Embracing Real Beauty in Fashion Illustration: A Personal Journey

As a fashion designer, I've always been fascinated by the art of sketching. However, my early experiences with fashion illustration were far from empowering. In fact, they left me feeling disconnected from my own body and perpetuated unrealistic beauty standards. But that was then, and this is now.

Looking back, I can see how my education at Parsons School of Design in the 90s was flawed. We were taught to draw models with emaciated bodies, literally just bones. I remember being so proud of those drawings, but now they make me cringe. It's embarrassing to think about how deep-seated this disconnect from reality was.

After giving birth to my first child, I stopped consuming fashion media and began to see the world in a different light. I realized that fashion is not just about creating beautiful designs, but also about promoting inclusivity and diversity. That's why I'm so passionate about teaching plus size fashion illustration.

My experience has taught me that there's more to fashion than just aesthetics. It's about embracing real beauty, celebrating individuality, and bridging the gap between art and reality. As a Parsons faculty member, I would never give an A to a student who draws distorted figures. For all women, it's time to break free from these unrealistic standards.

That's why I've created various courses, workshops, and masterclasses that focus on building anatomical form, balancing poses, and promoting inclusivity in fashion design. From my book 'The Language of Fashion Design' to my online courses like 'FALL/WINTER PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT and TECHNIQUES', I'm committed to empowering fashion designers to create clothing that celebrates all body types.

In today's video, we're going to explore some powerful tools for recreating and balancing plus size fashion poses. Join me on this journey as we break free from the constraints of unrealistic beauty standards and celebrate real beauty in fashion illustration.

Female body fashion sketch