Hasta La Ideas

by Laura Neilson

Michael Sanderson wasted no time in pursuing his talents in the field of fashion illustration. At 23, the design school drop-out already counts Victoria’s Secret, Big Drop NYC and the Tokyo-based agency Taiko & Associates as clients. His colorful creations—whether of a shoe, an outfit, a Starbucks cup or an entire setting—effortlessly fuse various layers and artistic styles. At times the whimsy and focus of Sanderson’s drawings recall the early fashion illustrations of Andy Warhol, but with a decidedly modern polish that just as easily references the mood and artistry of Japanese animation.

Only Sanderson’s own enthusiastic spirit rivals the splashy energy and liveliness of his illustrationsspirit—and his tireless entrepreneurialism. In the process of gearing up for global domination in the form of an all-out lifestyle brand, We thought we’d catch up with the ambitious youngster before he turns 24 (and possibly becomes a household name).

How did you land your first big illustrating job? Especially not having graduated from art school—how did you develop exposure for yourself and get noticed?

I’ve always had an inherent understanding for marketing. Being able to present a product and having the ability to self-promote have so far been very beneficial in getting clientele. My first major illustration job was for Big Drop NYC, where for three seasons I designed their marketing materials and developed a print advertisement campaign.

Do you have any favorite fashion designers? Any that specifically inspire your illustrations?

I get more inspiration from a trip to Pottery Barn or Moss in Soho or within the pages of Martha Stewart Living then any fashion designer. I was heartbroken when Domino ceased production! Seeing perfection in action inspires me to work as hard as humanly possible in order to obtain the lifestyle within those pages. But Tom Ford is a huge inspiration in general for me. His panache for simple luxury, I find very inspiring.

When it comes to your work, would you say you’re more inspired by fashion or by art and artists in general?

I’m more inspired by objects and what they mean to people. It is, after all, still very much a material world. Yet I do find a lot of inspiration in nature. My color choices are heavily based on organic materials, like cotton, slate, copper, wheat—they’re all favorites of mine to draw color inspiration from.

Fashion photography and fashion illustration go hand-in-hand in many ways. Have any photographers inspired you?

Guy Bourdin. Every detail was considered in his photography and staged like a tiered cake sitting in a window—just perfect. Yet the subject matter within his photos was anything but that! I love contradictions. It’s like meeting someone who’s beautiful yet very intelligent, such a rarity these days.

Do you have any aspirations of your own for fashion design?

I did. I went to college for fashion design hoping to be the next Tom Ford or Alexander McQueen, but I now find myself contemplating a broader career. Bigger than just fashion, illustration or even design. I’m in the tiring process of trying to brand and launch my own lifestyle magazine targeted to a more contemporary lifestyle, like Martha Stewart Living but for our generation. I feel people have lost interest in the finer details of their day-to-day rituals. I want to inspire a more complete way of living through my publication that includes food, entertaining, interior design, as well as the satisfaction of DIY and the lost art of artisan craftsmanship. I hope to one day be a brand all of my own and to have my name completely associated with the lifestyle I’ve created.

More images after the jump.

I recently wrote a post for the Evernote website that I want to direct you to: “5 Ways to Use Evernote to Organize Your Busy Family Life.” Here is the first tip:

1. Remember where you parked
Whether at the mall, an amusement park, or a concert with your kids, the last thing you want to do is delay getting home because you can’t find your car in the enormous parking garage or lot. When you first park, snap a picture of identifying information near your space and save it to Evernote. If you’re in a rental, also add a picture of the license plate of the car you’re driving. Once you’re back, either delete the pictures or add notes about the quality of the spot if it’s somewhere you might want to park again. “Great place for quickly getting onto the highway ramp after a packed concert at Wolf Trap Amphitheater.”

Feel welcome to check it out and come back here and add to the list. Tell us how you use Evernote and other technologies to organize your busy family life.

Some great graphics can be found on www.pantuniestal.com. Above, labels from Polish sewing cotton labels. Below: Jam labels.

And public transport tickets:

The “kolekcja” category contains most of these vintage collections and more. {discovered via Yummy Chummy}

Did you head out this weekend to catch Inglorious Basterds? Unfortunately this writer didn’t get a chance to. But while he waits the six months it’ll take before it’s available on DVD, that doesn’t mean he can’t live vicariously through you dear readers, or by taking a look at this interesting piece our pals over at Flavorwire put together: an interview with Dave Wasco and Sandy Reynolds-Wasco, the husband and wife production design and set decorating team responsible for the look of Quentin Tarantino‘s new film (as well as nearly all of his others — they’ve also worked with other big shots, from Wes Anderson to David Mamet). Although, again, since we haven’t seen the film, we couldn’t picture the specific set pieces they go into detailed explination of how they came to be, we enjoyed it none the less. And if you do happen to be we-who-haven’t-seen, there are some good bits about their process and working with a director. Here’s a bit:

Preparations for Inglourious Basterds were much the same as Pulp Fiction: lots of film references. Much like Jack Rabbit Slim’s, the cinema in Inglourious Basterds was a centerpiece set with a mixed pedigree. QT mentioned LA’s New Beverly Cinema for the projection room and its Vista Theatre for the auditorium dimension and number of seats as models. He wanted the lobby to be exactly like the one in Action in Arabia (directed by Leonide Moguy in 1944 with George Sanders, specifically the two stairs, the ceiling fans, and the timing of Inglourious Basterds character Colonel Landa’s and Sanders’ Action in Arabia character’s descent on the stairs. Private Affairs of Bel Ami (directed by Albert Lewin in 1947, and also starring George Sanders) served as the inspiration for the big circle window in Shosanna’s living quarters, overlooking the cinema.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.