Urban Nature - Balenciaga SS 2010

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Here is a special one! The amazing and innovative Balenciaga SS 2010 collection. This is the look that I illustrated. I love the hemp vest and the bright pistachio leather pants.

I was inspired to create this background because of a new book I got last week - 'Digital Textile Design' by Melanie Bowles. The book talks about the process of creating digital textiles in Photoshop and Illustrator, and demonstrates an enormous number of design examples from both new and established fashion designers. A really good read for anyone interested in fashion or graphic design. This book inspired me to pay more attention to my own backgrounds, and I plan to create and post them from time to time. I am hoping that someday I will even design my own digital textile block :)!

I plan to do a 'Behind the Scenes' post next week on how I did this background - it was really fun and easier then it seems.

How do you all like it?

Edgy Flowers - Christopher Kane FW 2010

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Another favorite collection from Christopher Kane, who is always surprising. This time, he created a series of tough, masculine, all-black and leather looks embroidered with delicate and colorful flower arrangements. This total contrast is so edgy and unexpected, and very beautiful. See the entire collection here.

By the way, this illustration took me a long long time to illustrate. Not sure why. Maybe because there are just too many girls squeezed onto that page? Or the detailed embroidery? But I hope you like...

Love and more Love - Erdem FW 2010, Illustrated

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Erdem can do no wrong with me and I already professed my love for him and his SS 2010 collection. Today I was waiting with anticipation for the Erdem FW 2010 collection photos to go online; I kept checking, and refreshing, and waiting and checking again. Finally they were up and I was in the clouds. The deep browns combined with his signature watercolors are beautiful. Love the laces. Love the quilted leather. Love that cape. I only hope that I did justice to his work with my illustration :).

Christopher Kane's Lolita - SS 2010

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Following the Stylish Inspiration collage from Coy Concepts, here is the illustration I promised. It is of this look from Christopher Kane's SS 2010 collection. The collection was partially inspired by the movie Lolita (the Jeremy Irons version). I think the use of the clashing gingham check is very innovative - the looks have a modern, seductive edge. It is a beautiful, well thought of collection, as I got to expect from Kane.

Btw - his FW 2010 collection is equally innovative - delicate flower embroidery on black leather?! Nice! Sketches are already in place - illustrations coming soon. :)

And also, did you notice that Miss Goose made her appearance today, as many of you requested?

Stylish Inspiration - Kane's Lolita

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Here is a little preview for tomorrow's illustration, prepared by Coy Concepts, my sister Anna. Anna regularly contributes collages to Stylish Goose for my stylish inspiration. This is a collage inspired by Christopher Kane's SS 2010 innocently provocative collection.

Image credits:

• Style.com
• Patrick Demarchelier - French Vogue, 08/06 Beau Chic, Bon Genres
• Neil Taylor Barbie Collection from propel.org.au
• Lolita (1997) from Graphics Horse blog
• Getty Images

Behind the Scenes - Illustrating Wunderkind

Hi Guys,

I decided to post another Behind the Scenes for you! Do you remember the Wunderkind illustration? This one I actually sketched on paper and scanned at 600 dpi. Then I worked in Corel Painter 11 to redraw and colour the whole thing. Painter 11 is a neat program. It lets me simulate different real-life media types like markers, oils, pastels, chalk, watercolour, and the list goes on and on. I do not know how to use all of them yet, but I have perfected some of my favorites. I tend to use gouache, colored pencils, digital watercolour and markers for most of my illustrations - including this one. But I also like to experiment - this is the best thing about Painter 11 for me.

Cozy Cape - New York Streetstyle from Turned Out

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This is Nicola. She was captured in New York by the street style photographer Maya, whose blog Turned Out became another one of my regular reads. Nicola's look got my attention because of the strong attitude and personality that she exhumes - a real thoughtful self confidence. She is natural, beautiful and interesting, and her comfortable but bold style looks like an extension of her. I love the ethnic patterned cape and the bright leather gloves!

Happy Birthday to THE Stylish Goose

Happy Birthday today to our mom, Vera, who is the inspiration behind Stylish Goose. She is beautiful, stylish, sweet, brave and strong. Her maiden name is Guseva, meaning 'Goose' in Russian! Today our mom is turning 49, but she already experienced and overcome so much. My sister Anna and I are so grateful to have her in our lives, caring for us and bringing us so much joy. We love you Mom!

Artist Inspiration - Amylee Paris

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Today's post was inspired by a wonderful artist Amylee. Her creations are full sized painted collages influenced by fashion, textile and prints. Amylee's love of colour and pattern is conveyed in her stylish and unique retro looking paintings. I am very lucky to be featured on her STAR Blog roll, and was inspired to illustrate a look that features her art. Visit her blog and let her art brighten your day!

