FabSugar

Look Mom! Hokey Croquis Fashion Sketchboard

FabSugar — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 05:00:22 PST

Calling all aspiring fashion designers! Hokey Croquis is here to save you a lot of time with its Fashion Flat Sketchboard ($15). The cool thing about this sketchpad is the pre-made croquis form disappears when you photocopy or scan your design. That means, no more tracing or light boxes. Really, we tried out the pretty, high quality paper ourselves and it actually works. Now, you're one step closer, and faster, to your runway dreams.

To see more images of the Hokey Croquis sketchpad,

View 3 Photos ›

Introducing Fashion Illustrator, Mr. Cardigan

OnSugar Blog — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 04:50:22 PST

Check out this fun fashion interview from OnSugar blog British Style Bloggers.

Working on the Save Luella campaign, I came across this wonderful image (below) and discovered the fashion illustrator Derek Cardigan, who has a blog here: http://derekcardigan.blogspot.com/. He's obviously very talented, creating his images with hand drawing and then colouring them on Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or Flash - ahh I wish I was spiffy with these computer programs! The man himself is very friendly and kindly let me ask him some questions.

"Well, I've always been drawing girls in dresses ever since I can remember. As a child, my favourite movie was (still is) Sleeping Beauty. I loved the end where she would be dancing in her pink dress which would magically turn blue. That made such an impact on me that I would draw princess Aurora while my fellow classmates (I went to an all boys private school) would draw cars. I always knew I was kinda special.

To read the rest of the interview and see more drawings,

Fast forward to college. I decided to go to fashion school. I attended Vancouver Community College in their Fashion Design program. I lasted a year because I could not sew! My favourite part of school was fashion illustration. That class is kinda what got me really into illustration. After I dropped out of fashion school, I went to a year intensive for 2d animation. I completed that year, got my diploma, but could not find a job in animation. That's why I did the blog, to kinda keep my drawing skills.

My plan now is to go back to school for communication design and illustration. I'm hoping to get back to school in September. The program I'm interested in is a diploma program, but I can finish my degree at the university's sister school in London. I don't know the name of the university in London though, but I am really wanting to do that because I have always wanted to live there. I recently visited Europe for the first time in Sept '09. I went to London and Paris. Amazing! So I definitely want to go back.

What inspires my work? Well, really it's the beautiful collections by designers and girls I see on the street. I don't really have time to get out there anymore, so surfing fashion blogs and lookbooks, street peeper really helps in inspiring me. I first draw all my work, then complete it on Flash. Since I studied 2d animation and completed a short film on Flash, I'm just really comfortable with it. I can't draw on Illustrator or Photoshop at all! I just know the bare basics. I hope to learn soon though because I'm starting to get bored with the way I color my drawings. A favourite image? Hmm . . . not really. Once I'm done with a drawing, I am so over it. Kinda the same with designers . . . they work on a collection for 6 months and after they're just wanting to move on."

Thank you Derek! And to everyone else I really think you should go look at his site, there are some really lovely images.

Fab Read: Fashion Illustrations by Fashion Designers

FabSugar — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:00:22 PDT

Whether they admit it or not, everyone loves sneaking a peek at something they're not supposed to see.

Fashion historian Laird Borrelli's new book Fashion Illustration by Fashion Designers ($27) facilitates just that, by giving us a look at designer's sketches that aren't meant for public consumption.

The newly released book features 250 original sketches from 50 of the world's top designers, including Christian Lacroix, Karl Lagerfeld, Phillip Lim, Rodarte, Christopher Kane, and Giambattista Valli. I don't know about you, but I can't wait to sink my teeth into this one.
To see a preview of what's inside,

View 5 Photos ›

Source and Source

Fashion 101

FabSugar — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 08:00:22 PDT

Take the Quiz

Fab Read: Style Dictionary

FabSugar — Wed, 23 May 2007 05:50:33 PDT

Here is an oldie but goodie. I got this Style Dictionary illustrated by Ruben Toledo, $23, for Christmas years ago. If you have been enjoying our Style Glossary this is up your fashion education alley.

