Zandile Tshabalala Takes on Paris A/W 23 Haute Couture

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.

To celebrate Paris' A/W 23 haute couture looks this season, we invited the incredible Zandile Tshabalala to reimagine her favourite looks by transforming them into stylised pieces of art, forever immortalising this season's fashions. Choosing to depict the Schiaparelli and Iris van Herpen collections, Tshabalala's illustrations blur vivid colours together, creating hazy and dreamlike fashion illustrations that she says, aim to 'embrace narratives celebrating the inclusion of black women within art, inspired by the lack of or displacement of black women within the western art cannon'.

The technique that characterised Tshabalala's illustrations this season was actually a new technique for the artist, who tells us how she achieved the powdered look while interpreting haute couture's greatest A/W 23 offerings. Wanting to know more, art and culture editor Christina Donoghue spoke with Tshabalala regarding the her illustrative style, inspiration and working process.

Christina Donoghue: How would you describe your illustrative style?

Zandile Tshabalala: Often, in my own practice, I work with acrylics on canvas painting self portraits that stare directly at the viewer. The figure might be engaged in an activity or simply reposed but the main thing is that they are present and central on my canvas. For my SHOWstudio illustration project, I had included those compositional elements by depicting a central, cropped self portrait that engages with its viewer by means of the gaze.

CD: Can you talk a bit about your artistic process?

ZT: For my illustrations, I had opted to work in pastels which I had not used before, using a method whereby I do not go directly with the pastels onto the paper but rather grind the pastels and use a paint brush to make softer marks, almost as if the image was powdered onto the surface. In fashion terms, I thought of if as applying make up onto a model/self, a very delicate and careful process that requires some kind of curiosity and decisiveness. I looked a lot at the designers Schiaparreli and Iris Van Herpen for inspiration in my expressive mark making that stood place for the actual garments. I did not want to be too literal but rather make suggestive nudges to parts of their garments or creative decisions in terms of styling.

CD: What separates illustration from other artistic mediums?

ZT: Having worked in painting and now illustration, I would say that for me, illustration is much more looser in terms of mark-making and much more expressive. The delicacy of it for me comes with the fragility of the mediums I.e. paper, pastels. It can go wrong very fast so one really needs to sit down and take ones time as paper isn’t as forgiving as canvas would be. There is a higher chance of it getting damaged.

CD: Have you always been an illustrator? What’s been your journey to illustration?

ZT: Honestly, I have considered myself more of a painter. I have always worked directly onto my canvases. Even in the stages where my ideas were still abstract, I would make those kinds of resolutions and compositional planning with painting directly onto canvas. Post my SHOWstudio collaboration, I can confess that a new interest has been sparked, and I have been thinking about pastel illustrations/sketches as a second medium.

CD: What factors will you consider when deciding on which brands/looks you will illustrate?

ZT: For the brands, I am mostly drawn to textures and material, the bolder the better. I am also looking for the subtle definers of the brand and also overall styling decisions.

CD: What fashion makes for a good illustration?

ZT: I think for me, garments that show structure and shape make for a very interesting illustration. The garment itself must feel like a sculptural masterpiece.

CD: Where do you find your inspiration?

ZT: I find inspiration from my own life experiences, I find inspiration from the women closest to me, I find inspiration from nature, and the world at large. I like keeping a very open mind, my practice becomes reflective of that.

CD: What relevance do you think illustration has in today's world?

ZT: Having looked and engaged at several illustrations this past week, I would say that illustrations remain the epitome of ideas manifested. They symbolise infinite possibility and that is what makes them even more exciting.