Designer Inauguration Gown Sketches {Michelle Obama}

Women's Wear Daily asked top fashion designers to share sketches of designs they submitted to the East Wing for First Lady Michelle Obama to wear at Monday night's inaugural balls. Since I love peeks at designer sketches I wanted to share and discuss a few. First up is Nicole Miller, with this red pleated strapless gown with a double wrapped gold belt that adds a little modern twist. Whats interesting about this sketch is the illustrator chose to leave the guide lines at the shoulders, waist and hips. These lines are often the base of a fashion illustration to guide the illustrator in creating the correct body angles and movement. (Here's an old post about base sketches and illustration poses.) Normally they're erased and just act as a base to work off, but here they were decidedly left in.

The next First Lady fashion illustration is this lovely white lace gown by Vera Wang. I love the simple contour lines of this illustration. It's also a great example of how simply you could render lace without over illustrating or spending hours drawing tiny floral detailing. Its a minimal sketch yet completely readable, clearly conveying the gown's design.

Next is a sexy pale blue Monique Lhuillier gown. Here you see another example of beautifully rendered lace paired with intricate draping across the bodice. Another illustration element of interest is not one of the illustrations featured here include any facial features. Faces can be tough and I know its something many of my readers stuggle with, so take note of what these designers have done and realize that you do not need to render facial features to have a complete and polished fashion illustration.

To check out more designer illustrations for the First Lady's inauguration gown, and even a few for first daughter's Sasha and Malia, click over to WWD and tune in monday to see who Mrs. Obama chooses to don, my money's on Naeem Kahn or Prabal Gurung.

P.S. Happy Birthday Mrs. Obama!

(Sketches: Women's Wear Daily)