Talk by Frances Moffat

 

Frances Moffat

Frances Moffat is a fashion illustrator from a small town outside of Middlesbrough. She studied for her MA so she could deliver lectures and teach.

Frances studied fashion and was an assistant accessories designer for Luella, creating rough, quick drawings of jewelry and fashion accessories before stepping out on her own as a freelance illustrator. 

She started by purchasing up to date contact information of publishers and agencies, then conducted a self promotion campaign using this information as a point of contact within those companies.

She decorated her envelopes (which contained her portfolio information) with red thread, making them different and stand-alone. This is likely how and why she caught the eye of the Bright Agency. The agency is a Children's Fashion, Illustration and Greetings Card publisher.

Frances wasn't happy initially with the publisher, as once she was signed up with them, they took 35% of her profits as commission for representing her. They would take this even (and in some cases this happened) they had nothing to do with her receiving an offer of work.

After only being with the agency a relatively short time, Frances decided to go freelance and she looked back at this decision as well timed as, eighteen months after her initial self promotion, she was approached by Batsford. They had seen the material she had sent them and being impressed, kept her on file for when they had a fashion project available.

If Frances had still been with the Bright Agency, then they would have been eligible for 35% of the advance, commission and book sales following the completion of the book, Frances then went on to publish in June 2014.

Frances had a lot of freedom working on the 'Fashion Exercise Book', which is a 190+ creative pages aimed at people of all ages who wish to express themselves through the creative fashion process.

Cover of Fashion Exercise Book by Frances Moffat.

Every page is filled with very simple, stylish designs and while the pages are far from blank, they are plain enough for anyone to have-at and stamp them with their own creative flair.