Brooklyn-based illustrator Dena Cooper has made a name for herself, thanks to her realistic illustrations that focus on fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. Winner of the Fida 2020 Commercial Fashion Illustration Award, her clients include giants like Miu Miu, Cartier, and elf Cosmetics, and her work has been featured on Hypbae, 1883 Magazine, and Domino, amongst others.
Growing up in Virginia, Cooper took to drawing and creating at an early age, prompting an interest in the fine arts in high school and college. Her work is inspired by her education in fashion design as well as her early career as a womenswear designer in New York City.
“I’m going through a personal and artistic evolution of sorts,” she recently shared in an interview with Fida, “so my movements are somewhat fluid at the moment, but it feels like the right time to strengthen foundation.” According to Cooper, she’s been dedicating her quarantine time to meditating, writing, and drawing daily and has been building her confidence to share more of her social opinions as a part of my work. “It’s no longer enough for me to paint something beautiful, there needs to be an added dimension of responsibility and truth,” she remarks.
Cooper stresses that the fashion industry has a moral responsibility as well, explaining that “the fashion industry contributes to a great deal of social injustice in the world, so it’s only natural that fashion illustration should reflect and reveal these inconvenient truths.” She adds that “Like artists in any other industry, we have a great responsibility to be the change we envision for the world. I think fashion illustration has a role to play in sustainability, and holding brands accountable by educating the public about unethical practices.”
Follow her Instagram page for a boost of ethical fashion.
