Mr René Gruau. Best known for his illustration work in womenswear. However, he was equally as talented at etching out the male form. Both, an illustrator and journalist, he would scourer the streets, visiting the best restaurants, holiday resorts and members clubs etc. He would take note and pass comment on what the ‘in thing’ was, as opposed to simply reporting what the clothing brands proposed these stylish folk ought to be wearing. All of this gave him his un-deniable realness and style in his work.
Gruau built himself up to be one of the best known and most favoured fashion and commercial artists of the 1940s and 50s. Working for fashion publications such as Vogue, L’Officiel, L’Album Du Figaro and Sir. Once established by 1947, he started working for a variety of fashion design houses (the first one being Dior) and changed the style that advertising art was put together forever more. His career spanned decades and has seen to influence many since. If only I could come across someone with as much flair for colour and detail of the human form in clothing.
If you fancy looking further into Gruau, linked below is a booked that was launched in 2012 : http://www.amazon.co.uk/books/dp/1614280789
Retrospective modernism 