Dylan Qin and His Illustrative Couture World

Before fashion film, there was fashion photography, and before fashion photography, there was fashion illustration. Dazzling the pages of many of fashion's most revered publications, wondrous illustrations adorned the covers (and continued to decorate the inside pages) of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Flair, Tatler and many more throughout the first half of the 20th century, proving quite an asset to the quintessential style bible. Having always believed in the power of illustration, primarily when used to communicate a mood or palpable presence, SHOWstudio have long been inviting fashion's most talented illustrators, on and under the radar, to offer their unique talent in interpreting the latest season's collections.

The collaboration between perfect and imperfect lines is what brings our A/W 22 haute couture illustrator Dylan Qin's creations to life. 'Raw and imperfect…sophisticated and unfinished' were the very words Alaïa don Pieter Mulier used to explain his S/S 23 collection, and although only some elements of these descriptions ripple in Qin's interpretations, the fashion illustrator spent time mirroring Mulier - and every other creative director of an haute couture house - in other ways, igniting a fire into his work by making it move, twist and turn. What should've been 2D interpretations of 3D clothes became moving gifs to represent not only each look's style but the way it graced the runway.

Movement became more literal at Maison Margiela Artisanal as John Galliano staged a performance show which straddled film and theatre genres. Understanding the assignment, it's hardly surprising that Qin chose to illustrate Karlie Kloss' elegant yet dramatic look, embodying Galliano's vision in his final couture artwork. By isolating Kloss as a couture flourish, Qin opened a portal to couture's history with illustration, one that was championed by fashion illustration's darling René Gruau and the great couturier himself Christian Dior. After the illustrator's death, it was Galliano who took on Gruau's seminal designs, developing a bond that sealed itself in billowing tulle and bouncy ostrich feathers that brought Gruau's degradé sketches to life, eleven couture years ago.

Moving illustrations are new to our coverage, coincidently colliding with our fascination to make type - and graphics - move, evidenced by our Moving Logos project. Sharing SHOWstudio's curiosity in challenging the parameters of what type and images can offer once set into motion, Qin told us the reason why he decided to make his illustrations as gifs were simply down to him wanting to 'try something new' that made his work both 'more creative and more intriguing'. It's these two aspects that Qin then applied to Chanel, Balenciaga and Schiaparelli, just as Virginie Viard, Demna and Daniel Roseberry put them into practice. Demna's second Balenciaga couture show became a particular inspiration for Qin, with the illustrator admitting he 'always can see the brand's unique DNA', noting its 'advanced design with exquisite details, new fabrics and technologies.'