After recently creating a sketch for the Star Tribune article, I realized I need to get back into hand sketching on a regular basis.  In my day to day design life I rarely do any hand sketching; most of it is done in Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop.  However it is a skill that I would like to improve on for my personal portfolio and to build on my overall design skills.  I have been researching a lot of fashion illustrators to learn about different types of illustrations and techniques.  I wanted to share a few of my favorite illustrators with you. 

My first inspirational illustrator is 21 year old British Fashion Designer/ Illustrator Hayden Williams.  He is so talented and inspiring I just can't get enough of his beautiful sketching techniques.  Here are a few images of his work.

Another beloved illustrator of mine is Inslee Haynes.  She focuses more on water color techniques and explores different subjects than just fashion.  She sells a beautiful fashion illustration calendar which is actually how I came across her designs.  Check out some of my favorite water color looks by Inslee:

The last illustrator is Jessica Durrant.  I love how she mixes black and white illustrations with watercolor.  She is inspired by the things that she is passionate about such as traveling, fashion, rock n roll music, architecture, and nature to name a few.  You can purchase her illustrations on etsy here.  Below are some of my favorites by her. 

The next few weeks I will be working on sketches for my Spring collection so I will be sure to share those with you.  It would also be fun to show how my sketching styles have evolved over the years, as long as you promise not to laugh :)

Stay tuned!

I recently had the fun opportunity of redesigning an outfit inspired by  the 2012 Olympics for a article in the Star Tribune.  There has been so much talk about Ralph Lauren's Olympic gear so it was a great idea by Sara Glassman (style writer for Star Tribune) for local designers to do the same.  See below for the Ralph Lauren Sketch's and image of Opening Ceremony Outfits.

There was not any specific direction from Sara other than our interpretation of how we would redesign the Olympic outfits if we had the opportunity.  For me, the first thing that came to mind was redesigning the tennis outfits.  I love to design dresses and having past experience designing figure skating outfits I thought it would be easy to translate.  I enjoyed playing around with different ideas of how I would change things if I could.  Here are a few images of what tennis dresses look like today:

The current designs are very simple with slim to full skirts, mostly solid color and not a lot of pattern.   For my design I wanted to incorporate a few fashion trends while still keeping the dress functional.  Here are some images of the trends I wanted to inlude below. 

In my design, the shoulders are squared off and have more shape than the current dresses.  I also included a double layer peplum skirt which we have been seeing a lot of in the runway. In the end I wanted to have a design that was wearable but pushed the boundaries of what we see on the court today.

Here is the full article in the Star Tribune by Sara Glassman:

Anticipation is building for the Olympics, when the world will be watching Team USA in uniforms designed by Ralph Lauren. The combo of blue blazer and white skirt or trousers, shown above, seems classically stylish to some, but downright dull to others.

"They should be more fun," said local designer Lindsey Hopkins.

Designer Marissa Bridges agreed: "Right now they are pretty basic," she said. "There's an opportunity to incorporate more trends while still keeping them functional.

To host our own fashion Olympics, we asked Hopkins, Bridges and three other Minnesota designers how they would improve on what the American athletes should wear for their international appearances.

It was fun to see how the other designers incorporated the challenge, with all of us having a different point of view.  Even though these probably won't make it into the Olympics anytime soon, hopefuly the outfits in the future continue to evolve and incorporate new materials and design.

Keeping this in mind :)

I have to say two of my favorite fashion icons and designers are twin sisters Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen.  Not only did I grow up loving them on Full House but I have appreciated watching their style change and develop over the past 10 years.  They now are faces to some of my favorite designers, Karl Lagerfeld, Dolce and Gabbana and Badgley Mischka, to name a few.  The sisters were recently named Women’s Wear Designer of the year at the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) for their high end line, The Row, a luxury apparel brand named after London’s historic Savile Row.  They were up against many well-known names such as Proenza Schouler and Michael Kors.  The sisters also own a t-shirt line called style mint, a contemporary clothing collection Elizabeth and James and design for JCPenney under the label Olsenboye.  These two show no signs of slowing down and I look forward to watching their style continue to evolve in the coming years.  Check out some of my favorite outfits worn by the sisters below.

Hope everyone can get out and enjoy some sunshine for the 4th of July.  It's supposed to be 96 and hot here in Minnesota so you know you can find me by some body of water.   As you are out celebrating with friends and family, keep in mind what this holiday is all about.  Be reminded of all the people who sacrificed their lives so we are able to feel safe in our country and have the freedom to pursue our dreams.  I know it's something that I sometimes take for granted so it's great to have these days to keep us grounded and remind us of these things.  Here are two of my favorite quotes that I found appropriate for today.

I believe in America because we have great dreams - and because we have the opportunity to make those dreams come true. 
~Wendell L. Wilkie

And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
~Lee Greenwood

Have a great and safe holiday!  Here is some fun 4th of July outfit inspiration that I found on pinterest to get you in the spirit!