Inspiring women - Anna Wijnands
ANNA WIJNANDS
FASHION & LIFESTYLE ILLUSTRATOR
‘Inspiring Women is an ode to women who write their own stories every day; brimming with personality, passion and style. This season, we are putting a few of these strong women in the art world in the spotlight, sharing their inspiring stories, what drives them and their favourite Xandres pieces.
From her love for aesthetics, fashion and art, Dutch illustrator Anna Wijnands creates a dream world of elegance, luxury and beauty. What started as a hobby grew into a flourishing career, proving that if you really want something, the sky is the limit.
#xandreswomen
Q&A WITH ANNA
CAN YOU TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR WORK AS AN ILLUSTRATOR?
‘I create illustrations for various high-end brands such as Prada and Dior, but I also illustrate live at events, where I portray the guests in an elegant way. My love for ink and watercolour on paper gives my work a unique, sophisticated touch, which I use to let people momentarily dream about a world where everything is beautiful and luxurious.’
HOW DID YOU BUILD THAT NETWORK?
‘I actually studied law and then worked in communications, so I didn't have any art training at all. I taught myself drawing and painting and started very small by posting some illustrations on Instagram as a hobby. When that generated a large order right away, I thought maybe I should do something with this after all. My background in communications and marketing helped with making myself findable and putting myself on the map.’
WHAT TYPIFIES YOUR DRAWING STYLE?
‘Illustrations of the 1950s inspire me a lot. Parisian, elegant with a touch of vintage and black, hard lines contrasting with soft tones. Fashion also plays a big role in my work.’
IS THAT ALSO REFLECTED IN YOUR CLOTHING STYLE?
‘Definitely. I love French fashion and quality. That's why I buy a lot of vintage, and you can also see that in Xandres' clothes. The rich fabrics, the cut that always fits like a glove and beautiful details such as large puffed sleeves or an embossed fabric: that's really what I look for in clothes.’
DO YOU HAVE A MESSAGE FOR OUR #XANDRESWOMEN?
‘That you can achieve much more than you sometimes think you can. When you want to try something new, my tip is to start small and grow from there. You often hear people say follow your dreams, "jump straight into the deep end", but that’s very scary and it doesn't have to be.
You get closer to your dream with every step, no matter how small.’
‘IF YOU REALLY WANT SOMETHING, A LOT MORE IS POSSIBLE THAN YOU MAY THINK. YOU JUST NEED TO MAKE A START, NO MATTER HOW SMALL.’
- ANNA
Keep an eye on our channels, because in December we have a fun surprise for you in collaboration with Anna Wijnands!
Find out more about Anna on www.annasillustrations.net or on Instagram @anna_wijnands.
WATCH THE VIDEO
SHOP ANNA’S FAVOURITES
ANNA WIJNANDS
FASHION & LIFESTYLE ILLUSTRATOR
‘Inspiring Women is an ode to women who write their own stories every day; brimming with personality, passion and style. This season, we are putting a few of these strong women in the art world in the spotlight, sharing their inspiring stories, what drives them and their favourite Xandres pieces.
From her love for aesthetics, fashion and art, Dutch illustrator Anna Wijnands creates a dream world of elegance, luxury and beauty. What started as a hobby grew into a flourishing career, proving that if you really want something, the sky is the limit.
#xandreswomen
Q&A WITH ANNA
CAN YOU TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR WORK AS AN ILLUSTRATOR?
‘I create illustrations for various high-end brands such as Prada and Dior, but I also illustrate live at events, where I portray the guests in an elegant way. My love for ink and watercolour on paper gives my work a unique, sophisticated touch, which I use to let people momentarily dream about a world where everything is beautiful and luxurious.’
HOW DID YOU BUILD THAT NETWORK?
‘I actually studied law and then worked in communications, so I didn't have any art training at all. I taught myself drawing and painting and started very small by posting some illustrations on Instagram as a hobby. When that generated a large order right away, I thought maybe I should do something with this after all. My background in communications and marketing helped with making myself findable and putting myself on the map.’
WHAT TYPIFIES YOUR DRAWING STYLE?
‘Illustrations of the 1950s inspire me a lot. Parisian, elegant with a touch of vintage and black, hard lines contrasting with soft tones. Fashion also plays a big role in my work.’
IS THAT ALSO REFLECTED IN YOUR CLOTHING STYLE?
‘Definitely. I love French fashion and quality. That's why I buy a lot of vintage, and you can also see that in Xandres' clothes. The rich fabrics, the cut that always fits like a glove and beautiful details such as large puffed sleeves or an embossed fabric: that's really what I look for in clothes.’
DO YOU HAVE A MESSAGE FOR OUR #XANDRESWOMEN?
‘That you can achieve much more than you sometimes think you can. When you want to try something new, my tip is to start small and grow from there. You often hear people say follow your dreams, "jump straight into the deep end", but that’s very scary and it doesn't have to be.
You get closer to your dream with every step, no matter how small.’
Keep an eye on our channels, because in December we have a fun surprise for you in collaboration with Anna Wijnands!
Find out more about Anna on www.annasillustrations.net or on Instagram @anna_wijnands.
WATCH THE VIDEO
SHOP ANNA'S FAVOURITES