Episode 53 - The Fifty-Third One... and Richard Haines | GENERATION RIPE

Episode 53 - The Fifty-Third One... and Richard Haines

Episode 53 and Wendi and Dfernando's guest interview is fashion illustrator and artist Richard Haines.

Richard Haines moved to Manhattan in the 1970s and proceeded to rack up the La Ronde of résumés. He dreamed of becoming a fashion illustrator, but after discovering that was a dead career, he became a successful clothing designer for the likes of Calvin Klein, Perry Ellis, Bill Blass to J.Crew. In 2008, he lost his job and Fifth Avenue apartment in the financial crash, then reinstalled himself in Brooklyn as a fashion illustrator.

Haine’s career has now come full circle allowing him to emerge as one of today's most sought after fashion illustrators. His illustrations document the clothes and attitudes of New York's every day trendsetters and fashion icons of all ages. Haines is commonly seen seated front row at Fashion Week’s most desirable shows busily drawing on his sketchpad or iPad for clients who hire him to record the nuances that cannot be captured on film.

It is his fascination with the people behind the styles that informs his every stroke. Propelling his work beyond mere sketches and into the world where art and fashion intersect. Haines balances a busy stream of clients while drawing everything he sees from high couture fashion in Europe to the youths in his Bushwick, Brooklyn neighborhood.

Today his illustrations are blown up in store windows, splashed over Criterion Collection covers, used in collaborations with Dries Van Noten and collected in gallery shows like “The History of Beauty,” which presents 25 new pieces alongside work from the masters that inspired Haines, including Jean Cocteau and Paul Cadmus, plus collages and an outsize wall hanging that nods to Christian Bérard, the Parisian set designer who influenced Dior.

Richard Haines' work is on display at Daniel Cooney Fine Art in New York’s Chelsea district and check out his Instagram for his upcoming Illustration Master Classes.

Also on Episode 53, Wendi and Dfernando chat about Wendi's recent first-time visit to New Orleans and her touring the famous haunted Bourbon Orleans Hotel, the Andrew Jackson Hotel and the LaLaurie Mansion, a night-time vampire tour and those gators. They also chat about their recent appearance on Season 7 of ABC TV's iconic game show CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD.

On the RIPE & ROTTEN REPORT, Wendi and Dfernando rave about the fantastic Canadian comedy series JANN (now on Hulu), starring award winning singer-songwriter, best-selling author and actress Jann Arden, the return of the nightly random fireworks, and when you want to take your bike for a ride and the tires are flat.