…………………………His COMPOSITION, his COLOR, his LINE, and his ability to capture the ESSENCE of a garment was unsurpassed! He was able to illustrate a garment in motion as if they came to life on the page. He was simply a genius, and the likes of his talent will never be seen again. After his death he left behind a treasure of works for us to enjoy over and over again. It was my pleasure to meet this brilliant, quiet man.
……………………Each sketch illustrates this man’s brilliance! Every sketch offers something new………..something that should be studied like any work of art hanging in a museum.
……………………………..His BLACK & WHITE illustrations are just as powerful as are his color illustrations. His joie de vivre, his enjoyment of life, his comprehension of joy shows in every picture. The power of his pen, his sureness with every line and stroke….his intention and concentration takes a mind and hand in full control………..Again, there will never be another Kenneth Paul Block.
………………………..Over his lifetime as an illustrator he did many portraits. It isn’t usual for a fashion illustrator to do portraits or to capture a persons spirit on a blank piece of paper….but he did, and he did it beautifully. Above, is just a small sampling of his portraits………..Starting at the top left….Babe Paley and Amanda Burden, Gloria Vanderbilt, Yves St. Laurent, Diana Vreeland, Lauren Bacall [inset], and Pat Buckley [love this portrait]. The bottom row starting at the left, Babe Paley, Lee Radziwill, Jackie Kennedy, Pauline Trigere, Audrey Hepburn, and Lady Mendl with the Duchess of Windsor. I was lucky enough to have my own portrait done by the master!
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…………………..Suits and jackets were always an integral part of each collection……The suits above were made in RAYON CADY. It was a beautiful matte fabric from Italy that tailored beautifully. The weight of the fabric was such that these clothes could be worn almost year round…..The fabric was the same construction as the Silk Cady only using fine rayon yarns…The blazer to the left, on Gayle Elliot, was short with a cutaway bottom paired with pleated trouser pants….very similar to the Linen plaid jacket that was also part of this delivery group…………..The jacket to the right wrapped over to the side seam where it had loops that buttoned with three Gold Plate “bean” shaped buttons…then it curved around down to the front…..The pants were straight legged without pleats………..The Bib necklaces had multi rows of different sized Artisan gold plated irregular shaped beads. Again, it was a take on my “Robbie the Robot” necklace.