IMAGE Meets: Fashion Illustrator Conor Merriman

In the latest instalment of IMAGE Meets, we chat to Conor Merriman about work, play, and his future plans. Watch his beautiful artwork come to life in the video below.?

WHO?Fashion illustrator and graphic designer, Conor Merriman

WHAT?Chatting all things fashion, illustration, collaboration, and how he feels responsible for deforestation

WHERE?IMAGE offices

WHEN?This week

WHY?Because IMAGE loves this super talented artist.

Conor’s passion for illustration was sparked from a young age, but it was when he began secondary school that the talented artist realised he could nurture his passion project into a career:

Who “People are my inspiration.?My main inspirations in Dublin are young contemporary designers and pop culture – what people are doing right now. On an international level, I’m influenced by Japanese street style. I love 60’s vibes too.”

Top three favourite fashion people??The Olsen twins; who, in my eyes, count as three people. I love Acne Studios. I shouldn’t say it but I love Yeezy: I love the post-apocalyptic style. Oh, and I love Balenciaga from the 60’s.

The Leiden Children?is a children’s book that I created for my degree show in NCAD. It’s a contemporary take on ?Hansel and Grettle?. I rewrote it, I gave all the characters back stories, I gave them motive, i made the bad guys a bit more sympathetic, and I incorporated 60’s fashion into it and completely illustrated the book. Then I packaged it up into a wooden box. When I come back from my travels over the summer my plan is to pitch it to publishing houses over here and hopefully we’ll see it in stores soon.

Dream collaboration? The person I would most like to collaborate with as an artist would be fashion illustrator David Downton. I don’t think there’s one single fashion brand who I’d like to work with – I’d like to collaborate with them all! But I would really love to work with authors and to help them bring their stories and characters to life.

You can read more about Conor on his website here, or follow him at @conor_merriman.