Brianda Fitz-James Stuart has many talents to her (equally long) name. The illustrator, fashion designer, and DJ lives an eventful life. She’s walked the catwalk and has been the face of Sony; collaborated with fashion brands like Gucci and Kenzo; and her illustrations have been exhibited around the globe.
“I was always very clear about how I would dedicate my life to something artistic, though I didn’t know exactly in which discipline,” admitted the Spanish artist in an interview with Intercontinental’s blog. “I finally leaned towards fashion design and studied at Instituto Europeo di Design [The European Institute of Design] in Madrid. Afterwards, I went to New York City to complete my studies; I worked under the painter Paul Balmer and studied drawing at The Art Student League for a year.”
When she returned later to Spain, she set up her own fashion brand. “It was a very rewarding experience; it was my opportunity to realize that my real calling was to be an illustrator,” she explained. Now, she specializes in what she says she enjoys most: “I can design any kind of piece, from a Swatch watch to wallpaper to ceramics and carpets. I illustrate books… I find every canvas is interesting for me to work on.”
Her illustrations have an air of mythology about them, with nature being a constant theme throughout her work. “Drawing is my way of traveling to a world where plants, animals, naked bodies, eyes, and esoteric symbols await me,” she writes on her personal website. “Illustrating for brands, magazines, and fanzines and playing music is my way of telling what inspires me, worries me and moves me.”
Prepare to be moved.
