"THE ILLUSTrATED WORLD OF COUTUrE" REVIEW
For as long as I can remember I have always had a great appreciation and love for fashion illustration and storytelling, Megan Hess is an author who specialises in both these things so naturally I have a strong adoration for her collection of work. A few years ago, I saw a gorgeous book dedicated to Coco Chanel and her life as a fashion Icon on Pinterest and knew it needed to feature in my room along with my other fashion book collections! It was then when I discovered Megan Hess and fell completely in love with her style of illustration and beautiful words. Since then, I have built quite the collection of her work!
Inspired by the art of storytelling, Megan Hess stylishly dives into the world of fashion through her stunning ink sketches and magical ability to tell stories and rewrite history. In this Journal, I will be reviewing the sensational story of “The Illustrated world of Couture”, Megan’s tenth book in her collection, to share my thoughts and interpretations ‘through a fashion eye’!
Starting off chic, the cover of the book is so sophisticated, it could be purchased without the intention of reading! Looking for a stylish coffee table book? This is the one to buy. It’s divine gold title and edges in contrast to the dark cover creates a classic, elegant, and powerful cover for the illustrated fashion book and perfectly conveys the aesthetic of Fashion Couture. Its sleek and stylish appearance is only the beginning, once opened, readers will be completely enchanted by the story Megan Hess tells not only through her words but through her impeccable style of illustration! Elaborate gowns of feathers, diamonds, lace and embroidery are placed beside illustrations of exquisite scenery, set designs and fashion locations which fill nearly every page of the glamorous fashion book. Lost in the pages, Hess entirely captivates me as a reader leaving me slightly more obsessed with the world of fashion than I already was. With a very refined colour palette of black, gold, pink and white, the book tells tales of sophistication and elegance whilst also being a product of art itself!
With such a unique style of illustration, Megan Hess creates wonderful pages of art using pen and ink and a stunning set of colours. Adding variation to her illustrations, Megan Hess features ink sketches with no colour and many with gorgeous vibrancy. One of the many reasons why I love Megan Hess’s style of illustration is the imperfections, rough lines and ink leaks she always features with her work!
Megan Hess has a remarkable way of inspiring her readers by including beautifully spoken quotes by designers and iconic figures throughout to accompany her writing.
To create a story like aesthetic and organise the many themes and topics of Couture for her book, Megan divides the book into Chapters to feature each concept within the book in a way which captivates and engages the reader! Within her first Chapter, Hess not only dives into the world of couture to tell its history and importance within the world of fashion, but she goes into depth and detail to define crucial roles and definitions of the many careers and defining contributions which all work together to make Couture the most luxurious fragment of Fashion.
Adding her opinions, Hess comments “You can’t talk about the creators of couture without mentioning Dior”, as she continues to tell the stories of large fashion houses like Alexander McQueen, Dior, and Chanel in her own beautiful words, including tales of their founders, their founding stories, the many crucial collections, and their current impact on today’s fashion industry. Megan has a powerful and unique way with words which make you feel as if you have experienced a particular moment in fashion, whether it’s a Tom Ford Fashion show or a McQueen runway, I feel more connected and passionate to the subject of Fashion.
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Within her second and third chapters, ‘The Collections’ and ‘The Drama’, Megan Hess illustrates celeb filled red carpets, black tie extravaganzas and truly remarkable set illustrations as she romanticises the glamorous side of couture, the way couture is meant to be seen – worn in extravagant parties and lavish events like The MET Gala, The Oscars, Runways and Red Carpets and not in the less glamorous, behind the scenes she previously writes about.
In one of the most beautiful sections of the book, Chapter four, Megan Hess fascinates the readers (especially me!) by discussing the beauty and significance of Intricate Detailing within the world of Couture. Small and Simple, it’s the little details which make all the difference according to Megan Hess as she proves with examples, it is the hidden details, alternate meanings and symbolism which shapes a successful Couture Collection. As she analyses each of Chanel’s intricate details, the reader discovers the beautiful meanings and metaphors behind each symbol which are so often ignored by those not paying deeper attention. When discovering each different detail tells a tiny but perfectly compiled biography of the founder’s life, I was in awe at how personal each element was to Coco Chanel and delighted to know that even after her passing, the creative directors of Chanel continue to keep these beautiful details within every collection.
A book too beautiful to behold, “The Illustrated World of Couture” was a fascinating and truly inspiring book from start to finish, at some points I couldn’t put it down and others I was desperately researching the different fashion collections Megan Hess had referenced throughout her stunningly illustrated pages! Not only was this fashion book incredibly informative and eloquent, but Megan’s true love and passion for the world of fashion and couture was undeniable in her words, which made the book so much more captivating and lovely. Megan Hess has created a stunning illustrated insight into the world of couture and perfectly defines the world of fashion!
"THErES nEVER A SHORTAGE Of speLLs
TO BE CAST In tHE MAGICAL wOrLd OF COUTUrE"
