When did you first realize your passion for illustrating?
During my final semester at university…I was overwhelmed with writing my thesis and studying for my finals when I started to get really into illustrating. I would start and end my day with an illustration- the creative outlet I needed to be able to face a day of grueling academia, and the way I relaxed when I got home from the library.
Do you ever toy with other mediums? Yes, I paint portraits in acrylic for fun…mostly of fictional characters but occasionally ill paint people I know. I've also painted the walls of my bedroom here in NYC with plants and snakes. the plants are an ironic take on the trend of houseplants in NYC and the snakes match a rug my mother gave me when I moved in. Favorite project you’ve ever worked on? My book! It's out on the 17th of April and it is a dream come true. A published selection of my drawings! Dream project in the future? One of my impossible collaborations becoming a reality. collaborating with a company like a Brand-Aid on my very own Brand-Aids! the ultimate manifestation of my high and low creations. Do your illustrations or people you illustrate ever end up inspiring your personal style? Any examples? I now understand more and more that clothes are a form of expression. although in my illustrations I take that very literally, ever since I started illustrating I feel like I am more adventurous with how I dress. I used to wear a white t-shirt and jeans every day, a sort of uniform. now I still wear a white t-shirt and jeans but I've become mad about animal print. What was the first handbag you ever owned? A pale blue Kipling bag that I still have at home. a smallish one with a flap. I'm not sure I ever actually put anything in it. How many bags do you currently own? Admittedly loads! mostly hand-me-downs from my Italian grandmother who has declared her bags useless to her as she never goes out anymore…they're all beautiful hand made Italian, the antithesis of big brand. What makes a bag obsession-worthy? I don't really know….form and function for sure…I become obsessed with unusual bags. my mother passed down to me this mini-bag she had when she was a pre-teen and I love it….doesn't really pass the function test as it is so minute I can fit my keys and wallet or phone, not both, in it. What’s the one item you always have in your bag?
A Sharpie.
Embroidered jean trend…yes or no?
Yes.
Are you riding on Alessandro Michele’s high speed Gucci train
Yes definitely. He became creative director at Gucci at the same time as I started illustrating so I've been tracking and lauding his transformation of the brand via illustration since the beginning.Spill It: Most embarrassing moment this year
There are so many. I have a problem with doppelgangers- I'm constantly mistaking strangers for people i know.Spill It: Who is your girl crush?
Maggie Rogers. I went to her show a couple of weeks ago and fell in love.Spill It: How social media obsessed are you?
I like it but I wouldn't call myself obsessed - I think it helps that I don't really share my own life, or lunch, through the platforms. I really like that I am able to stay somewhat detached on a personal level, especially when for most people social media is a curated reflection of their life.Spill It: What is the last fib you told on social media
Last week I did a takeover ‘from New York’ when I was actually diving in Egypt with my boyfriend.Spill It: Can we look inside your bag right now?
Of course!
