Subscriber Spotlight: The Incomparable Gladys Perint Palmer

Gladys Perint Palmer’s mottos are, “Inform, amuse, learn the rules and then break them,” and she has been doing exactly that for over 40 years. A Fine Line in Fashion: The Art of Gladys Perint Palmer brings together over 30 original fashion illustrations to celebrate the acclaimed fashion illustrator, journalist, and author in a retrospective of her remarkable life in fashion. It is produced by Gray M.C/A Gallery in London and runs from February 15 – 20th, See gladysperintpalmer.com.

“Gladys Perint Palmer’s illustrations are full of color and life with more often than not a sense of mischief that is synonymous with the world of GPP and her front-row seat at the haute couture shows in London, Paris, Milan and New York.”

– Connie Gray, Gray M.C.A. Gallery.

Perint Palmer’s fashion illustrations have appeared everywhere, from British Vogue to the San Francisco Examiner. Upon seeing an illustration GPP (as she is known by in fashion circles) did of one of his dresses in the Examiner, Christian Lacroix exclaimed, “Gladys can capture the essence of my dress better than any photograph.” To celebrate Perint Palmer and her achievements, Mayor Gavin Newsom dedicated May 24th, 2006, as Gladys Perint Palmer Day in San Francisco.

I met GPP in the 80’s while covering the Paris fashion shows for Harper’s Bazaar. We have kept in touch through email. Gladys says she never remembers a time she didn’t draw. She even doodled in the margins of her notebooks. “I was influenced by Matisse and Toulouse Lautrec. They are the roots of fashion Illustration.”

Gladys first studied dress design at what was formerly Saint Martin’s School of Art in London and later enrolled at the Parsons School of Design in New York, where she studied fashion illustration. In 1962, Marvin Israel, art director of Harper’s Bazaar, gave Gladys 9 pages while still at Parsons. Israel introduced Gladys to the art director of British Vogue, who gave Gladys her first cover.

Anna Piaggi jump stared GPP’s international career. Gladys was drawing Anna at a fashion show and then stole someone’s front-row seat to sit next to the legendary editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia. Anna liked the drawing so much she arranged for GPP to have a solo exhibition in Milan. It was visited by many editors-in-chief, and commissions followed for years.

GPP’s work subsequently appeared in Vogues everywhere, The New York Times, UK Sunday Times, Elle, Connoisseur, l’Officiel in several countries, Mirabella, The Washington Post, and more. Gladys met Gianni Versace at the Linate Airport in Milan. Versace asked GPP to draw his houses for his book, “Do Not Disturb”.

For many years, GPP illustrated Missoni’s seasonal promotions. Robert Altman invited Gladys to draw on the set of Pret-a-Porter. GPP now has 109 drawings in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences in Beverly Hills. In 1998 Fashion Book named Gladys one of 500 people of influence since 1860.

GPP’s electric fashion illustrations are highly coveted and so are her animated caricatures. Gladys is attracted to imperfections. She is not interested in traditional beauty. “Give me a big, beautiful nose any day and I love drawing funny teeth.”

Perint work has drawn luminaries from all sectors of society such as Kate Middleton, Julia Roberts, Paloma Picasso, Alan Cumming, Anna Wintour, and the late Andre Leon Talley.

GPP recently drew Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “I was mesmerized by her eyes and mouth,” says Gladys. When I asked Gladys to name her 6 all-time favorite illustrations or subjects, she listed: Anna Piaggi, Isabella Blow, Zandra Rhodes, Azzedine Alaia, Karl Lagerfeld, and Joyce Ma.

Two years ago, GPP met Connie and Ashley Gray of Gray M.C.A Gallery. They began collaborating on virtual Masterclasses. This enables Gladys to teach aspiring artists how to draw via a live interactive online masterclass with models dressed in couture. The next one is scheduled for February 16th.

Palmer draws every day. She happily describes herself as “not a fashionista .“ The drawing part is what I really love, not sitting in the shows,” she says. “Besides, I never had terribly good seats.”

She still believes that nothing can beat a live show. “There is no excitement on a video. The essence of a fashion show is being there, watching, and listening to what other people are saying. Social distancing must be so deadly.”

1. 

   I look forward to every article. Thank you.

2. 

   Mary McFadden Designs were sumptuously BEAUTIFUL as is your tribute to her

3. 

   I feel as if my words were delivered by you, Marilyn! Our time was vibrant with beauty as part of…

4. 

   Great insights into New York Fashion Week—finding standout pieces is key!

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   Laurel Marcus…..loved this article, wish I knew about this show. Please do more of this!