Celebrating Red: Live Fashion Illustration for Alain Mikli Eyewear

May 1, 2026

‘All in red’ fashion portraits for Alain Mikli’s New York City boutique event in April 2026, celebrating the launch of their bold red eyewear collection.

Live illustrations by Deanna Kei, done entirely in red

I created live fashion illustrations for guests throughout the two-day activation at the Madison Avenue store, capturing individual looks through a red-focused palette inspired by the collection.

Guests stopped by for quick portraits and posed in their favorite frames, with each sketch completed in around five minutes, allowing for a steady flow while keeping the experience personal and engaging. The event also featured Polaroid moments and drinks for guests, creating a relaxed, social atmosphere within the boutique setting. The legendary designer, Alain Mikli flew in from Paris for the event and shared stories and style tips with attendees.

Deanna Kei creating live portraits at the Alain Mikli New York event

In the evening, the activation extended into a private in-store celebration accompanied by a live violinist, which added to the atmosphere of the event and created a more immersive, luxury experience. Live sketching continued during the evening, becoming part of the rhythm of the space as guests mingled and celebrated the collection.

Each portrait highlighted personal style alongside the statement frames, offering guests a unique, bespoke takeaway from the event.

An Alain Mikli client poses with her live portrait by Deanna Kei

Live fashion illustration brings an interactive and memorable layer to luxury retail activations, combining entertainment with a personalized artistic experience. For this NYC boutique event, the focus on red created a cohesive visual story that tied each portrait back to the collection.

Working in a live setting allows for spontaneous, expressive sketches that reflect both the energy of the event and the individuality of each guest. It was an inspiring opportunity to translate Alain Mikli’s bold, sculptural eyewear aesthetic into something immediate and personalized.

Deanna Kei is a fashion and beauty illustrator who collaborates with brands to create custom illustrations, and illustrated trend reports and content. She also sketches guests live at special events, brand activations, weddings, and private parties. To discuss a collaboration or book live fashion art for your next event contact: DeannaKei@gmail.com or see here for more details!

NYFW Winter '24 - Day1 - Illustrated Runway Report

February 18, 2024

There’s always an extra something special in the air in NYC during fashion week.

New York Fashion Week February 2024 kicked off with beautiful weather, comparable to a mid-spring day. (Though a few days later into the shows NY saw snow.) I attended the Global Fashion Collective Showcase’s Day 1 Show 1 inside the Chelsea Industrial building, which is located just a few avenues west of The Fashion Institute of Technology, and a few blocks up from the Starrett-Lehigh Building in Chelsea.

The design showcase included the Fall/Winter ‘24 Collections for 4 different exciting brands: Get Some Sleep, Fair Enough, Unusual, and Stef Mouchie.

You can check out some runway photos, clips, and of course my illustrations from those collections below!

Get Some Sleep

The show opened with a tiered skirt and oversized jacket look that featured a graphic of the planet earth, reminding us of our commonality. The typography laden styles that followed each carried messages that spoke with the mood of our times. Blues, reds, greens, yellows, and oranges were mixed among the greys in this very wearble streetwear collection.

Get Some Sleep - Brand Website

Fair Enough

The intricately constructed pieces in this collection reimagined the the traditional human form and transformed it with unconventional shapes and fabrics. Neutrals and bold primary colors came together in harmony in this thought invoking presentation.

Fair Enough - Brand Website

Unusual

This menswear collection is one you need to see in person to appreciate all of the different textures and depths of each of the fabrics used. Bright greens, oranges, and blues lifted the neutrals tones the accompanied, and the looks had the perfect balance of wearability and creativity.

Unusual - Brand Instagram

Stef Mouchie

Shimmering wovens in both prints and solids flowed like water as the models glided down the runway in soft pinks, cream, and black. This soft and structured collection had duality, each look equally perfect for dashing around the city, or dressing for the office.

Stefmouchie - Brand Website

fashion illustration of 4 people wearing runway looks from winter 2024

Deanna Kei is a New York based live event illustrator who turns guests into fun fashion illustrations at special events. She’s available to book for both live and virtual events, and for custom illustration projects *Contact deannakei@gmail.com

Live Bag Painting for Activations and Events

January 28, 2023

Looking for even more creative ways to bring excitement to your events? Live bag painting is quickly becoming a favorite! I’ll share some details below on what Live bag painting is and how you can book a session for your next event!

What is live event bag painting?: A fun and creative way to customize your guests’ experience and give them a gift they can carry with them (in addition to the memories)!

How does it work?: I’ll create custom illustrated tote bags for your guests live. To get started I’ll chat with each guest about their preferences, favorite colors, and any ideas they have while suggesting some of my own ideas. Then I’ll create their very own bag design based on their likes. The fabric markers I use dry instantly so there’s no wait time.

What are some popular designs?: The NYC skyline, taxis, flowers, and fashion illustrations (of the guest) are some of my most requested designs.

What kind of totes do you use?: I can draw on most light colored types of canvas/fabric bags and can supply plain totes or work with your existing branded totes. *Tote size varies by availability at the time of booking.

Are the illustrated bags waterproof?: I use pre-tested waterproof fabric markers so the bags can safely get wet without the colors running.

How long does it take? That will depend on the tote size selected for your event and the types of designs requested. We’ll work out the details together at the time of booking.

To get more information about booking for your own event fill out the form below!

To see more photos of totes I’ve illustrated live at past events scroll to the bottom of this page!