Milly Rowe Sport Illustrator and Designer
Milly is a 21 year old sports illustrator and designer from Birmingham, with work recently shown at Graduate Fashion Week and The North Face in Birmingham. Her vibrant digital drawings and custom made sustainable bags, made from sports shoes and outerwear, encompass everything she loves about sports and fashion. I spoke to her about her innovative sustainable fashion and being an emerging female artist in todays society.
What was the inspiration behind your custom made sustainable bags?
“I had some trainers that I was going to sell, and a north face jacket that was going to be thrown away. I had just finished my degree (in fashion design), and had some time spare so I just thought I could make something out of them. I messed around for a while and came up with the bags!”
Why did you start making them?
“I’d say one of the reasons is that I’ve been reading a lot lately about fast fashion, and the waste it produced. So I thought I could re-use some old jackets (as these would have normally been thrown away as things like the zips are broke etc) to create something new!”
What kind of illustrations do you make and what is your main point of inspiration behind them?
“I’ve always loved to draw my whole life! I studied Fine Art at A Level, and wanted to be a portrait artist for a little while. When I got to uni, I loved experimenting with different styles of illustration; the trainers I draw now are drawn digitally (using Adobe Illustrator) but I still do hand drawing every now and then. My inspiration is just things I like in the everyday!”
What initially drew you to trainers as the main focus of your illustrations?
“I collect trainers, so my illustrations are of the trainers in my collection at home.”
Has sports/ outwear clothing always been your biggest style influence within your work?
“In recent years, yes! I’ve loved sports/outwear for a fair few years now, but when I was younger, I was a massive fan of Vivienne Westwood.”
What do you love most about sports wear?
“I love that you can literally wear it anywhere ... I wear it all the time (including to work and going out!) and it’s also very comfortable!”
The Art world is a very male dominated place too, how do you find it being female and an emerging artist?
“Funnily enough, I think everyone who’s brought one of my bags has been a male! I’ve had a lot of interest and positive comments about them though, so that’s nice!
I think that sports/streetwear is also very male dominated, but I want to wear it so I do!
I think if anyone wants to do something they should! Like if a male wants to dance he should, and if a woman wants to play football she should!”
Interview by Ella Kenneally