written by : JAMIE CESSFORD

A few months back, I had the pleasure of chatting with VCC graduate/fashion designer Mandy Lau. Throughout the interview she mentioned a love for fashion illustration and that her new website would be updated soon.Inevitably, soon has become now, and mandy-lau.com has surfaced, highlighting more than just Mandy’s passion for fashion design. She demonstrates a broad talent for illustration that diversifies outside the refined aesthetic of fashion illustration.At the moment, her work is organized into seven galleries that isolate style and content. For example, she bends around normative notions of fashion imagery through a hybridization of photography and illustration in “The Black Stroke Series (Feat. Model BB)” but gravitates towards dark, unsettling, and relentlessly moving fantasy/gothic in the collections “The Goblins are Going to Get Me in HB Series” and “The Fiction Collection”.Considering her background in illustration, however, stylistic diversity is unsurprising.Drawing since she could first lift a pencil, Mandy cites the drawing portion of the classic children’s program Mr. Dressup, as well as an extreme inadequacy in sports, that initially inspired her interest in art and illustration. Whether it be discovering new things to draw, or cultivating the fundamentals that underlie her education, drawing developed into a form of escapism for Mandy. Paired with an insatiable desire to further immerse herself in the medium, she became fluent in programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Dreamweaver, during her Undergrad at Ryerson University.From there, she took an interest in fashion design, prompting her to enroll at Vancouver Community College. Previously without any official training in fashion illustration, Mandy developed a strong attachment to the field under the guidance and mentorship of one of her professors, Lisa Gellert. The product of which was unveiled at the VCC Fiat Mode XXII Fashion Show, through a line that embraced practicality but also demonstrated her artistic sensibilities.Fresh off of her first major success with the printing of one of her fashion illustrations in the Anniversary Issue of Vancouver Fashion Ezine, Mandy has decided to engage in the world of Freelance Illustrating. She currently is exploring opportunities in magazine editorial, advertising or commercial promotions, book stories or any other project that peaks her ambition.Upon uploading the revamped website, Mandy has not only provided easy access to a thorough and impressive portfolio, she has provided an accessible venue for her to display her talent to the masses.It’s certainly worth checking out.To view her online gallery or to contact for work, hit up the website: www.mandy-lau.com