I must’ve first met Richard Haines sometime around 2017 or 2018. I’d been aware of his work for a while by then and the unique space he occupies in fashion illustration. In some ways, he’s like a Bill Cunningham with a pencil: capturing people not just for what they wear, but how they wear it. His line work feels quick, almost offhand, but always studied. It’s that balance of speed and observation that lets him get at something beyond the clothes with a distilled personality that runs throughout his work.
We’ve kept in touch over the years, mostly from afar and online – as many of us do now, for better or worse (that’s another conversation). Like many, I’ve followed along as he traveled and took on commissions across fashion and beyond. We recently had the chance to reconnect in person at his home studio just before he left for a residency in Antwerp. Shoes off at the door, a common gesture in New York or most homes, but one that instantly makes you feel more grounded. Even as the train passed just outside, framed by his studio windows, there was a quiet calm in the space. We caught up with small talk, and a bit about what’s happened in the lag years since we last saw each other. There was no rush, no sense of urgency despite everything he surely had left to do before leaving. Just ease and openness.
That ease felt like a reflection of something deeper – an understanding of self, both in life and in work. Not in a finished sense, but in a way that’s grounded and in motion at the same time. Comfortable with where he is, and open to wherever it goes next.
Andrew: You’ve said you’d never leave New York and never move to LA. Not that it’s just about those two cities, but what is it about New York that continues to feed your work and your life?
Richard: NYC still gives me a huge amount of energy. I’m going on 50 years in the city (!) which I find kind of remarkable. It still challenges, excites, and exhausts me as much now as it did in 1976. I’m still in awe of how many different types of people I see on the train. I’m proud of the social experiment that the city is. It’s an unspoken pact that we live here to do more, do better, accomplish something. I’ll always love that. Paris always calls, but NYC will always be in the picture.
Andrew: You’re currently in Antwerp for a residency. What brought you there, and how does travel shift the perspective in how you see or approach your work?
Richard: I have a show in Antwerp(openingMay 30) at Tommy Simoens Gallery. I’ve spent time in the city during a collab with Dries Van Noten and really love the town, so it made sense to make work here vs NYC. And travel is huge for me. As much as I love NYC I love to leave it and come back to it. There’s something about different light, air, food that excites and challanges me. I was showing some of my new work to Tommy, the gallerist and he remarked that I would not have made the same work in New York and he’s right. The eye has to travel!
Andrew: You’ve long been a presence on fashion week circuits, sketching in the middle of all the movement. How does the pace of fashion influence your process? Do you need to step back to really see it, or is being in the thick of it what makes it click?
Richard: I’d say both, depending on the situation. I do love being in the thick of it. I’ve drawn street style for Vogue.com for a couple of seasons and I absolutely loved being outside, drawing people, but also running into friends, meeting new people, explaining what I’m doing there… All those interactions make my life feel so rich and complete. So it’s the visuals, and the connections.
Andrew: You’ve drawn everyone from editors to people on the street. These days, what stops you in your tracks and what still makes you want to draw someone?
Richard: The streets always give me something unexpected. I’ve been in Antwerp for a month, and the campus for the Royal Academy of Fine Arts is across the street from my favorite art supply shops. If I feel like I need some inspiration, I’ll hunt for a new brush or paint color, grab a coffee, and then check the street pulse. I can always count on art students to really pull a look.
Andrew: And looking ahead, are there any projects, collaborations, or shifts in direction we should be keeping an eye on?
Richard: My show opening in Antwerp on May 30 at Tommy Simoens Gallery is really exciting. I resisted IG Reels for the longest time, and then gave in, and the easiest way for me to post was to play around with animation. I started researching the photographer Eadweard Muybridge, and drawing from his work felt so natural. That’s the context for the show: Muybridge and Motion. It’s been a great vehicle for me to study movement, line, and the human form and to push beyond fashion illustration.
I’ve also done a couple of projects with Hermès and look forward to sharing those on social media shortly. It’s been wonderful working with them, and their vision and execution are unparalleled.
