Mixed media sketch of Sophie Ward.
Photo By Danny Roberts
Mixed media version of painting for Oxygen Magazine cover.
Photo By Danny Roberts
Danny Roberts is something of a modelizer — but not the slick sort who’s always dating them. He draws them, and over the last year Roberts has posted several hundred portraits of catwalkers in clothing from Donna Karan to Alexander McQueen on his blog, Igor + André.
Now his work is becoming the clothing itself, appearing on accessories and T-shirts this fall. Men’s shoe designer Wells Stellberger features a Roberts townscape on a pair of derby shoes in his Heutchy line; London-based e-tailer Borders & Frontiers sells Roberts’ illustrated T-shirt, Girls in Glasses and Gwen Stefani’s Harajuku Lovers’ fall collection includes 10 different Roberts illustrations on canvas totes, satchels, graphic T-shirts and hooded sweatshirts.
“Fashion is kind of a door into a dream world for me,” says Roberts, 24. “Seeing a fashion collection is like picking the wardrobe for the story that is being written in my head.”
Roberts, a native Southern Californian, works in watercolors, pen, ink, colored pencils and mixed media, and looks to Aubrey Beardsley, German expressionist Egon Schiele and an archive of old photographs, paintings, fashion editorials and runway shots for ideas.
“Natural beauty and women inspire me more than anything,” he says. “I would say romance is a real driving force in my work.”
ADD A COMMENT
Sign in using your Facebook or Twitter account, or simply type your comment below as a guest by entering your email and name. Your email address will not be shared.