Kenneth Paul Block

Always fascinated with anything Truman Capote, I just finished reading Deborah Davis’ book Party of the Century: The Fabulous Story of Truman Capote and His Black and White Ball.

Intrigued by the illustration of Amanda Burden, in the borrowed black and white striped gown designed by Cecil Beaton for My Fair Lady, I was reminded of the work of Kenneth Paul Block.

One of the most influential fashion illustrators of the twentieth century, Kenneth Paul Block made his mark on the world of fashion at Women's Wear Daily in the 1950s. Long identified and celebrated for his drawings and water colors of such society icons as Babe Paley, the Duchess of Windsor, Jackie Kennedy and C.Z. Guest, he also became a favorite of the leading fashion designers.

Scores of designers hired Mr. Block to illustrate their collections, including, Yves Saint Laurent, Coco Chanel, Pierre Cardin, Garavani Valentino, Giorgio Armani, Bill Blass, Geoffrey Beene and Oscar de la Renta. Block also documented the work of up-and-coming designers Marc Jacobs, Perry Ellis and Halston.

Attending the shows in Paris, London, Milan and New York, Mr. Block was one of the first to capture the latest trend-setting styles of the 1960s and the post-war shift of couture to prêt-a-porter through illustration.

More of Mr. Block’s work can be seen in the beautiful book Drawing Fashion: The Art of Kenneth Paul Block by Susan Mulcahy, with a foreword by Yves Saint Laurent and an introduction by Isaac Mizrahi.