Antonio Lopez (illustrator)
Encyclopedia
Antonio Lopez was a fashion illustrator
whose work appeared in such publications as Vogue
, Harper's Bazaar
, Elle
, Interview
and The New York Times
. Several books collecting his illustrations have been published. In his obituary, the New York Times called him a "major fashion illustrator." He generally signed his works as "Antonio."
. When he was seven years old, his family moved to New York City
.
His parents, Maria Luisa Cruz and Francisco Lopez influenced him to apply his artistic talents to fashion.
He attended the High School of Art and Design
and the Fashion Institute of Technology
. While attending the F.I.T. he began an internship at Women's Wear Daily
which led to him leaving school and working at the publication. Shortly afterward he left for a position at the New York Times.
Lopez worked in close collaboration with Juan Eugene Ramos. He also did illustrations of fashion designs by Charles James
.
In 1969 he moved to Paris along with Ramos and was an associate of Karl Lagerfeld
; he stayed there until the mid-1970s.
Antonio discovered Jessica Lange
in 1974.
He discovered Jerry Hall
and lived with her in Paris at the beginning of her modeling career.
Lopez and Ramos also discovered Grace Jones
and Tina Chow
.
In additions to books of his fashion illustration, the book Antonio's Tales From the Thousand and One Nights was published in 1985. The book was the inspiration for Marc Jacobs
' 2007 "Arabian Nights" event.
; circa 1966 Antonio introduced him to photographer David Montgomery, who gave Cunningham his first camera.
Lopez died of Kaposi's Sarcoma
as a complication of AIDS
at UCLA Medical Center; he was living in New York but was in Los Angeles for an exhibition of his art; he was attended by his friend and model Susan Baraz.
His collaborator Juan Eugene Ramos survived until 1995, when he also died of AIDS.
and The Wild One
.
The organization Focus on AIDS, which raises funds for AIDS research, care and education through photography auctions was founded in 1987 by Baraz and Vue magazine publisher Hossein Farmani in response to Lopez' death.
Lopez' art and photography were exhibited at Staley-Wise Gallery in New York in March–April 2000.
Designer Hannah MacGibbon cited Lopez as an inspiration for her Fall 2009 Ready-to-Wear Collection for Chloé
.
Lopez' work was included in April 2009 exhibit "The Line of Fashion", curated by Robert Richards at the Society of Illustrators
in association with the Leslie Lohman Gay Art Foundation
.
His work is also included in the exhibit "Drawing Fashion" at the Design Museum
in London, England, running November 17, 2010- March 6, 2011.
Students at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City request his name at the library more than any other.
Fashion illustration
Fashion Illustration is the communication of fashion that originates with illustration, drawing and painting. It is usually commissioned for reproduction in fashion magazines as one part of an editorial feature or for the purpose of advertising and promoting fashion makers, fashion boutiques and...
whose work appeared in such publications as Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
, Harper's Bazaar
Harper's Bazaar
Harper’s Bazaar is an American fashion magazine, first published in 1867. Harper’s Bazaar is published by Hearst and, as a magazine, considers itself to be the style resource for “women who are the first to buy the best, from casual to couture.”...
, Elle
Elle (magazine)
Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in...
, Interview
Interview (magazine)
Interview is an American magazine which has the nickname The Crystal Ball Of Pop. It was founded in late 1969 by artist Andy Warhol. The magazine features intimate conversations between some of the world's biggest celebrities, artists, musicians, and creative thinkers...
and The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
. Several books collecting his illustrations have been published. In his obituary, the New York Times called him a "major fashion illustrator." He generally signed his works as "Antonio."
Biography
Antonio Lopez was born in Utuado, Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. When he was seven years old, his family moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
His parents, Maria Luisa Cruz and Francisco Lopez influenced him to apply his artistic talents to fashion.
He attended the High School of Art and Design
High School of Art and Design
The High School of Art and Design is a Career and Technical Education high school located at 1075 Second Avenue, between 56th and 57th Streets in Manhattan, New York City, New York.It is operated by the New York City Department of Education...
and the Fashion Institute of Technology
Fashion Institute of Technology
The Fashion Institute of Technology, generally known as FIT, is a State University of New York college of art, business, design, and technology connected to the fashion industry, with an urban campus located on West 27th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues in the Chelsea neighborhood of...
. While attending the F.I.T. he began an internship at Women's Wear Daily
Women's Wear Daily
Women's Wear Daily is a fashion-industry trade journal sometimes called "the bible of fashion." WWD delivers information and intelligence on changing trends and breaking news in the fashion, beauty and retail industries with a readership composed largely of retailers, designers, manufacturers,...
which led to him leaving school and working at the publication. Shortly afterward he left for a position at the New York Times.
Lopez worked in close collaboration with Juan Eugene Ramos. He also did illustrations of fashion designs by Charles James
Charles James (designer)
Charles James was a fashion designer known as America's first couturier. He is considered a master of cutting and is known for his highly structured aesthetic.-Early life:...
.
In 1969 he moved to Paris along with Ramos and was an associate of Karl Lagerfeld
Karl Lagerfeld
Karl Lagerfeld is a German fashion designer, artist and photographer based in Paris. He has collaborated on a variety of fashion and art related projects, most notably as head designer and creative director for the fashion house Chanel...
; he stayed there until the mid-1970s.
