. 2 and its featured artists at thefible.com
