Hayden Williams, a British fashion illustrator, and designer, is a representative of a new generation of young individuals who are utilizing social media to launch global brands. The 27-year-fashion old’s illustrations have caught the attention of Hollywood celebrities like Rihanna, Beyonce, Kylie Jenner, and others in addition to his 1,2 million Instagram followers. Williams claims that in order to create his art, he is inspired by what is reported in the media.
In an interview when Hayden was asked about where he draws inspiration, he replied “I think pop culture plays a huge part in my work, so I always love to look at what is happening in the media and getting inspiration from music, movies, and more,”. Williams first began to draw when he was young. Disney princesses would serve as a source of inspiration for him later in life due to their femininity, grace, and elegance.
In an interview with a media outlet, he stated, “I realized that my interests and the kind of art I was creating were linked to fashion design and fashion illustration, so I pursued it,” Being a millennial, the emergence of social media significantly contributed to his propensity to get his work noticed, particularly by celebrities. Williams grew his following and attracted attention when, for instance, Rihanna saw his illustrations and reposted them. Later as he got popular stars like Beyonce and Kim Kardashian started supporting him by reposting his extraordinary designs on their social media. Hayden was also personally invited by the youngest billionaire Kylie Jenner who asked him to customize art illustrations for her cosmetic brands packaging.
Hayden claims that his Instagram account has been essential in luring new chances and connecting with other fashion enthusiasts. In order to commemorate their 18th anniversary, Bratz which is a humongously famous brand asked him to work with them on one of their favourite projects, according to him. Hayden stated that, since he had a strong bond with the brand from his childhood and has also gathered the dolls as a kid, it was much more emotive and personal to him making it one of his favourite projects he has worked on to date. Williams added that he also appreciated the fact that the business included him in every step of the process, from selecting the fabrics to be used to picking which shoes and accessories to include.
Williams likes to keep things uncomplicated when it comes to his own creative process. He disclosed that he draws the first few lines by hand with a pencil before adding colour with alcohol-based markers. He uses a liner pen to give his designs clarity. In order to modify and tidy up the illustration, he scans it onto his laptop to complete the procedure. Recently, the illustrator also started a YouTube account where he will share footage of his creative process.
Hayden stated that, “I always want to portray women in a positive way that is strong, sexy and confident but sophisticated and classic too. Those elements make up the Hayden Williams woman and design aesthetic.” Hayden certainly possesses skills that would take the best of us years to develop and a vision that would be impossible to duplicate. Hayden, who is only 22 years old, has accomplished more than some others twice his age could ever hope to.
Hayden has effectively illustrated the significance and advantages of sharing your work online as a self-taught artist who collaborates with the most prestigious brands and celebrities without holding a degree in fashion or art. We can’t predict when anything will get the right attention and alter the path of our lives.