The British have done it again! Known for producing monarchs – both politically and in the multi-faceted world of high fashion – such as Alexander McQueen, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Pat McGrath, and Stella McCartney, the United Kingdom has birthed another royal in the making.
At a mere 23 years of age, Hayden Williams, a London native who began his first illustrations at the three, has already amassed a social media fan base that collectively exceeds one million followers. His talent has landed him a promotional campaign with iconic London-based beauty brand Rimmel and garnered the praise of celebrities and fashion notables worldwide.
One quick scroll through his Instagram or Tumblr accounts and it’s plain to see the essence of greatness in each sketch. His spot-on illustrations of red carpet royals like Oprah, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Anna Wintour, the Olsen twins, and our very own Marjorie Harvey, reveal remarkably regal talent. TLLC sat down with the burgeoning Prince to gain insight into his artistic past and get a glimpse of his promising future.
TLLC: Who is Hayden Williams in 5 words or less?
Hayden Williams: Friendly, passionate, driven, creative, and positive.
TLLC: What is your first style memory? When did you realize that you had a passion for the world of fashion and all things style?
HW: I think subconsciously it has always been there, but it was when I was around age 15 or 16 that I started to look at fashion magazines and I was getting inspired by designers and the beautiful ad campaigns that you see in those magazines. I started to do my research and found out that the sketches could translate to fashion design, and that was the beginning of the design process. I started doing more research about design, reading stories of the rise of fashion greats like Chanel and Dior. They inspired me to look into studying fashion design at the college and university level, which is what I did. While studying, I was also sharing my sketches online and garnering a following of my own.
TLLC: When did you identify that you had a unique talent for fashion illustration? Was there a teacher or mentor who helped you with that discovery?
HW: My parents noticed that I had a talent for drawing from a very young age. I would watch Disney movies as a child and I would draw the female characters. I am proud to say that I am self-taught in regards to my drawing skills. It felt like a natural progression into design and what I do today.
TLLC: Tell us about your muse? What inspires you to create a particular image?
HW: I don’t have one particular muse, but I do adore the vintage photography of Irving Penn and all of the timeless elegance of the ’40s, ’50s, and early ’60s. Show me the photography of a stunning and iconic model such as Dovima or Carmen Dell’Orefice, or vintage black and white photography from the ’50s of a model in a sharp suit, pillbox hat, and a face veil, and I get inspired! I really love the way women looked back in those days and I like to interject that old-school glamour into what I am doing with my illustrations and designs; merging classic elegance with the modern woman of today. When I have my own fashion label, those are the elements I would like to incorporate into my designs.
TLLC: Who are the style icons that are significant in your eyes?
HW: I truly love the icons of the past: Marilyn, Audrey, Grace Kelly, Liz Taylor. The fact these women are still relevant and that their style is still emulated today speaks for itself; true Golden Age of Hollywood glamour!
TLLC: In the past you collaborated with Kate Moss and Rimmel London and very recently Disney’s Cinderella. Please share details on these experiences.
HW: Over the time that I have been sharing my work online, I have garnered recognition from celebrities and many big brands. I only ever want to put my name on something that truly makes sense for my brand. My partnership with Rimmel London has been such an amazing one. They approached me, as they had been observing my work for a while, and they felt that I was right for this new upcoming project. They told me that one of their faces wanted to collaborate with me. That face ended up being the iconic Kate Moss! I had a meeting with them and they told me that Kate wanted to collaborate with me for her first eye makeup collection with Rimmel. I came up with fashion and beauty illustrations to support the campaign which were also displayed in cosmetic stores worldwide. I also got to film with Kate and work very closely with her to make sure the vision was true to her style. The clips are on Rimmel’s site and Youtube. I had so much fun and it was really an amazing feeling to see my work in stores. I have since partnered with Rimmel again for London Fashion Week, creating fashion and beauty looks inspired by street style and the runway.
TLLC: Ten years from now if you could sketch a picture of your ideal career, what would it look like?
HW: Hmm, good question! I would be in my beautiful future office or Atelier either here in London or in Paris sketching my latest couture design. My team would be around me to help bring it to life [so that it could] be worn by a Hollywood beauty or be shown on the runway.
Source: Theladylovescouture
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