Fashion Illustrator

2.  Born in Italy in 1909 , with an
Italian aristocrat father and a
fashionista French mother.
 Moved to Paris in 1924 and
commenced his career as a
fashion illustrator.
 A favourite of the haute
couture world. Collaborated
with fashion houses such as
Givenchy, Balenciaga, Lanvin,
Schiaperelli and Dior etc.
 He has been exhibited
internationally at the Paris
Musée du Costume (1989)
and The Musée de la Publicite
(1999).

3.  His major influences
was Toulouse Loutrec,
Degas, the Italian
poster artist Capiell,
Rene Driant, and
japanease paints.

4.  One of the main
characteristics of Gruau’s
style is the importance he
puts on what he calls “la
ligne” (the line)- as the line
that forms his star-topped
signature-a concept
reminiscent of Cappiello,
whom Gruau greatly
admired, and his
“arabesque.” La ligne is this
one brush stroke that
defines an image, gives it
its movement, its structure,
its style.