Summer Fashion Arts Festival Talk Series: Virginia Romo
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From Blueprints to Brushstrokes – Virginia Romo’s Art of Live Fashion Illustration
As part of this year’s Summer Fashion Art Festival, Virginia Romo took centre stage in a candid and inspiring talk that traced her unexpected yet richly rewarding journey from architecture to fashion illustration. A self-taught artist who reignited her childhood passion at nearly 40, Romo’s story is a celebration of late-blooming creativity, professional reinvention, and the power of drawing live—in every sense of the word.
A pivotal moment came when Romo joined Dressember, an initiative that uses fashion to raise awareness about human trafficking. Her participation not only spotlighted her talent for storytelling through illustration but opened the door to a new chapter in her career. It wasn’t long before a live sketching session at a local fashion event led to commissions with brands including Dior—proof that visibility, timing, and purpose can be just as important as technique.
Romo spoke of the joy and unpredictability of live events—from buzzy product launches to intimate store activations. She described how events like the Lady Dior Art Collection brought together art, elegance, and interaction in a way that felt uniquely personal. Her live portraits of clients in cities like Frankfurt and Munich created not just souvenirs, but shared moments of creativity.
Her experience sketching at high-profile events such as the Berlinale film festival, the Dior exhibition, and even during the Olympic Games in Paris captured the spontaneous energy of her practice. Often working under time pressure, in unusual lighting, and surrounded by celebrities and stylists, Romo reflected on how such challenges often lead to her most compelling work.
Yet, the glamour of live fashion sketching has its realities. Romo was refreshingly honest about the behind-the-scenes effort required to make it all happen – managing travel logistics, navigating contracts, and handling client expectations. She pointed out the vital role of organisations like the Illustratoren Organisation in Germany, which provides freelancers with crucial support on everything from pricing to legal advice.
Patrick Morgan, who hosted the talk, praised Romo’s distinctive, modern style – fluid, dreamlike, and editorially sharp. He also emphasised the broader value of live event illustrators, calling for more collaborative planning between brands and artists. Romo echoed this, encouraging open dialogue with clients to unlock more ambitious, integrated projects.
With her graceful adaptability and understated professionalism, Virginia Romo embodies the evolving role of the illustrator today – someone who is not only a maker of images but a connector of people, stories, and moments. As she continues to explore new tools, including AI, while staying true to the joy of drawing, her work reminds us that creativity is often found in the in-between: between brushstrokes, between professions, and between one person and another.
