Rene Gruau
Renee Gruau’s fashion illustrations are both elegant and beautiful , His colours and his amazingly fluid lines are just simply stunning, Rene Gruau provided his defining style for the Christian Diors “New Look” in the 1940 ties which greatly influenced haute couture, art, theater, and design. With his signature use of his powerful minimal line, Gruau’s style incorporated seductive sophistication with classic grace, beauty and sensual artistry. There was a quality and visual appeal of his radiant and glamorous “beautiful women”. Gruau’s artwork is acclaimed and noted for its exceptional and masterful line, and its timeless, enduring style. His work would look as good today in a magazine as it did in 1945. He has inspired many fashion illustrators, and has set a bench mark for quality and artistic merit in a fashion illustration.
Rene Gruau was born in Italy in 1909. In the 1940‘s and 50‘s Gruau became a admired figure of the haute couture world, working with Femina, Marie-Claire, L’Album Du Figaro and well known “high-fashion magazines. Some of Gruau’s best work can be seen in the dramatic visual statements he produced for; Balenciaga, Elsa Schiaparelli, Christian Dior and Givenchy. In 1948 Rene Gruau went to work for Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue in the U.S.A,before becoming the exclusive artist for Flair magazine. He also produced fabulously beautiful advertisements for Bemberg and the Moulin Rouge .
Rene Gruau
Right up until his death at the grand age of 95, Gruau continued to work for the greatest names in Haute Couture:names such as Balenciaga, Balmain, Fath, Schiaparelli, Givenchy , while also creating fashion drawings for Elle, Vogue, France, and Madame Figaro. Gruau’s works of art are collected and exhibited by the finest art institutions in the world; including the Louvre in Paris. Rene Gruau’s artistic devotion, intensity and technical brilliance have left a trial of light on art history, and a place in my heart for being one of the worlds finest fashion illustrators.
