GAYLETTER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DANIEL MOSS

Richard Haines draws for a living

An Interview with our favorite fashion illustrator

by Tom & Abi

Where did you grow up? My father was in the military so we moved around a lot. I was born in Panama, lived in DC, Philadelphia and Iceland, but New York is home.

You came out later in life, what was that like? Every gay person has a different story, but the same story. One is for acceptance in the world, the other is for self-acceptance. The self-acceptance is always a work in progress.

When did you first start drawing? From the moment I could hold a pencil…forever. As a kid, it was a way of escaping and making my own world. I’ve always loved to draw.

Did you get a formal education in fashion illustration? No, I went to school for fine arts and graphic arts. As much as I loved fashion and illustration, I didn’t really think of it as a career…that came later.

I noticed your fashion illustrations are mostly of men, do you prefer drawing menswear or is it just a coincidence? I spent most of my career as a menswear fashion designer, so maybe that’s where it comes from, or maybe the fact that I’m gay and love drawing men. Probably both. I do also think it’s a really interesting time for men and what they wear, how they perceive themselves. I enjoy documenting that.

You’ve drawn a lot of nude boys, what about the girls? The guys I’ve drawn are either friends or people I’ve met socially—we start chatting, and if i think it’s right I’ll ask them if they’d like to pose. Sometimes it ends up with nudes, sometimes it doesn’t—it’s all very easy. With women I have a totally different rapport. It’s interesting that you mention this, it’s never crossed my mind!

What was your first paid job as an illustrator? It was a black and white advertisement for a posh women’s shop in Alexandria, Va. I was a sophomore in high school so it was probably 1968. The ad ran in the back of the Washingtonian Magazine. What I loved the most about it was going to the shop and seeing all the groovy, well dressed women. It gave me a taste for a bigger life.

How did you get to work with Prada and what was that experience like, tell me about the T-shirt collaboration you did? I met the people at Prada about a year and half ago. They were kind enough to invite me to the showroom and sketch—that in itself was heaven. A few months later they invited me to the men’s show and to do a collaboration which resulted in a book, an iPad app and then the T-shirts. It was an amazing experience because there was so much for me to explore artistically and their execution and dedication to quality is sublime.

What’s the dream for your career? This is it!