Before social media shaped style and influencers dictated trends, there was Antonio Lopez—fashion’s original eye and provocateur. Born in Puerto Rico and raised in the Bronx, Lopez became the premier fashion illustrator of the 1970s. His bold, sensual sketches captured the energy of the era, and his influence extended far beyond the page.
“He could start with nothing at all, just the clothes and the girl, and then when you looked at the drawing it was this whole narrative fantasy that was so amazing,” recalls Grace Coddington.
Lopez had a visionary approach to beauty, championing diversity, individuality, and urban style long before the fashion industry caught up. His inner circle? Iconic. He’s credited with discovering future legends like Jerry Hall, Jessica Lange, Pat Cleveland, and Tina Chow—muses who became part of his larger-than-life orbit. “I think everybody at that time got swept up into Antonio’s world. There was something magical about it, remembers Jessica Lange. “It is that rare gift that some people have of being so full of life that you’re just kind of drawn into it, you know?”
For Antonio, the women and men who became part of his world had to possess more than just a pretty face. “Just being a beauty is not enough. It’s the way they carry themselves, how they feel about themselves, he once said. “You can see it clearly in the way they stand, the way they speak, they way they walk, the way they take care of themselves. And I find that very exciting.”
In James Crump’s electrifying 2017 documentary Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex, Fashion & Disco, his story comes alive in full technicolor. A love letter to fashion’s most fearless era, the film immerses us in the glamour and grit of New York and Paris at the height of haute couture, all seen through Lopez’s unapologetically stylish lens.
For anyone drawn to the beauty, chaos, and creativity of vintage fashion—this is required viewing. Catch the doc on Amazon, Apple TV, and online at PBS.