Antonio discovered Jessica Lange
Jessica Lange
Jessica Phyllis Lange is an American actress who has worked in film, theatre and television. The recipient of several awards, including two Academy Awards, four Golden Globes and one Emmy, Lange is regarded as one of the première female actors of her generation.Lange was discovered by producer...
in 1974.
He discovered Jerry Hall
Jerry Hall
Jerry Faye Hall is an American model and actress, also known for her long-term relationship with Mick Jagger, with whom she had four children.-Early life:...
and lived with her in Paris at the beginning of her modeling career.
Lopez and Ramos also discovered Grace Jones
Grace Jones
Grace Jones is a Jamaican-American singer, model and actress.Jones secured a record deal with Island Records in 1977, which resulted in a string of dance-club hits. In the late 1970s, she adapted the emerging electronic music style and adopted a severe, androgynous look with square-cut hair and...
and Tina Chow
Tina Chow
Tina Chow was an internationally renowned model and a fashion icon in the 1980s. She is also a member of the International Best Dressed List since 1985....
.
In additions to books of his fashion illustration, the book Antonio's Tales From the Thousand and One Nights was published in 1985. The book was the inspiration for Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs is an American fashion designer. He is the head designer for Marc Jacobs, as well as Marc by Marc Jacobs, a diffusion line, with more than 200 retail stores in 60 countries. He has been the creative director of the French design house Louis Vuitton since 1997...
' 2007 "Arabian Nights" event.
Personal life
His circle of friends also included the photographer Bill CunninghamBill Cunningham (photographer)
William J. Cunningham is a fashion photographer for The New York Times, known for his candid and street photography.-Life and career:...
; circa 1966 Antonio introduced him to photographer David Montgomery, who gave Cunningham his first camera.
Lopez died of Kaposi's Sarcoma
Kaposi's sarcoma
Kaposi's sarcoma is a tumor caused by Human herpesvirus 8 , also known as Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus . It was originally described by Moritz Kaposi , a Hungarian dermatologist practicing at the University of Vienna in 1872. It became more widely known as one of the AIDS defining...
as a complication of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
at UCLA Medical Center; he was living in New York but was in Los Angeles for an exhibition of his art; he was attended by his friend and model Susan Baraz.
His collaborator Juan Eugene Ramos survived until 1995, when he also died of AIDS.
Themes
Lopez explored themes of queer desire and race in his art through cultural references to subjects such as Josephine BakerJosephine Baker
Josephine Baker was an American dancer, singer, and actress who found fame in her adopted homeland of France. She was given such nicknames as the "Bronze Venus", the "Black Pearl", and the "Créole Goddess"....
and The Wild One
The Wild One
The Wild One is a 1953 outlaw biker film directed by László Benedek and produced by Stanley Kramer. It is famed for Marlon Brando's iconic portrayal of the gang leader Johnny Strabler.-Basis:...
.
Influence and Legacy
Painter Paul Caranicas is president of the Antonio Lopez Foundation.The organization Focus on AIDS, which raises funds for AIDS research, care and education through photography auctions was founded in 1987 by Baraz and Vue magazine publisher Hossein Farmani in response to Lopez' death.
Lopez' art and photography were exhibited at Staley-Wise Gallery in New York in March–April 2000.
Designer Hannah MacGibbon cited Lopez as an inspiration for her Fall 2009 Ready-to-Wear Collection for Chloé
Chloé
Chloé is a French fashion house founded in 1952 by Gaby Aghion. Its headquarters is in Paris.-History:Gaby Aghion was born in Alexandria, Egypt in the year 1921...
.
Lopez' work was included in April 2009 exhibit "The Line of Fashion", curated by Robert Richards at the Society of Illustrators
Society of Illustrators
The Society of Illustrators is a professional society based in New York City. Founded in 1901, the mission of the Society is to promote the art and appreciation of illustration, as well as its history...
in association with the Leslie Lohman Gay Art Foundation
Leslie Lohman Gay Art Foundation
The Leslie/Lohman Gay Art Foundation is a nonprofit foundation for the collection and preservation of visual arts by LGBT artists or art about LGBT themes, issues, and people. LLGAF is located in the SoHo district of New York City...
.
His work is also included in the exhibit "Drawing Fashion" at the Design Museum
Design Museum
Design Museum is a museum by the River Thames near Tower Bridge in central London, England. The museum covers product, industrial, graphic, fashion and architectural design. It was founded in 1989 and claims to be the first museum of modern design...
in London, England, running November 17, 2010- March 6, 2011.
Students at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City request his name at the library more than any other.
Books
- Lopez, Antonio; Hemphill, Christopher; Ramos, Juan; Amiel, Karen. Antonio's Girls (Thames and Hudson, 1982) ISBN 9780500272657
- Burton, Richard; Lopez, Antonio; Finamore, Roy. Antonio's Tales from the Thousand & One Nights (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 1985) ISBN 9780941434775
- Lopez, Antonio; Ramos, Juan Eugene. Antonio, 60, 70, 80: three decades in style (Munich: Schirmer/Mosel, 1995) ISBN 9783888147593
- Caranicas, Paul; Lagerfeld, Karl; Lopez, Antonio. Antonio Lopez: Instamatics (Santa Fe : Arena Editions, 2002) ISBN 9781892041661 (canceled before publication)
- Caranicas, Paul; Lopez, Antonio. Antonio's people (Thames & Hudson, 2004) ISBN 9780500285022