We have heard about bloggers sharing the collections of fashion designers through their social media outlets, but at this years NYFW, it was the illustrators that took the spotlight. Danielle Meder, a fashion illustrator and trend theorist, shared her collection of sketches in a recent blog post. Her illustrations are not only well executed, but they capture a feeling that can only be expressed through an art form such as this. And I like them. I like the idea that she is able to interpret one form of art and execute it in another. I asked myself if this is considered plagiarism, or if it shouldn’t be allowed because the concepts behind the illustrations are not original. But Meder’s task as a fashion illustrator is not to take credit for these concepts, it is to share a feeling that a photograph may not capture while creating a work of art. The details of the garments are vague yet there, all while paying close attention to subtle characteristics. Meder’s works symbolize the apparel’s first impression; a first impression that includes feeling and movement, the kind that captures a moment. It is as if she is summarizing everything the designer wanted to happen, in a quick illustration.

While I find trend bloggers to have a negative connotation, Meder’s attempt to share her “frow” experience is impressive. Her approach to sharing the designers’ work is different and refreshing, and it is something unique to her. We are a visual generation, and Meder creates visual imagery to tell her story and experience. She keeps alive the feeling that can be lost in the storm of images from fashion week. Yet I, an avid fashion follower, was unaware that this art existed. So while I can commend Meder for participating in a way that adds dimension to the blogging world, I have to ask why? Why is the art of fashion illustration under the radar? She is ultimately participating in the same act the others by sharing what she is seeing, only she does it in a more organic sense. The iPhone images are getting more attention than original works of art, and the designer’s work. Meder’s work is worth seeing, and maybe, after all, there is beauty in having to discover it.

For more on Danielle Meder: http://finalfashion.ca/