Why Messy Fashion Illustration is not a mistake - it's a response.

Blog by London Fashion Illustrator Elyse Blackshaw

After delivering a fashion drawing workshop at Graduate Fashion Week, a student asked me a question related to my work being 'messy'. It really got me thinking about this term messy, and what the messy aesthetic communicates.

In today’s fast-paced and unpredictable world, it's no surprise that fashion illustration is shifting... becoming looser, messier, more expressive. And that’s not a mistake. It’s a response.

When people see my work, a few words may come to mind... bold, scratchy, messy.  Fashion drawings that don't aim for clean perfection. I often hear words like “unfinished” or “chaotic.” But those raw, energetic lines are intentional. They reflect something deeper: the reality of the world we live in today.

We’re not living in the age of Dior’s New Look anymore. That era (refined silhouettes and tightly controlled glamour) belonged to a structured post-war ideal. But walk the streets of London now, and you’ll see a different picture: eclectic layers, clashing aesthetics, gender fluidity, thrifted rebellion. It’s messy, it’s beautiful, it’s human... and so is fashion illustration.

Our current moment is defined by change: cultural, political, environmental. In a time where trends shift weekly and life feels more fragmented than ever, to me, polished illustration often feels disconnected from reality. When I create a piece, the quick marks, loose lines, and splashes of ink aren’t about carelessness, or lack of skill, they’re about energy. Each line holds emotion. Each gesture is movement. Each mark is now.

My work as a London-based fashion illustrator is deeply shaped by this context. I’m not drawing for fantasy anymore, like I did when I was younger. I’m drawing to capture the mood of our time, its tension, its urgency, its vibrancy.

To fellow creatives, students of fashion design, and lovers of illustration: don’t be afraid of the mess. Lean into it. Let your hand move fast. Let the fashion drawing breathe. There’s so much truth in the rough edges.

In an era where sleek can feel hollow, messy feels real. And right now, real matters.