Art of the collection: The design spirit of American fashion artist Audrey Schilt
Fashion artist, illustrator and designer, Audrey Schilt, is celebrating her 22 year collaboration with American tastemaker Ralph Lauren on display at the Fashion Institute of Technology. The show, Art of the Collection, documents the designer's relationship through illustration as Lauren's Polo/Ralph Lauren brand became the iconic American lifestyle. As the Creative Director of Collection, VP, Audrey worked side by side with Ralph, conceptualizing and sketching from the design studio to runway.
Schilt explains, "With every new season, I would continuously evolve with Ralph discovering a new direction within his world."
The exhibition, informally presented in the school's D building lobby and visible by street level, captures perfectly "7th Ave’s" frenetic pace, showcasing Schilt's flowing gestural line rapidly expressing ideas. The sweeping large scale sketches bring back memories of your favorite Ralph Lauren collections, celebrities seen on the red carpet, and the emotional editorials shown everywhere.
But Audrey's journals, working out the concepts, and mini sketches planning the runway shows, give insight to the symbiotic relationship between design and illustration. Most important, the human form is always present while simply gestured in Schilt's body of work. This reminds the viewer that fashion, not just a concept, is intended to be worn, in the lifestyle, with a definite point of view. "After Ralph selected the final design sketches, these illustrations would become the blueprints to begin the sample creation," Audrey comments about the importance of illustration working with Ralph Lauren
Look for an upcoming book from Art of the Collection as Audrey continues to consult in all areas of design living in New York City. For more info: Visit Audrey Schilt’s site to read more about her impressive biography and see the show at FIT before it ends January 27th!
- From Examiner.com