The model is wearing a simple oversized T-shirt, with an amazing Amylee Paris 'Julia' print. She pairs it with very daring orange leather shorts from Fendi. The black lace platforms are curtsy of L.A.M.B.

Her beautiful white rose scarf from Harlequin Feltworks was created by a talented San Francisco-based artist Jenne Giles. Those whimsical and unique scarves are available in various rose shades on harlequinfeltworks Etsy store.

The look cannot be complete without jewelry! Those colourful geometric enamel bangles from Sequin go so well with Amylee's painting. Sequin is a New York based private jewelry brand established by sisters Kim and Linda Renk.

The Black Agate earrings are from Lola Rosa, designed by London born Nicola Gewirtz. They are so brilliant!

Wings - In Honour of McQueen

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Dark and Vulnerable - Nina Ricci SS 2010

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This is one of the looks from the Nina Ricci SS 2010 collection, which follows the inspiration collage post prepared by my sister Anna. I find it so soft and fragile with sheer fabrics and misty hair, but also dark and intriguing. I am a big fan of cardigans, and love the light soothing colour of this one. Make sure to look at the details - the purse is beautiful, and the delicate flower rings are just wow!!

Stylish Inspiration - Coy Concepts Collage

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To set you in a mood for my next illustration, I asked my sister Anna to create a little graphic inspiration board. Anna recently launched her design and photography blog Coy Concepts, which I adore!

Anna and I are very close; we share a similar aesthetic and views on fashion and style, although we do have our differences. Anna already assists me with Stylish Goose behind the scenes by consulting on styling for my illustrations, advising on blog design, and taking photographs during fashion shows that we attended, which I later use as the basis for my illustrations.

Being the talented graphic designer that she is, I thought it will be perfect to have her as a regular contributor to Stylish Goose. Here, she incorporated the inspiration behind my next illustration (guess what it is??) along with her favorite artists and photographers. Click on the collage parts to go to the original artist posts.

Image credits:

• Liz Watier Couleur Folle Eye Makeup
• Jola Dziubinska Photography - Black Rose
• Nina Ricci SS 2010 from style.com
• Tim Walker Photography - Lily and Spiral Staircase
• Tim Walker Photography - Alice Gibb and Olga Sherer
• Christine Lindstrom original painting - Roses

Ruffles All Over - Claes Iversen FW 2010

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Here is another beauty from Amsterdam fashion week, which happened at the end of January. The illustration is from the Claes Iversen FW 2010 collection. This look is a nude ruffled dress paired with a cute textured jacket. Just look how adorable it looks from the back! The Claes Iversen show must be my favorite collection of the whole Amsterdam fashion week. It is so elegant, but has many unexpected little details that made me do a double take. I love his use of sheer organza throughout the collection, especially when he combines it with the heavier tweed in the same clothing item.

Moving upwards now. My girl has this bleached pale purple hair, which is a trend that I credit to Tavi's recent hair obsession. And this hat is a great little find from 2adorn, hand-made by Australian designer Kim Nguyen. It comes in a pink version too!

Behind the Scenes - Illustrating Josh Goot

Hi Everyone!

Did you like the previous post on how I do my illustrations? Here is some more behind the scenes for you of the Josh Goot illustration.

This is an illustration that I did early on, just after I started using my tablet and Corel Painter 11. As you can see, I like to work with layers... This illustration has 34 different layers, but my newer illustrations can go up to 90 layers! I use layers to overlay different colours, shades and strokes on top of each other, until I get the look that I like. The layers also allow me to preserve the history of my work - if I mess up on something and ruin my illustration, I can simply make that layer invisible and start over :).

x

Genya

Dark Star - Streetstyle from Wayne Tippetts

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Wayne Tippetts, my favorite London street style photographer, found himself a dark muse. This is Malikah. She has an iconic style that is confident, mysterious and alluring. I love her hair and makeup, it looks like she just stepped out of a silent-movie set. Her luxurious look has an equally luxurious inspiration - the legendary Marchesa Luisa Casati, patron of the arts and fashion.

Straight from Amsterdam - Jantaminiau SS 2010

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Some glitz and glamor from Amsterdam International Fashion Week, which completed last night. This dramatic dress is from the Jantaminiau SS 2010 Couture collection entitled Duality, and I think it is quite a standout. Here I illustrated this elaborate creation with simple hair as I get easily overwhelmed. :)

Jantaminiau is a collection designed by the Netherlands born designer Jan Taminiau, who plays with form and fabric to create meticulously constructed pieces. In this collection, he experimented with giant silk rosettes and structured beaded embroidered shells, to present a range of ultra short, rich pieces. Read about and see more of this collection (which was also shown in Paris on January 25th) here.

AIFW had quite a few beautiful shows, and I am hoping to illustrate a few more soon. I love following international shows because I get to discover many of those talented designers for the first time.