The 10-member international jury for this, Fida’s 9th awards ceremony, represented a cross section of contemporary illustrators and artists working in the fashion, beauty and lifestyle space who regularly collaborate with luxury brands, big box retailers, and glossy magazines.
Their careers are testament to the fact that in almost every field of commerce illustration has become one of the prevailing means of communication and engagement. Among the panel were Polish artist Anna Halarewicz whose art is currently on show in a solo exhibit in her native country and who has worked for Chloé and Balmain; Italian Diana Kuksa whose work has appeared in Tatler, Vogue, and Harper’s Bazaar; NYC-based Elly Azizian who operates under the moniker Fashion Strokes and has worked with Oscar de la Renta, Sotheby’s, and Carolina Herrera; and Jessica Durant whose clients include The Washington Post, The Gates Foundation, Vogue, Dior, Ikea, and Spanx.
“It was so very hard to choose, there were so many pieces full of vibrancy, intricacy and beauty,” said Durrant. “I love seeing how fashion illustration is evolving and growing and becoming more and more commonplace. Our industry is booming more than ever and I see a bright future for a longtime!”