Self portrait Mariah Graham 2015 (Image credit: Mariah Graham)
Our subscribers often ask how we find the talented instructors featured in our University of Fashion video library. The answer is simple: we seek out the best from both academia and the fashion industry. Many of our instructors are seasoned college professors who currently teach—or have taught—at renowned schools such as Parsons, FIT, and other leading fashion institutions. Others come directly from the industry, bringing decades of real-world experience and professional insight to our lessons.
This post spotlights Mariah Graham, a gifted fashion illustrator whose creativity shines not only through her fashion work but also through her fine art practice.
Mariah Graham artwork 2016 (Image credit: Mariah Graham)
From the Cotton Field to the World of Fashion
Mariah Graham was born in Kingstree, South Carolina, one of seven children in a family of sharecroppers. From the age of four until eighteen, she and her family labored in the cotton fields under Jim Crow. In 1964, seeking new opportunities, they migrated north to 128th Street in New York City. The entire family shared a single studio apartment, and Mariah often did her homework in the bathroom, the only quiet corner she could find.
She attended Benjamin Franklin High School—now the Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics—where she graduated as class salutatorian. As the only girl among six brothers, Mariah learned early the value of determination and resilience. Refusing to let gender bias or circumstance define her, she followed her passion for art to Manhattan’s School of Visual Arts. In 1968, she was one of only five African American students at the school.
Over the years, Mariah has built a multifaceted career that spans modeling, teaching, printmaking, graphic design, and illustration.
Mariah Graham artwork 2018 (Image credit: Mariah Graham)
For twelve years, Mariah lent her talent to The New York Times, illustrating for its fashion pages. Her creative versatility spans both digital and hand-drawn techniques, producing work for clients such as Saatchi & Saatchi, Grey Advertising, The Daily News, Ogilvy & Mather, and HBO, including editorial illustrations for The Josephine Baker Story. She has also created editorial pieces for Vogue and collaborated with leading cosmetic brands including Revlon, L’Oréal, Estée Lauder, and Elizabeth Arden. Her portfolio has reached an international audience, showcased to top creative directors and editors in Beijing and Singapore—where she was featured as an “Artist of Today.”
Mariah Graham artwork 2018 (Image credit: Mariah Graham)
Mariah Graham artwork 2018 (Image credit: Mariah Graham)
View more and purchase Mariah’s artwork:
At University of Fashion, Mariah shares her expertise on how to draw and ink several fashion poses including men, women, tweens and plus size.
Here’s a link to view her series of lessons:
