After finishing work one night in 2006, Megan Hess switched the
lights off in her design studio and wondered if she might have to
give up on her dream of becoming a full-time fashion illustrator.
“I just couldn’t break into [the industry],” she says, reflecting on
her frustration at not being able to make a living from her passion.
But later that same evening, Hess received a call from Candace
Bushnell’s publisher that would kickstart her career and change
her life: she was asked to create the cover image for Sex and
the City. “W hen the [book] came out and it had been released
globally, that was my big break,” she says. “[My illustration] was
every where—on billboards and taxi tops—and it was the first time
I remember seeing my work outside my little studio space...I think
that first thing was the [moment I felt] like anything was possible.”
In the 11 years since that late-night conversation, Hess,41, has established herself as one of the world’s most influential
and in-demand fashion illustrators. Created using a bespoke
Montblanc pen (which she affectionately calls “Monty”), her
portfolio includes commissions for some of the most covetable
luxury brands, including Prada, Dior and Balmain. Her works
vary in scale, from postage stamp-sized to spanning buildings,
and Hess says a professional highlight (though it’s difficult to
choose just one) was illustrating for Fendi at Milan Fashion Week.
“It was a heart-racing commission because I was sketching live,”
she recalls. “It happens very quickly and I had to get as many
sketches down as I could before the label posted them online
an hour later.” Designing the facade of Tiffany & Co.’s iconic 5th
Avenue boutique in Manhattan is also close to her heart: “That
[image] stays framed in the studio and it’s one that reminds me
of where things really began to take off for me,” she says.
Inspired by the world around her, Hess finds the diversity of
her work and opportunity to travel thrilling. “On any given week
I might be working on 10 different projects with clients in Paris,
the Middle East, Singapore, London and New York,” she explains.
“I think it’s when I travel that I actually get the most inspiration
because I’m out of my day-to-day and seeing different things.”
Giving back: “I’m so proud to be creative patron for the Ovarian
Cancer Research Fund. Over the years I have illustrated
everything and anything to help raise money for them—it’s
a cause that I’m very passionate about and my commitment
to them is forever.”
The future is bright: “My goal is to keep creating, keep learning,
keep travelling, keep being inspired and to stay grateful for every
single thing that I have.”
Style is: “Loving who you are and having fun with what you wear
and how you present yourself to the world. Fashion is what you buy,
style is what you do with it.” —SOPHIE GOULOPOULOS“ALWAYS ENJOY THE
ACTUAL JOURNEY AS
MUCH AS GETTING
TO THE DESTINATION—
THE PROCESS CAN
BE MORE FUN THAN
THE OUTCOME”