Keeping up with Sunny Gu, fashion illustrator.

Runway fashion illustration-Alexander McQueen by Sunny Gu

Bright and colourful, precisely placed in perfect lines, each line creating an effect, all important and complimenting the other to create an overwhelming master piece.In each specimen of work, the image is not just a regular drawing from an artist, Sunny Gu really instructs movement from the garments that I have the

Watercolour fashion illustration- Jason Wu girl by Sunny Gu

impression that I am watching an animation of a fashion runway rather than exploring a still picture.

Sunny Gu was born and raised in China but later relocated to the United States when she was 13. Painting and drawing had claimed part of her life from a young age starting as a hobby. As she grew she encountered people from various of backgrounds, this triggered her curiosity for other cultures. Sunny explained "I learned to observe and discover beauties in everything around me. I wanted to find a way to capture and preserve the beauty that I see, the kindness that I feel and recreate them in some way" Living in the United States in Alhambra, which is positioned near Los Angeles or the pacific coast she always has an insight of fashionistas and their good sense of style. "It is always very sunny and warm in California, it is like Spring/ Summer all season! Yes I have definitely gained fashion influence here, and I tend to illustrate people wearing sunglasses and bright/tropical themed outfits."

Watercolour fashion illustration- Miss Moschino by Sunny Gu

"I have always been intrigued by bright colours, beautiful things and intricate details" This led her old hobby, into a new job, becoming an illustrator and an artist. However, these compositions did not happen straight away, she had to grow into it and for a long time. " I have drawn for as long as I can remember. Drawing and painting have always been my favourite things to do. Even though I may be drawing stick figures and crayon doodles when I was little, every practice has contributed and has paved away to my artistic growth" She later mentions that she is also her greatest Critic, I look at her work and I see perfection, beauty and amazing works. In her mind it is completely opposite, she will detach herself from the work, sit, stare and evaluate, pointing out things that she could improve on. For her she needs to see both the flaws and the perfections out of her pieces so that she can learn from it, and carry it on for her next piece so that she can advance her skills and knowledge to advance into a better illustrator. She announces that she does this with every piece and yet I still am sat here, trying to find faults or things that

Watercolour fashion illustration- Jason Wu girl by Sunny Gu

I would change, and I just can't. She isn't always criticising herself as she does feel proud when she watches her pieces become bigger than itself.

One of my favourite pieces is the Illustration from one of Alexander McQueens Spring/summer 2012 collection. It would look amazing in a magazine representing McQueen, you do not always need photographs to view the master piece of a constructed art work, when you can portray it in such an elegant, intricate detail, apprehending every part, you can see exactly what it will or does look like. Not only can you see it but I am able to feel it too, with all the careful strokes I can sense the materials texture tingling on my fingertips. "What mediums do you use to accomplish this?"
" I paint them in watercolour, I love the vibrancy and the unpredictable nature of watercolour. Occasionally I use graphite or acrylic paint to render some of the special textures" Special it really truly is.

Watercolour fashion illustration-Alexander McQueen by Sunny Gu

Becoming a Fashion illustrator is her dream career as not only do you design but it can become a part of things in so many different ways from editorial, printed garments, decorations, packaging design or serves a product campaign. A fashion Illustrator is definitely not limited and the great thing about it is, there is so many different personal styles and preferences there can not be a right or a wrong to a fashion illustration. As we are ending our interview she says to me that she wants to keep growing to become a better illustrator, conceptually and technically. I ask for advice just before the end. " Keep chasing your dreams and create your own
opportunities."

If you would like to be updated more about Sunny Gu, view more or even purchase her work then these are the websites you need to check out!

Sunny Gu's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sunnysgy?fref=ts
Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/sunnygu?ref=l2-shop-info-name
Online portfolio: http://sunnygu.com/

watercolour fashion illustration- Chloe by Sunny Gu

All photos that you see on this blog post are Sunny Gu's work and are all copyrighted to Sunny Gu. 

Talking to: Louis Cheron, 16 year old fashion designer

Everyone I would like you to meet Louis Cheron who has the mother tongue of the French language.

Louis Cheron, self portrait

I staggered across Louis on one of the top used social networking sites, Facebook. I must admit the "young fashion designer" titled against his name is what had caught my attention to speculate the page. I was bewildered when I had seen the visions, artistic and creative magic that this adolescent had. At the age of 16 his designs are beyond words, keeping them black and white so the imagination can run yonder. His composition are those that I could see parading the cat walks for the likes of Alexander McQueen, with people like myself only wishing that they had the chance to touch the magnificent art work, only pennies in the pocket and can only dream of purchasing the luxury.

