Francis Marshall : drawing fashion

Summary: This book opens an exciting and extensive archive of fashion illustration by Francis Marshall (1901-1980), held at the V&A. Marshall's career coincided with the golden age of fashion illustration and commercial art. For much of the 20th century, he was one of Britain's most prolific and highly regarded fashion illustrators, yet today his work remains relatively unknown. Unlike his gregarious contemporary Cecil Beaton, Marshall was a retiring character, not interested in self-promotion and preferring to focus on his work. His drawings are characterized by careful observation, verve and wit - he has been celebrated as a 'master of line', always at his best when drawing from life. Active from the 1920s until the 1960s, Marshall's work was published widely, from Vogue magazine to the more accessible and widely read pages of the Daily Mail. He also worked extensively in advertising, for companies such as Jaeger, Fortnum and Mason, Liberty and Elizabeth Arden, and released several books - ranging from manuals on drawing fashion or ballet, to the nostalgic records of fashionable society London West and An Englishman in New York. This new book shines a light on this sometimes-forgotten master, at a time when fashion illustration is very much in style.