What is a “Fashion Croquis” and How Do You Draw It?

What is Fashion Croquis?

Croquis is French for “sketch”. A croquis, in fashion design, is a sketch of a fashion model. This word can also be used to describe the art of drawing live models. Croquis drawings are minimalist and can be used as a blank canvas to draw clothing.

What is included in a Croquis sketch?

Fashion croquis sketches focus less on the figure drawing but more on the garment. These sketches don’t usually include details Fashion Ten such as hands, feet, or faces. After the design concept has been solidified, fashion illustrations can be added. They convey texture, color and accessories.
Croquis sketches show the technical components of a garment.

  • Fit
  • Shape
  • Sleeve length
  • Overall length
  • Placement of seams and darts

These fashion sketches are used to communicate the design to the patternmakers who then can create a croquis.

You can also use a croquis template to create different designs in a collection. Marc Jacobs, fashion designer, uses the same croquis template for each season to help patternmakers understand how different garments should be structured to achieve a particular silhouette. Patternmakers can compare the shape, width, and height of different garments by using continuity between croquis sketches.

Tips for creating Croquis Drawings

Croquis drawings are the first step to bringing fashion creations into life. You can start by creating a croquis from a pre-made fashion croquis template if this is your first attempt at drawing a garment. Here are some tips for drawing your croquis.

A thick piece of paper with a pencil and a lead pencil are the best tools to create croquis drawings.
To help you conceptualize your ideas, make a mood board before you put pen to paper. To create separate boards for fabric, colors, textures, or accessories, you can use magazines, photos, and street style images.

Remember that croquis drawings have proportions that are not appropriate for the body. To exaggerate height, legs are extended. The Fashion Croquis standard length, from top-to-bottom, is about nine times that of the drawn head.
Croquis drawings can have different poses to show the movement and best showcase the garment. To show the skirt’s design better, you can have one hand on the hip and the pelvic area tilted.

First, draw a croquis. A piece of paper measuring 8.5×11 inches will need to be divided into nine equal pieces. This is the “nine head” standard length for a croquis. As a marker, you can draw horizontal lines to mark the sections. These lines are approximately one-eighth and an inch.