Bath in Fashion Festival: Style in the City

This month sees one of Britain's key fashion cities celebrating its style connections with the Bath in Fashion festival. From 13th-21st April there will be a packed schedule of events and exhibitions to help you indulge your inner fashionista, whether you're into the stunning photography of Norman Parkinson or the modern super stylist Rebekah Roy. Here are some of the highlights:

Mouvements de Femmes: Roland Mouret in conversation with Susanna Frankel (Grazia's Fashion Director) - Monday 15th April, The Octagon at Milsom Place

He's known for iconic dresses such as the Galaxy, seen on A-listers and widely copied by the high street, but you'll see him in a new light here, as the curator of Norman Parkinson's photography exhibition. Obviously someone who appreciates the female form, Mouret will be grilled by the brilliant Susanna Frankel, so expect some juicy soundbites. Tickets cost £20 from Visit Bath.

 Downton's timeless painted illustrations are worth seeing. [Image via daviddownton.com]

David Downton's Illustration Masterclass with model Jade Parfitt - Saturday 20th April, The Grange Suite in the Bath Spa Hotel

I was lucky enough to hear Downton speak at the London College of Fashion a few years ago, where I sat in the audience taking copious notes and lapping up every word - I'm utterly in awe of his work and even used him as inspiration for my AS-Level Art project, back in the day. You'll know a Downton illustration for its expressive and fluid lines, celebrity subjects such as Dita Von Teese and its minimalist finish; he's also the fashion illustrator in residence at Claridges and creates unforgettable couture and catwalk imagery. Tickets have sold out for this event, so if you've managed to score one then I'm incredibly jealous.

BathVA's Vintage Fashion Fair Special - Sunday 21st April, Green Park Station

In a place with so much history, it's only right that vintage style gets a look-in here. Get your hair fixed up like a true retro lady (Marcel wave? Victory rolls? Yes, please) and browse over 50 stalls selling the very best local finds. There's even a dance troupe to entertain you as you shop - what more could you want, except a man in a classic car? Yep, they'll have them too. Entry is free and it runs from 9:30am to 4:00pm, so there's plenty of time to track down a bargain, but you may want to get there early for the best selection (of vintage, not men in cars). 

Aside from these picks, there will be plenty of exhibitions at the Holburne Museum, including 50 Fabulous Frocks and an installation by artist Julie Verhoeven, or you can pop to the famous Fashion Museum to see the Dress of the Year 2012. In between all of this, you might want to explore the Roman Baths or take a boat trip down the river, as I've done when I've visited over the years.

With talks, art displays and pop-up shops to check out, there really is something for everyone on the festival schedule. Well done to Visit Bath for an incredible line-up - I just wish I could be there myself!

Illustrations: LFW S/S13 Hellen Van Rees

Some quick drawings I made on my lunch break using the Paper app, based on the work of Hellen Van Rees at London Fashion Week's Exhibition as part of Vauxhall Fashion Scout.

I love the deconstructed threads of Van Rees' pieces and how the colours blended together: grey, aqua, acid yellow and black. Those boxy structures around the collarbone and down the side of the top were fantastically 3D and worked incredibly well as both a talking point and something you could imagine being worn - perhaps not in everyday life, but in a more surreal environment, where fashion is artistic rather than functional (i.e. not in the middle of Asda).

What also struck me is how democratised her work seemed: it would look just as impressive on a size 8 as it would on a size 18, because the structural forms are where the focus lies.

This piece felt like a play on the peplum trend, and it definitely worked (my sketch, less so, but you get the general idea).

Van Rees stood out for me as being willing to take risks and really experiment with texture and space - not just bringing out a collection of black space age garments and expecting everyone to think she'd reinvented the wheel. What she brought was innovation and a sense of fun; I could imagine Lady Gaga wearing her designs for a night out as much as a serious model in an editorial shoot.

Sketchbook Magazine Goes Online: Interview with the Editor

When I read recently that the iconic Sketchbook Magazine (staunch supporter of illustrators, fashion bloggers and creative types) was being re-launched, I was intrigued to see what the new look publication would be like. As a self-confessed magazine junkie who'd readily spend my weekly food shopping money on creative glossies, it's fair to say that anticipating the re-launch was a bit like counting down to Christmas. And the best bit? It's moved totally online, giving you unrivalled access to the best up-and-coming design talents from the creative industries - artists, fashion designers, photographers and graphic visionaries. I caught up with Editor-in-Chief Wafa AlObaidat to find out what Sketchbook 2.0 is all about, learn what the Sketchbook Design Society will do, and to seek advice for any budding illustrators out there who want to submit their portfolio. Say hello to your new favourite bookmarked website...

