TODD, Sonya

1932 - ?

Sonya Todd was born at Tynemouth, Northumberland in August 1932, daughter of Joseph Todd and his wife Florence née Willits, who married at South Shields, Northumberland in 1929. Sonya rose to prominence in the 1960s as a major freelance fashion artist, her work influenced and complemented by the fresh new 'Pop Art' scene. By the age of 30, she had been appointed Head of Fashion at the prestigious Studio Irwin, Chancery Lane, London, running campaigns for Bentalls of Kingston and for mail order catalogues. Sonya drew much inspiration from the drawings of Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898), the works of Henri Toulouse-Lautrec (1861-1901), the woodcuts of Utamaro (1753-1806) and the avant-garde style of the New York Sunday Times. Sonya then formed her own studio, April Arts, in Fulham and won accounts from C & A, Bentalls, Marshall & Snellgrove and other then high-profile fashion retailers. The 1970s saw a significant shift in the London fashion artists’ world and Sonya’s advertisement work diminished when she adapted by returning to freelance work on the 'TV Times', illustrating regular features on 'The Avengers' and 'Crossroads'. After her acceptance by the Society of Industrial Artists (SIAD) Sonya embarked upon a period of teaching, inspiring young artists, and designers through her lecturing work at various colleges. Sonya has exhibited to considerable acclaim at the Reunion Gallery, Felixstowe, and Minories, Colchester, from her home at Leiston, Suffolk. In 2010 the Design Museum of London billed her as ‘The Creator of Iconic 60s and 70s Commercial Fashion Drawings’.

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Works by This Artist