Izak Zenou New Work

1. IZAK NEW WORK

2. IZAK ZENOU Izak Zenou is one of the most prolific fashion and beauty villustrators today. His effortless, style conveys a fresh, elegant and enchanting view of every day life. It is optimistic, colorful and a continously evolving fashion authority. With every flawless stroke of his brush, he captures the essence of each brand that he collaborates with. Sephora created an IZAK capsul collection with cosmetics bags, make-up and accessories; Celine, produced a sell-out series scarves; Guerlain created a limited edition Valentine’s fragrance with him, and perhaps most notably, after 20 years of collaboration, Izak continues to dazzle shoppers as the face of Henri Bendel. His lengthy list of clients include Vogue, Vogue Spoza, Cosmo Girl, Elle, Self, Marie Claire, InStyle, Mme Figaro, New York Times Magazine, New Yorker, Town and Country, Wall Street Journal, Officiel, Travel & Leisure, Catherine Malandrino, Chanel, Coty, John Lobb, Laura Mercier, Lancome, Lilly Pulitzer, L’Oreal, Printemps, Revlon, Rizzoli, Sephora, Target, The Limited, and Vera Wang. Books by Izak include Billy Joel’s“A New York State of Mind” by Scholastic; Bohemian Manifesto by Bullfinch Press; Cooking For Mr. Latte, a Crimson Books series by Amanda Hesser; Harlequin, a six book series by Carole Matthews; The Nanny Diary series, Parachute Publishing; Princess by Francesca Castagnoli, Broadway Books, Mommy Needs a Time Out and Mommy Needs a Martini by Julie Klappas, 2 Lilly Pulitzer books and calendars on lifestyle and entertaining. The fashion world is increasingly excited about Izak’s forthcoming coffee table book that is slated for publication in spring 2017.

3. that I am less familiar with, or something that is related to a very specific brief. If I am required to do research I will use magazines and the Internet, but I also love to take pictures. Mostly, I observe the world around me and get inspired by all the beauty that I see. I prefer ideas to flow naturally from my head, it is much more organic and I feel less restricted this way. When I am inspired and working naturally my work is much more fluid and real. Did you always want to be an artist? Yes, I have been drawing for as long as I can remember. Illustrating was a gift that I had from quite early on in my life. The first thing that I can remember drawing was a clown – I was about 7 years old and everyone in my family was so excited about it! Describe your work environment/studio. My studio is a very peaceful environment, just the way that I like it! It is the polar opposite to the jungle that exists outside of my New York City window. The space is white, beautiful and free of clutter – the perfect area for me to create. Do you listen to music while you paint and if so, what music most sparks your creativity? Most of the time I love working with music. I find it very inspirational! What song would you chose as the soundtrack to your life? Anything by Pat Metheny! How has your artwork changed or developed over the years? My work is so much freer because I don’t have a professional agenda anymore. I just go with the flow and allow my inspiration to guide me. I am constantly drawing for myself in between projects, which is a great way to keep the creative juices flowing and keep me inspired! If you weren’t an illustrator, what alternate career path might you have taken? I would still be involved in the arts. I could definitely see myself as a musician! What is your greatest indulgence? My greatest indulgence in life is simply doing nothing. Being able to just live and enjoy everything whilst doing nothing is so important. While I’m creating a particular work, I need to be drawn in or seduced by the character that I am drawing. When I’m touched by the expression or an element within an illustration, I know that it is a successful piece. I feel like I have truly succeeded when the characters in my work come to life! What is your greatest influence?I grew up with 5 women in my household. Living with that number of women was certainly a huge influence on my work. I drew my sister Isabel frequently when I was younger, I guess you could say that she was the muse of my earlier work. I’ve also been very inspired by the artists Toulouse Lautrex and Rene Grau as well as Audrey Hepburn and Ines de la Fressange. The most rewarding thing about my artwork is when women tell me that they are truly touched by it. If I can make people feel good through illustration then I feel as though I have really achieved what I want in my work. What are you currently working on? At the moment I am working on a series of patterns for the Izak brand and I am also working on a new series with Henri Bendel. How do you visualize your own work? It is really difficult for me to accurately describe my own work… But it is definitely spontaneous, and I believe it is also very honest. My work is true to who I am and how I see the world. It possesses a lot of instinct while embodying the whimsical – this is how I see the world! What is the best project you ever worked on? I am so grateful for everything that I have been able to accomplish so far. However, I would love to be able to create a film. I’d also really love to collaborate with other artists. Describe your creative process. Typically, I draw on things that I’ve seen and experienced myself as the inspiration for my work. I occasionally do external research if I need to execute a subject What is your mantra in life? Every day is a new day and each new day gives you another chance to succeed.