Proenza Schouler Fall Winter 2011 Interpretation (Image Courtesy of Shannon Stokes)
One of the most rewarding aspects of being involved in fashion is being able to work and collaborate with exceptionally creative individuals that have talents that span from the beginning of a design process down to the production of a fashion show. Everyone has something to contribute to make the industry swirl into the profitable business it is today. Some people design, some people market, some people can style. While others are the dreamers, that are there at the starting point of designing a garment or idea that carries on, years after trends leave the runways and retail racks.
Longtime friend and incredible Illustrator Shannon Stokes has over a decade of experience with illustration and design. The recipient of many prestigious brand accolades, Shannon, has recently started a blog, titled SSSketch. And it has garnered quite the attention – as he was featured on Sea of Shoes for the last illustration competition. After winning the coveted first spot posting position, Shannon continues to share his fanciful interpretations of runway collections and fashion editorials. I sat down with Shannon, this time not over drinks and loud music, but to discuss his work, his process and what’s next for this illustrator to be on the watch for.
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Lala Lopez: Could you describe your process behind each sketch?
Shannon Stokes: Once I establish my motif or color story, I then go through an extensive search to find the right reference source photos. It may be for the models pose or the lighting or even an alternate view as well as detail shots of the garments I need to illustrate. I generally don’t restyle the look because then I think at this stage that alone changes the meaning of the look. The illustration is extensively re-sketched in pencil in the beginning stages because the rendering takes a lot of time. Each piece is only rendered once. No Redo’s. So, because of that have to feel that the sketch has to have a certain level of ‘rightness’ for me to begin coloring.
I utilize my fastest process, which is to create a flawless pencil sketch and have that photocopied onto card stock sort of like a coloring book page. Then, I add the medium to the card stock. After all of the hand drawn process is completed then post-production comes next which is Photoshop. The most complex of my pieces are composite images or a series of layers. For example, The Proenza Schouler Incident is comprised of about 5 separate pieces. The background is 1 the figure is another and so on and so on.
LL: Speaking of which, what is the story behind your newest sketch of the SS11 Proenza Schouler runway look?
SS: For Proenza, it was the idea of radioactively-colored ladylike classics. In that collection they remixed the classic tweed jacket beaded underpinnings and matching skirt and a sensible pump.
So, my piece is about a domestic woman in a suburban setting who undergoes a transformation through some sort of accident or government experiment. I thought the name Proenza Schouler also sounds like a medical experiment. The woman depicted is Asian as a hint towards classic Asian disaster films of the 50’s. Which then brings us to the camera bits. In our society today everyone often seems more interested in taping video of something happening than watching it first hand so I wanted to add that layer for the viewer as well as add an element of modern times that I don’t think exists in much of today’s fashion illustration. I want there to be more than one way to do it and still show a level of craftsmanship.
Prada Spring Summer 2011 Interpretation (Image Courtesy of Shannon Stokes)
LL: Thoughts on digital vs. traditional fashion media?
SS: I have to admit I feel torn. I sometimes have a distrust of the transience of digital fashion media. As servers become overloaded older content that could be referenced is dumped for various reasons and something you may have loved disappears into ether. I love how fashion images online though can travel further than being hidden in the pages of a 300-page magazine. Yet an editorial viewed online gives no idea of scale or presentation that a printed magazine can give. I also feel that there is a legitimacy and permanence to being in a physical printed publication. So I guess that is a long way of saying I think that both have their place.
LL: What have been your stand out collaborative opportunities?
SS:I think the ones that stand out for me are H&M and Perrier because both are milestones for directions in my fashion career. Perrier marked a moment in that I entered a contest they sponsored and my fashion illustrations of my own designs won me $10,000 as well as it became a moment when fashion illustration moved to the back burner for me and fashion design moved to the front. Perrier then became the sponsor of my first fashion show during NYFW.
Then the H&M contest and them deciding to feature my work in their H&M Fashion Video series marks a reversal in which fashion design has been placed on hold temporarily! I’m taking some time to further explore my illustration abilities.
Lady Gaga: A submission to the V Magazine Cover Contest (Image Courtesy of Shannon Stokes)
LL: Any ideas of the next sketch you’ll be working on?
SS: Some of the next on my board are Prabal Gurung, Alexander Mcqueen, Mugler, and Dolce and Gabbana as well as the introduction of Men’s illustrations. But that is in no particular order and are subject to change.
LL: What’s next for Shannon Stokes?
SS: Whats next? A site redesign and I think more and more I will seek to have more designers personally involved in the process in that I want to show the full arc of thought from the designers original inspiration to my detoured end point.
To stay abreast to the whimsical world of fashion interpretation through the illustrations of Shannon Stokes, please visit sssketch.tumblr.com