botanical illustration - a beautiful blend of science and art

I was a scientist long before I was a fashion designer. One of the rare fond memories I have of high school was of a Year 12 Biology class where we studied Botany. The practical assignment of the day was to create a scientific illustration of a selection of plants that our teacher, Mr Pollard, had brought to class.

I honestly can't remember exactly what I drew that day, but I remember the feeling of time falling away as I drew it. I remember gliding my 2B pencil in long, even strokes up my page to depict the slender curves and long, thin stem of my chosen flower. I remember focussing intently on making sure my delicate lines accurately represented the shape and scale of the petals and stamen. It was mesmerising - so much so that when Mr. Pollard peered over my shoulder and murmured "A natural botanist", I was startled from my reverie.

I wish I could say that I did eventually become a Botanist, or even just an artist - perhaps that would have lasted longer than my first career as a laboratory chemist! But that appreciation of the beauty of the world around us, and how scientific study takes creativity, inspiration and artfulness, has never left me. Perhaps that is why my first collection - The Antique Botanist - is what it is.

I didn't draw the pictures that feature on my designs - they come from a few different sources. My biggest inspiration though was from the artist known as the "Raphael of Flowers" - Pierre-Joseph Redouté.

Redouté was a famed botanical artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, known for his contributions to drawing the botanical species held in the Jardin du Roi - the medicinal and botanical garden first laid out on the bank of the Seine in 1635 by the French royal family. If you would like to read more about Redouté you can find an excellent overview of his life and work by clicking here.

If you would like to get the opportunity to admire his beautiful work on a daily basis, or perhaps carry it with you wherever you go, might I suggest the Fire Lily dress as an excellent starting point 😆

meg.