René Gruau was a world-renowned fashion illustrator and painter. During the 1940s and 50s, he was the darling of the haute couture world, and his work appeared in nearly every major fashion publication of the age. His iconic style was so recognizable and au currant, he was also hired directly by the world’s most well-known and well-regarded designers, including Dior and Givenchy. His paintings manage to convey so much style with so few brushstrokes, there’s no mistaking his work. I’m especially intrigued by how it holds up, even nearly 80 years later.

Highly-collectible (for the obvious reasons), his paintings hang in museums all over the world, and Gruau is widely acknowledged as one of the great masters of the fashion illustration world.

All images property of the estate of René Gruau.