 After two years with Courrèges, he attempted to join Hubert de Givenchy, but that designer advised him to be an illustrator.Carlton began illustrating articles for ELLE Magazine, becoming a freelance artist for The London Sunday Times, The Daily Mail, The Observer, The New York Times, Mademoiselle Magazine and many other publications.He moved to New York, where he began writing freelance articles for "The Village Voice" and "McCalls", often centered on fashion, social issues or the media.