The Fible, the bible of fashion illustration, has just been published in its third edition by Fida, the Fashion Illustration and Design Awards, an organization focused on the fashion industry founded in 2019. The aim of the book is to bring together the best of contemporary fashion illustration in one illustrated book. It is the brainchild of artist Patrick Morgan, who has been working in design and luxury fashion for over 20 years, working for brands such as Tom Ford, YSL, LVMH, Christian Dior, Fendi and Schiaparelli and regularly appearing in the Financial Times, the Guardian, the New Yorker and the Observer can be seen.
In a conversation with FashionUnited, he revealed that he was even hired by the James Bond franchise. He described the challenges of publishing a high-quality fashion illustration book in an increasingly online world and why he believes printed fashion art is more relevant than ever.
How did the idea of the primer come about?
The Fible was created out of the need to offer fashion illustrators a platform to present their work, promote new ideas and bring creativity and vision to the fore. The Fible also offers new talents the opportunity to surround themselves with former legends and current pioneers.
Who designs the layout and what is the inspiration?
I design the brooch, which takes about nine months to make and design, but becomes more challenging every year. The inspiration comes from playing and working outside of the typical reference space. Designing fonts is a very free and playful experience: hand-drawn fonts, pure and dynamic. When I think about layouts I look at a lot of design books, from Margiela books to magazines like The Face or Dazed and a little wallpaper.
I adopt the philosophy of the American graphic artist David Carson and simply tear up the rules and let it fly. As a child, I was very interested in skater magazines like Lowdown and Thrasher, bought early books from streetwear brand Mambo, painted fonts, and used unorthodox graphic design methods. I’m a graphic designer and artist, and that’s what I did in college and loved it. The Primer reflects my love of putting all of these things together to celebrate them and create great work.
You have been working as an illustrator for years. What advice would you give to aspiring illustrators who want to follow in your footsteps?
Working as an illustrator is a big challenge, but also fantastic. You have to embrace the unknown, follow your passions and just keep going. It’s better to succeed at work you love than to create something that doesn’t feel like your own, even though that can be hard at times. You may not always be on trend and you may have to work two jobs to survive, but if you love what you do, it will be good in the end. Working with brands is great, but it can also be limiting. So always try to stay true to your vision but at the same time be malleable and open to new ideas. Some creative directors can really bring out a great side of your practice. And always leave your ego at the door.
We are all aware of the challenges in fashion print media, but can you share with us some of the hurdles in publishing a high-quality, limited edition fashion book like Fible?
Designing a book is very difficult because paper and printing are so expensive. If I feel like it’s too simple, not fresh, or uncreative, Diane, my wife and co-founder of Fida, who never lets me get away with anything, tells me straight away and then it’s back to the drawing board. This happens all the time. With the Primer I really wanted to start a conversation and hopefully inspire others to join what is now a movement.
Who is the primer intended for?
The primer is aimed at all creatives, but I want it to get into the hands of decision-makers who will put illustration back on the commercial map for campaigns and large projects. It also aims to document this moment and show how fashion illustration as a practice can enrich the professional world. I also personally enjoy how it inspires new and established talent and shows what can be achieved at any level with a little hard work and perseverance.
How do you choose the artworks?
Choosing artwork is always a matter of budget, which requires extensive editing. I want everyone in the Fida community to have a place in the book. I’m co-editing the book with Diane, who reads and reviews it several times and looks forward to seeing it go to print.
This primer documents high-profile partnerships between Fida artists and brands such as Bulgari, Alberta Ferretti, Halston, Rodo, Lacoste. But is there a collaboration that made you particularly happy or proud?
Of all the people I managed to convince to join, Hiroshi Tanabe and Howard Tangye are two illustrators I really respect and it took almost three years to get them on board. Now they can be seen in Fible III. Tom Ford’s team also has a copy, which makes me very happy.
They have just released Triptych, the third part of the series. What do you have planned for the next story?
I think about the primer all the time, but to keep things simple we negotiate projects with brands and present those projects throughout the year. I would love the Fible to be a magazine in my local WHSmiths in the UK or Barnes & Noble in the US – that would make me smile. At the moment the perfect place would be to place the Fible in Harvey Nichols, Harrods or Selfridges to bring our little touch of color and drawing magic into the world.
This translated post previously appeared on FashionUnited.com