By Sally Hunwick
Rescu. talks skincare, drawing and all things New York with Sex And The City illustrator Megan Hess…
Internationally acclaimed illustrator Megan Hess has wielded her brushes for some true heavyweights. Her CV includes the cover illustrations for Candace Bushnell’s series of novels – including Sex And The City and Lipstick Jungle – as well as American department store Bloomingdale’s and UK Elle.
This chic Melbourne girl spends a lot of her time in New York these days, but Rescu. got her to sit down to chat about her love of illustration, New York, and her first venture into beauty – Megan has illustrated a limited edition series of gift packs for Australian brand Dr. LeWinn’s.
RESCU: Has drawing always been a love for you?
Megan Hess: “Yes, I’ve always loved to draw and I guess that really started as a kid going to art classes every Saturday. If it wasn’t my career, it’s still something I’d do as a passion.”
RESCU: You’ve illustrated Candace Bushnell’s books, have you ever met any of the cast from Sex And The City or Lipstick Jungle?
Megan Hess: “No, I have only met Candace in person, but like everyone else, I would love to meet SJP! [Sarah Jessica Parker]”
RESCU: You’re always illustrating gorgeous clothes. What do you wear on a normal workday?
Megan Hess: “During the week, I like to be comfortable, but I need to be inspired so I always try and put on clothes that put me in a mood to draw.
Mixing tailored pieces with vintage always works for me. And if all else fails, I just add a silk scarf to my outfit – it somehow always does the trick.”
RESCU: What are your favourite places to visit in New York?
Megan Hess: “I love all the high end stores on 5th avenue – level 7 of Bergdorf Goodman is my favourite. I also love all the little indy shops in Soho and Greenwich Village.
My favourite restaurant is Balthazar in Soho; just thinking about it makes my mouth water!”
RESCU: What about Melbourne?
Megan Hess: “I love Chapel Street Bazaar because they have the best vintage finds. Fitzroy and St Kilda have some great indy shops and the GPO in the city is fun to look through as well.
My favourite restaurant in Melbourne is The Graham [in Port Melbourne]; it has just absolutely beautiful food.”
RESCU: Where did the inspiration come from for the artwork you’ve done for Dr. LeWinn’s?
Megan Hess: “The starting point for the illustrations was to find out who the Dr LeWinn’s customers are – their aspirations, achievements and passions. With the Dr LeWinn’s team, I also really looked at what made each of the different product ranges unique. From this, I created mood boards of inspirations for each range and we developed the images from there. The whole process was really enjoyable.”
RESCU: What is your favourite product from Dr. LeWinn’s?
Megan Hess: “I have fallen in love with the whole Line Smoothing Complex range. Since using these products, it has really made a positive difference to my skin.”
Dr. LeWinn’s limited edition gift sets are available from October. Visit www.drlewinns.com.au/ for stockists.
And for more info on Megan, visit her official website: www.meganhess.com