"We want to tap into a bigger audience, but also we have too much to share and our previous blog layout didn't do the site justice at all," explains Wafa. Fully aware of the importance of digital platforms in magazine publishing, she continues, "We also wanted to compete with other online magazines of an international standard and, in order to do so, our online presence has to be strong." 

I completely agree; working with online content on a daily basis in my full-time job, I can see how easy it is for blogs and websites to reach people and create a permanent resource for them that is indexed by Google, whereas print versions don't have the same longevity. But will there ever be a printed edition again? "Ideally we want to get Sketchbook in print and online and we are ready for that transition but it was time to upgrade the site and allow for more of a regular platform for contribution."

One of the magazine's strengths is its collaborative style: the idea that you could add your own work to the living, breathing showcase that is the website seems incredibly tempting: "We want to get them to collaborate with other creatives within our network," she says. They receive over 50 portfolios a day and "pagefuls of invites to events" which are then distributed to correspondents around the world. Obviously the beauty of taking things online means that these events will now be reported as they happen, with daily updates and a fast turnover of editorial content. Alongside all of this is the brand new initiative that Wafa is championing, known as the Sketchbook Design Society, found as a tab on the website:

"It's a member-based organization of design professionals, educators, administrators, students and associates in communications, marketing, media and design-related fields. Our goal is to raise the general standard of design in Bahrain [where she's based] and the Middle East, and we hope to inspire local designers and engage the public."

It all sounds promising, but I can't help wondering if there's any time left for pop-up projects - something the publication became famous for with its 3 week series of live events in London's Carnaby Street back in 2010, which included Issue 1 cover star Susie Bubble as a speaker. "Once we establish a society of creatives, we may then continue to pop up and do spontaneous events,"Wafa reassures me. 

So what do you need to know if you're looking to submit something to the site, either as a feature or a creative contribution? If you're fresh out of uni then don't panic - "A big slice of our audience are emerging and young creative designers and illustrators and recent graduates of art school." Here are Wafa's top tips for getting involved with the site and on launching your career:

• Get your CV done in a creative way and check out the fan mail section on our site for inspiration. Creatives who email us with interactive portfolios are the ones that get a call back. 
• Get as much PR coverage as possible, and also continue to contribute to get your name out there, and build your name in the industry. This will allow clients to email you for services.
• Define who you target audience is and start emailing them requesting to work with them. 
• Be active online, social media wise, and do as much work as you can!  

Basically, if you're sitting at home wondering whether to submit something, then the world's your oyster as far as I can see. The new look website is a springboard for you to carve out a name for yourself and it's a great way to see what your peers are producing as well. Even if you're an observer rather than a creator, it's just as fascinating to see what graduates are coming up with and find out about industry news.

When asked for three words to describe the all-new Sketchbook, Wafa has a think and then picks five: "Clean, modern, minimal, user friendly, smooth." Just another example of how the publication goes beyond expectations. 

To join the Sketchbook Design Society, head to the dedicated tab (next to the Magazine tab) on the homepage.

[All images courtesy of Sketchbook]. 

Dior A/W2012: Illustration

Just a hint of colour to suggest the cerise pink of this dress.

Another illustration has made its way out of the vaults - yep, I've been digging up loads of my old sketches. This is a glimpse of what Dior brought us for A/W2012, which reminded me of Roksanda Ilincic-style gowns due to the t-shirt shape on the body. The layers of tulle give a nod to the opening credits of Sex and the City, but this is a more polished look than what our heroine SJP was striving for on the streets of New York. The colour wasn't representative of the rest of the collection, by any means, but that's kind of why it stood out for me: a flash of something urgent amidst the other (still remarkable) pieces.

I found the model a tad too skinny so I fleshed her out a bit - she might not have made it onto the catwalk this way, but I think she looks a lot healthier.

[Illustration my own - please ask before reproducing].

Going for Gold - Illustration

Goldeneye.

Here's a little illustration I produced last month which has been waiting for the right time to pop up on the blog. There's nothing like a dramatic eye to get you noticed... 

Block colours have been hitting the catwalk left, right and centre, but this was also inspired by the influx of Art Deco-style accessories available at the moment (which will continue into next season and probably peak with the film adaptation of The Great Gatsby) and the gold lust of Team GB pre-Olympics. Get ready to see a lot more gold in the media frenzy, kids.

[Illustration my own. Please ask before reproducing].