The illustrator, Ruben Toledo, is one of my favorite fashion illustrators. You may recognize his unique style from the Nordstrom ads and their clever whimsical illustrations. He is married to the designer Isabel Toledo who is the new designer at Anne Klein. Page-by-page Toledo illustrates fashion terms through colorful imagery; I received it as a gift and it is indeed a great gift to give!

Archie's Old-Fashioned Aussie Birthday Bash

Kate Stahl — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:46:52 PDT

For today's insanely cute second birthday bash, we travel far across the ocean to Australia, where event planner Dawn of Ruby May Designs was inspired by vintage fabrics and illustrations from Sarah Jane Studios to create a simply charming party. A licorice allsorts-embellished cake, fabric pennants, and charming pom-pom details, all created by Dawn, make this party one of a kind. Add in old-fashioned party games like knock the cans and one supersweet bow-tie-wearing birthday boy, and you're in for a party treat. Keep reading for all the Aussie adorableness.

Source: Graeme Sharkey

H&M's Fashion Against Aids Collection Hits Stores Today - See Our Top Picks!

Allison McNamara — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:21:08 PDT

Today, H&M released its Fashion Against AIDS collection to raise awareness and funds for HIV and AIDS. This time around, the collection was inspired by global influences and is filled with brilliant colors, patterns, and prints created by international artists and illustrators. Not only are these pieces fashion-forward and fun, but 25 percent of the sales will go directly to international youth HIV/AIDS awareness projects. We've rounded up our favorite pieces from the collection - watch today's Fab Flash to see them all. On Allison McNamara: Madewell top, [BLANK NYC] pants.

Eye-Catching Makeup Looks From Paris Fashion Week

BellaSugar — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 02:00:16 PDT

Europe's Fashion Weeks have come to a close for Fall 2012, and Paris ended on a high note with some unconventional eye makeup looks. Ornate eyebrows at Chanel, bright mascara from Stella McCartney, and illustrated eyeliner at Miu Miu were among the runway highlights. See the boldest looks - watch now!

This Is How You Do Bombshell: Lessons From Ana Beatriz

FabSugar — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 03:04:04 PST

We're known to love some body-con dresses now and again, but we were totally humbled by Brazilian model Ana Beatriz's turn in Elle. Now that's how you do it if you want to be a bombshell. Yes, she has an inherent advantage over us in that she's been a Victoria's Secret model and Sports Illustrated babe for years. We love that she turns up the heat in Miami in some of Spring's colorful and quirky looks. Click to see Ana Beatriz teach us all a lesson in real sexy.

Ask the Diet Doctor: Is Fruit Really a "Free" Diet Food?

Shape — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 04:56:35 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to nutritional consultant Mike Roussell, PhD, for some help!

Q: Can I really eat as much fresh fruit as I want and still lose weight?

A: Unfortunately, no. Fresh fruit is a healthy choice and loaded with vitamins and antioxidants; however fruit still contains calories and carbohydrates. These are two things that can stop your weight-loss progress in its tracks if left unchecked.

Whether or not you should eat fruit while dieting has always been a controversial topic. The Internet is cluttered with articles claiming that eating fruit will make you fat, while more recently Weight Watchers has deemed fruit a "zero points food" as part of the Points Plus system, allowing dieters to eat all the fruit they want without it impacting their daily points total.

Which is correct? Is your daily cup of blueberries to blame for that extra layer of belly fat you can't seem to burn off? Or is it an innocent bystander in your quest for your ideal body? One of the reasons that fruit is so controversial is because it can be a double-edged sword. While fruit is a very nutritious food that should be included in a weight-loss diet, there may come a time when you will need to reduce or temporarily remove fruit from your diet to reach your goals. Let's take a closer look at both sides of this controversy.

Find out if fruit is good for a diet after the break!