MONICA SMILEY GIVES THE SEASON A FASHIONABLE SPIRIT
Story by Mariam Magsi
Heart. Humor. Haute Couture. These are the driving forces behind Eighty Seventh Street, a project by Toronto-based fashion illustrator and artist Monica Smiley. Smiley fuses art with fashion to produce stellar quality greeting cards that are tasteful, elegant and unforgettable, giving consumers more than just glitter and sappy poems.
Her new holiday cards depict playful illustrations of high fashion characters, done with perfect detail; enclosed within are inspiring messages such as Harlan Miller’s saying, “I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month.”
Smiley’s impeccable artistic skills engage her audience, and her passion for style can be seen in the depths of her ornate drawings. Plaid caught up with her to delve into her background and find out her future plans.
Tell us about yourself. Where were you educated? What is your artistic background?
I went to the Ryerson Fashion School and graduated three years ago. I have had an avid interest in drawing, art and fashion design all my life. Illustration was new to me and I learnt about it in school. I disliked the sewing aspect of fashion, but I’ve always designed clothes and drawn them out, so it was a natural progression for me. After school, I decided to pursue illustration as a career.
Have you always worked in Toronto?
I grew up in Thornhill, so I’ve lived and worked in Toronto all my life. This is home for me.
How did you get into illustration?
I have always drawn and loved the arts. When I studied illustration in school I was able to experiment with different styles and ideas. It came naturally to me. I always keep my eye out for new fashion styles to incorporate into my illustrations.
What makes an interesting fashion subject? How do you choose the characters and quotes in your cards?
I always stay up-to-date with the runway and what people are wearing on the streets. Fashion is constantly changing and that has to reflect in my work. I make sure I know what’s trendy and new out there, so my work progresses and evolves with the times.
Which illustrators do you admire the most?
You know, it’s hard to say. One of the illustrators of today I admire is Danny Roberts. I love his style. I think he has a unique approach to illustration. I like different pieces from different people and I respect artists who are true to their own particular styles.
Can you tell us about your current work and future projects?
I’m currently working on 2012 cards for Eighty Seventh Street. They’re going to be bigger and better. The 2011 illustrations show you my first collection and even though distribution has picked up and the response has been great, it was a trial run. What’s coming out next year will be even more stylistically different. I’m all about collaborating and so I have a couple of exciting projects in progress right now, and I have been researching and brainstorming. My ideas change seasonally so you will see some collections in my illustrations next year that will be different.
Why do you mainly feature women in your illustrations?
That’s a very good question. I attribute that to my design-oriented background. I’ve always been inspired by [women's wear] designers. On screen I love classic movies and elegant looks. When I wanted to design clothes, I drew women’s wear. I do draw a little bit of everything and I might incorporate men’s wear into next year’s line, just to experiment a little. Men’s fashion is definitely lacking in the greeting card industry.
If you could illustrate a designer’s style, who would it be and why?
Currently, one of the designers I love is Chris Benz, out of New York. I am amazed with the colours he injects into his work. I would love to collaborate with a designer and get into illustration from an advertisement perspective. Benz’s work specifically works very well with illustration.
Would you leave Canada for bigger opportunities elsewhere – New York, for example?
I am proud that this is a Canadian product that is receiving attention. The fashion industry in Toronto is so dynamic yet it just flies off the radar. Moreover, my family is here and while I would love to take this on a global level, my home base is Toronto.
Any inspiring words for emerging fashion illustrators?
When I graduated I was very lost and did not know what to do. I didn’t have an illustrator in Toronto to look up to. Every year I see improvement in my work. Keep at it and make sure you’re drawing every day, if this is what you love and then hopefully one day someone will take notice of your work.