Black Jesus Collection

Black Jesus Collection

We got into contact and my curiosity was running wild, I couldn't help but ask the "what inspires you most?" question. He explained that he had inspiration from many of designers such as Gareth Pugh, Vivienne Westwood and Martin Margiela. "My inspirations are mainly based on the career of Alexander McQueen. From my point of view, he is the designer who had the world's richest and brilliance there has ever been. Each of its collections is a infinitive magic, from "It's a jungle out there" to "The horn of plenty" through
 "Voss" each as dazzling in terms of innovations, in terms of direction and meaning"  I felt the left side of my lips go up, transforming into a cornered smile. I knew I could see his works being produced for Alexander McQueen and Louis's Amazing insight and fondness of McQueen proved that to me. He interpreted that it is not only fashion that arouses his mind of creativity, but also in the art as a rule, from painting, sculpture and literature to cinema, music and everything else. He commented with a quote that I will always remember "Assuming a creative spirit you must be curious about everything that surrounds you." I couldn't relate to this more. Some of the most best works out there,have been the ones that have been inspired by the most unusual substances.

Cut the world Collection 

Here is where I envy Louis, he admits that he has an advantage living in one of the four Fashion capitals, Paris. He explains that being a school boy, fashion culture is extremely accessible and materializes easily. Living in Paris and having fashion appear on his door step I had asked if there had been any objections towards him, "As I am a high school student, I do not really sew and my experience with fabrics and materials or using a sewing machine is rare. For example, I would help a friend make a shirt or embroider a flower dress. Drawing and designing is the only way for me to realize my imagination, in default of being able to sew." Being that age in school, you are focused on your exams and are very limited on what you can work on or with. When I was 16 I had never sewn or touched the likes of a sewing machine, so I can imagine it being burdensome.

God Save the Queen Collection

He had already achieved a goal to a certain amount when  I had came along. " I created my facebook page in order for me to be noticed as a designer by other designers, who hopefully would share their experiences or my own. Finding other fashion lovers like yourself whom I could get in touch with and exchange about common passions." Not long after, Louis came out with something that knocked my mentality about for a few seconds, "My biggest dream is to become a stylist." After all this time of us exchanging conversations, I thoroughly believed that Louis wanted to become a Fashion  Designer. Seeing his designs I would ADORE for him to become a designer. There are so many garments in his collections that I actually crave for. However, I can not force him to become one, styling is what he wants to do. I see though how designing can help those that want to be a stylist as once again it is the vision of ones mind that creates the outfit.

I shall keep in touch with Louis as I am looking forward to seeing how he achieves in his future and of course because I am a fan.

Dancing in the Dark collection

Terrible Angels collection. 

Tribal collection. 

Cut the world collection, sketchbook. 

 If you want to see more of Louis Cheron, design work go to this address ( I urge you to go, you will be missing such an artist!) : Louis Cheron- Young fashion designer.

All work, drawings and images were from Louis Cheron's collections and Facebook page: Louis Cheron-Young fashion designer.

Where are those Fashionistas at?

I started my personal blog about going through the travels on becoming something that you want to be and it inspired me to write another blog.

I thought to myself on how many bloggers there are that have beautiful, tasteful writing making us more fascinated by a designer then we already were, making us really explore those pair of killer heels that Alexander McQueen has produced for that runway, detailed and desirable, or that new collection from Givenchy. How about that amazing new dress from River Island, that really fits the curves of a woman, complimenting every part? All this is great news, especially for those that yearn fashion like I do, but what about those that are trying to break the industry? The Unknown "fashionistas" that maybe designing and making their own garments and clothing? What about those that design their own jewellery and accessories? Those that are trying to get themselves noticed in this crazy fashion world?

It is hard to be noticed when there are numerous of already-made-it fashion houses that are capturing our attentions, that sometimes it feels like it can be near to impossible to be noticed for the pure, bewildering talent and passion that one may have. The stress that it can cause, feeling those times of throwing in the towel  because you are working hard and not becoming detected. I know, I get that myself. 

And this is how I got to this blog. This blog is going to be dedicated to those that are under the radar, the ones that are not quite there and even the ones that aren't even near there at all! This is going to be for you. It may be small, it may not get you to a place where you want to be, but this here will show that someone HAS found you, has noticed you and should hopefully make you realize that someone out there wants to show off your talent to the rest of the world, that they want to help you. 

So get ready people to explore a new fashion world, the ones that are undiscovered, the ones that are completely new, the ones that have achieved certain or major goals, the ones that are under the radar, the writers, the designers, the stylists and the artists but they all have that same passion for fashion. Get ready to learn something new. If you are also one of those people trying to be recognized you may pick up a few pointers? Who knows?  Welcome to AJs Unknown Fashion.