Fida Awards announces fashion illustration winners and includes student artists

The winners of the 5th Fashion Illustration and Drawing Awards (Fida) were announced live on instagram on Friday by the organization’s co-founder Patrick Morgan from over 1000 entries from around the globe. “You never know what the judges are going to select,” said Morgan, joking, “but, unlike at the Oscars, no one can hit me.”

Judge, Kajsa Leanderson, founder of Agent & Artists, a Paris-based agency for illustrators, knew just what she was looking for: “Work that stands out in its simplicity, appealing illustrations that let your imagination go beyond the frame.”

Fida was created with a vision to promote best practice among fashion illustrators and artists, to create a community and to offer opportunities for artists. The judges this year represent the scope of interest that fashion illustration now commands. On the panel were Biba founder and admired illustrator, Barbara Hulanicki OBE; Aurelia Islimye, CEO of Bleur, a London-based contemporary art gallery that champions emerging voices; Eric Delacourt of Acid Gallery in Lille, France; as well as professional illustrators Poppy Waddliove; Hossein Borojeni and Margot Van Huijkelom whose clients include Vogue, Louis Vuitton, Dior and Chanel to name a few. 
Each category winner earns a feature in the Fible (Fida’s Fashion Illustration Bible) and receives a 1-year Fida membership, while the overall winner also wins 2000 pounds sterling.

Awards celebrates the new voices in fashion illustration

For this year's awards there were 5 categories: Artistic, Poetic, Historic, Platonic, and Animatic. The Artistic Award welcomed entries from artists using traditional methods of fashion illustration and the judges were looking for examples of best practice. Tracey Smith won for her painting of a seated figure gazing directly at the viewer within which judges discerned, "a beautiful, joyful technique and seeming freedom in the brushwork and mark making.”

The Poetic Award recognized richness of narrative within an image, and was open to artists using mixed media, combining traditional methods and new technology together. The winner was Natasa Kekanovic who impressed the judges with her captivating use of color, and her technique which evoked a woodcut or Fauvist effect that felt original and fresh.

The Historic Award documented a fashion moment of the past or present, possibly a behind-the-scenes image, or a capture of a beloved fashion show, which allowed modern audiences to imagine the time, place and atmosphere. This category’s winner, Katarina Holkova, conjured up the unique energy of the runway experience in her submission which one judge described as “an incredible piece that feels simultaneously historic and contemporary. A real fashion moment. Love the hyper realistic model juxtaposed with the light touch rendering of the audience, how this directs the gaze to the moment, the sense of history unfurling. Really clever.” Holkova also claimed this year’s overall prize.

The Animatic Award was open to creatives who use moving images and film in their work, displaying a real understanding for timing and motion and all techniques of film making can be used, from stop motion to classic film making with technology including Photoshop, iPad, Procreate, mixed reality or even CGI. "There's going to be big movement in this space going forward," predicted Morgan. Ruth Froehlich won for her clear understanding of footwear design paired with strong sense of identity and voice and evolved use of mixed media.

The Platonic Award honored creative collaboration, reflecting the spirit of contemporary fashion and representing the benefits of working together. “It's very professional and stands out as unrivaled,” was the verdict of winner Dana Toder’s piece.

Industry illustrator and judge Joanna Layla had this to say regarding the range of talent on display, “It's beautiful to see the myriad interpretations of a theme and how fashion illustration can cast garments and fashion in a new light. I feel there are particular artists who stand out because their voice brings a unique narrative to the page, a step sideways from photography into a powerful new visual language.”

Savannah College of Art and Design comes out on top for fashion illustration

For the first time, Fida created a student section for each award and SCAD had a successful showing, grabbing two of the prizes. Yinan Mao’s subtly twisted portrait won the Platonic Award and the intrigue, color palette and beautiful composition of Jinghan Zong’s image won the Poetic category.

From London's Goldsmiths University, Zhenya Stoyanova won the Historic category for her striking Richard Avedon-inspired portrait featuring powerful and skilled rendering. The mark-making and detail of the submission from Texas University’s Dama Risharo won the Artistic prize and Harry Jones was recognized for the level of drama and sensational impact of his entry in the Animatic section.

All images from Fidaworldwide.com