BA (Hons) Fashion Illustration
Sam Shepherdâs opulent artistic representations of beauty and fashion are inspired by his fascination with the arts, literature and music. The compelling visuals juxtapose beauty with decay and social aspirations with corruption and satire; it is these concepts that form the foundation of Samâs work. Rich and vibrant materials and colours are used to create stunning images, the proportions of which are manipulated to focus the audience upon specific aspects that Sam wishes to highlight. The incorporation of embroidery juxtaposes an ascetically pleasing image with an element of unravelling. The loose threads suggest vulnerability and transience. This aspect of fashion illustration is developed further through the fragile characters that lack control or direction. Furthermore, Sam reflects upon his fascination of insects that have been in corporate into designs. This reflects the 19th century fascination regarding entomology and art nouveau inspired imagery. There is an element of irony as insects â like ourselves - live in complex communities, to a greater or lesser extent they clean up after us. Sam has worked for House of Holland as an embroidery and embellishment intern for the incredibly successful autumn/winter 2013 collection. In addition, he created a visual representation look book for Martine Rose spring/summer 2013 collection. He has also created beauty portraits for the Colour and Culture exhibition for á la carte cosmetics, curated by Ryan Lanji. Over the past three years, the London School of Fashion has supported and helped to develop Samâs visual style. Sam aims to continue to develop a visual brand, which illustrates the inspirational nature of fashion whilst playfully deconstructing the reality.