Drawing On Style: Irwin ‘Bud’ Crosthwait @ Gray M.C.A, London |

If you happen to be in London for the local fashion week and you want to take a deserved rest from the runway shows without losing the focus on fashion and design, pop in at the exhibition "Drawing On Style: Irwin 'Bud' Crosthwait".

Organised by leading specialists in Fashion Illustration and Modern Art Gray M.C.A, this is the first public exhibition in 45 years dedicated to this recently rediscovered fashion illustrator and modernist painter.

Born in Canada in 1914, Crosthwait studied at the Sir George William College in Montreal before attending the Pratt Institute of Fine Arts in New York. Here he became fascinated by the work of master fashion illustrator Carl 'Erik' Erickson who inspired him to attend the seasonal fashion collections.

Appointed principal advertising artist for the Canadian retail chain known today as 'Bay', he left his job to serve between 1944 and 1947 with the Royal Canadian Navy aboard HMCS Ontario and the Colossus Class Aircraft Carrier HMCS Warrior, documenting the drama of the war at sea and key moments, such as the liberation of France through works in pencil and ink on paper.

The best illustrations display more personal impressions of naval personnel and the landscape and context of battle at sea.

When he was discharged from the Navy, Crosthwait moved to Paris. Passionate about the female form and an admirer of Balenciaga and Givenchy and later on of Ungaro and Courrèges, Crosthwait became a fashion illustrator for many couture houses including Dior, Givenchy and Marc Vaughan, and received regular commissions from Harper's Bazaar, Queen, Elle, Femina, Vogue, L'Art et la Mode, Jardin de Mode, Figaro, The New York Times and The Herald Tribune.

His work, characterised by light and rapid lines of colour and infused with an abstract, modernistic feel, perfectly captured the essence of couture. Angela Landels, former Art Director at Harper's Bazaar and Fashion Illustrator, stated about Crosthwait: "Bud was a darling man to work with. Always good natured. He stood out in the fashion world, like an old mariner sitting in the front seats of the fashion shows – he never looked like a fashion artist, but everyone adored him. He was irresistible. What made him interesting was that his work was not accurate or precise; he captured a fleeting impression of an elegant woman in elegant clothes. His work was abstract modernism – impressionistic, rather than detailed."

Crosthwait’s muse and model for his fashion illustrations was Ursula Fey, who was featured in almost all of his fashion commissions for top magazines and designers such as Dior, Pucci, Givenchy and Yves St. Laurent in the 1960s.

The London exhibition includes selections from her collection of fashion illustrations and from the collection of Marc Vaughan.

A close friend of the artist, the fashion designer was indeed one of his main collectors: Vaughan's widow, Madame Audart held a collection of original Crosthwait fashion illustrations and a number of his most important large-scale abstract works (a selection of which has also been included in the exhibition).

As the years passed, Crosthwait focused more on painting, living between Paris and Menzonio, Switzerland.

Highly revered by his post war Tachism school abstract expressionist contemporaries including Victor Vasarely, his work was exhibited worldwide on a regular basis, alongside Serge Poliakoff, Hans Hartung, Robert Jacobsen and Nicholas de Stael.

One of the most interesting stories about this exhibition is how the works were rediscovered: exhibition curator Connie Gray was handed out a fashion sketch signed by Crosthwait.

She then started a research that took an unexpected turn when boxes left out for rubbish and containing sketches, photographs and letters, as well as original works by Crosthwait, were discovered by a Parisian couple living near the studio where the artist had worked.

A major research in private collections then led the curator to find 60 original works, among them several unseen ones that are now part of "Drawing On Style".

The selling exhibition (prices range between £350 and £10,000) presents therefore the most extensive collection about Crosthwait under one roof, offering collectors a wide choice of war art, fashion illustration and modern art.

Throughout the event it will be possible to discover Crosthwait' art, and learn more about his works as Gray M.C.A's Ashley & Connie Gray will be conducting free daily lunchtime talks (1.30pm). Apart from rediscovering a forgotten artist and fashion illustrator, the event is also an important addition to London Fashion Week.

"Drawing On Style: Irwin 'Bud' Crosthwait" until 22nd September 2015 (opening times: 9.30am to 6.30pm), Gallery 8, 8 Duke Street, St James's, London SW1.

Image credits for this post

All images in this post courtesy Gray M.C.A; drawings, sketches and paintings in this post by Irwin Crosthwait.

Irwin Crosthwait in his Paris Studio

Departure, 1945, Ink & Wash

HMCS Warrior, 1946, Ink & Watercolour

Rough Day, 1947, Ink & Wash

Pigalle, 1948, Ink

Dior, 1948, Pen & Ink

Gentleman with Trenchcoat, 1950s, Ink & Watercolour

Marc Vaughan II, 1966, Ink & Watercolour

Marc Vaughan III, 1966, Ink & Watercolour

Marc Vaughan V, 1966, Ink & Watercolour