Born in Puerto Rico and raised in New York, Antonio Lopez studied at the renowned Fashion Institute of Technology. Before reaching twenty-two, he had already published his illustrations in the most important fashion journals worldwide: Women’s Wear Daily, Vogue, Harper‘s Bazaar.
In 1969 he moved to Paris and made Pop-Art into a fashion and an illustration trend. He not only established himself as
the foremost fashion illustrator of the time but also discovered and guided such fashion models as Grace Jones, Jerry Hall,
Pat Cleveland and Jessica Lange from beginners to runway stars. With his circle of friends that included Karl Lagerfeld, Paloma Picasso and Andy Warhol he influenced the “look“ of the 60s and 70s. His highly distinctive style was of open sensuality. He took the previous feminine ideal of elegance, that had been depicted by fragile and ethereal women, and changed it to a modern, vital, muscular and erotic being of various ethnic backgrounds.
Upon returning to New York his career took off a second time with books, prizes, films and exhibitions in American and Japanese museums, at Musée de la Mode in the Paris Louvre and at the London Royal College of Art.