Elly Azizian, who illustrates under the stage name Fashion Strokes, undoubtedly has an impressive client list. These include Van Cleef & Arpels, Oscar de la Renta, Valentino and Sotheby’s, among others. Her clients invited her to Paris to sketch haute couture. Azizian tells FashionUnited how she carved this niche in fashion illustration.
How did you get into drawing for haute couture shows?
I studied couture at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and was fortunate to have great professors. But even though I could drape, cut patterns and sew, all my professors unanimously said my drawings were much better. And they were right. So I turned full-time into illustration, met up with a Chilean fashion magazine, a super small niche publication, and since it was couture season, I suggested that I could go to fashion week and cover for them. I don’t think they really thought that was realistic, but I applied for a press pass and, to everyone’s surprise, was accredited. We got a few invites, initially it was small shows, the second and third rows, not the big brands but some really great couture houses. Then it just kept getting bigger because once you’re on the list, people start looking at you. I met some great PR companies who were really nice and I showed them some work and it became a regular event for me.
Where are you at sketching the runway looks?
I think Paris is very specific because a lot of the shows take place at historical sites so the setups can be a bit awkward. But depending on how much space we have, I occasionally have the luxury of a table, which is usually in the small gap between the photographers and the seated audience. Occasionally, if it’s a brand that doesn’t want instant sketches but wants a more detailed sketch, I also get to sit in the audience, which is fun.
What do photographers think of having you by their side?
At first it was probably a first for them and they were surprised to see someone next to them who didn’t have a camera but a sketch pad. I’ve now met a few of them and it’s gotten a bit more social, especially at the fairs I go to every year. They are very friendly and make room for me.
What are your favorite materials for sketching catwalk shows?
I definitely have to cut back on choices, but I tend to work with lines a lot, no matter the occasion. At home I work with collages, pastels and like to experiment. On the shows I tend to work with pencil, graphite, some markers and when I use pastels it’s always these nice pencils that you can smudge a little bit without dust flying all over the place. I make sure it doesn’t get too much. There are these great pens with water that I tried once. But you can see the fear in photographers’ eyes when they see water near their equipment.
Are there requests to create digital sketches?
Surprisingly, digital options never actually came up. I suspect that most of the companies that have hired me know that I mainly work with analogue methods. I also find that there is a certain romance and luxury to holding a fine, sturdy paper with ink and sketches. This corresponds to the essence of couture, especially since the sketches are often given away to customers.
How do you prepare to sketch at the couture shows?
I do live drawing sessions beforehand, such as with Drawing Cabaret Couture or Ami Benton, London productions via Zoom. I get into a rhythm of really fast live drawing or slow, meticulous work and it’s hard to keep my balance. One is always more comfortable than the other. I also just flip through magazines and make quick sketches out of them. Sometimes, when I know it’s going to be a crowded, guest-heavy event that isn’t necessarily a couture show, I might have a backup of pre-planned poses that I know I can recall quickly.
How do you capture the looks that pass you by in such a short space of time?
The dresses are so intricate that the actual speed on the couture runway is slightly slower than ready-to-wear, which works to my credit. Of course, you can never capture every look. And the models stop at certain points on the runway. At the Juana Martin Show, she had some of the models do little abstract performances, which was very helpful.
How many sketches do you create per show?
It depends on. I’ve heard of companies that charge a certain number, but haven’t come across this. Everyone was wonderfully flexible with me. I think I can, let’s say conservatively, do seven to eight sketches per show, which isn’t a lot considering how many looks are shown. The big traditional brands have maybe 80 looks, but smaller couture brands have 20 to 30, so if I can do a third of that, everyone is happy. At this pace I don’t feel overwhelmed and I can still capture everything I perceive.
How was sketching at Zuhair Murad?
I think it’s the highest ranking brand I’ve worked with. The dresses are so beautifully intricate that I feel bad for not capturing as many looks as I would like. I think this is one of those shows that comes with more time pressure. But because the house is so friendly and appreciates the complexity of my work, because the people there have an understanding of craftsmanship from their own experience, there was never a problem with the number.
How would you describe the feeling of sketching in this stressful yet exciting environment?
As a fan of any performance, whether it’s a concert, theater or fashion show, I think that moment when the lights dim and the music swells and you know something’s about to happen is just awesome. It’s a great adrenaline rush. Then you see the first dress and off you go. Those first few minutes of awe, then a brief rush of panic, the realization that I’m not here to just indulge in beauty, and then I get into the rhythm. Towards the end it gets very pragmatic: you look through the sketches, they collect them, it’s about business.
What happens to the sketches you create?
It depends. Some press and PR agencies take them and keep them for the brand, some brands give them away to the customers who buy the clothes because they are also unique. Some use them for social media. It depends on the company.
Why are you more accepted in couture shows than in ready-to-wear?
I think a lot of couture companies are trying to break new ground, while ready-to-wear is all following the same trends. In the couture world, there are big artistic ideas and concepts that change from season to season. But I like working with companies that incorporate elements of costume design, something really unusual, that’s what my heart is about.
Since the couture shows often attract celebrities, do you draw them too?
I see them more marginally. I’m with the photographers so I get a front row seat to some of the chaotic scenes, but I’m not in the thick of it. This time I had the pleasure of sketching Rossy de Palma who has always been a huge fashion icon to me and she was kind enough to share my work and compliment me afterwards. I really liked that.
This article was previously published on FashionUnited.uk. Translation and editing: Barbara Russ.