Noted fashion illustrator Maurice Vellekoop launched his latest book, PIN-UPS this evening at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, so naturally Bernie and I had to attend. I simply adore Mr. Vellekoop’s fashion illustration, but tonight, the fashion was missing, so I asked him if he prefers not to draw clothes anymore. This is what he told me:

“Well, there is something to that, yes. The challenge to drawing naked people is that everything has to be right. When you’re drawing a picture of someone in clothing, you can get away with so much more. These pictures are a lot more difficult to do. When people are naked, everything is on display and if an elbow or a pectoral is wrong, people see it right away, so it’s challenging.”

Bernie asked about my secret admirer, but I have been sworn to Fashion Mafia secrecy, so I told him that it turned out to be a crazy person who wanted to be my Assistant, arranged a restraining order, and it is so distressing that I do not want to talk about it again. I feel absolutely dreadful about lying to my best friend, but I do not want to place him in danger.