Not long ago I had the pleasure of meeting Jeanne Steen, the owner of Figaro Antiques. A big part of her business involves finding and selling vintage fashion illustrations. Many are actual pencil sketches made in the 40s and 50s by illustrators for New York fashion houses, complete with scrawled notes and the occasional coffee stain!

Jeanne worked for ELLE and ELLEgirl magazines for about 20 years and was one of those lucky souls who attended the fashion week shows in Europe every season. For fun she’d trawl flea markets and antique shops, picking up art and making valuable connections–which came in handy when she moved back to Chicago and got into her current business.

The illustrations range from turn-of-the-century pochoirs, or hand-colored engravings, to lavish drawings by Rene Gruau, an artist who worked with such legendary couturiers as Dior, Balmain, and Balenciaga. There are even illustrations for movie costumes that Jeanne picked up during visits to California. Prices start at $100 (occasionally less) for an unframed sketch to up to about $1650 for a framed piece by a well-known illustrator (most are priced around $200-$300). I have my eye on a couple myself…hint, hint!

photo courtesy Tate Gunnerson Photography

photo courtesy Tate Gunnerson Photography

photo courtesy Tate Gunnerson Photography

Figaro has two locations: inside the Andersonville Galleria, 5247 N. Clark, and at Vintage Pine, 904 W. Blackhawk, both in Chicago. Call 773-835-0821 or go to figaroantiques.com.