MARLIES DEKKERS

Earlier this year, I was approached by the creative and communication team at Marlies Dekkers with an invitation to collaborate on a very special project. They were looking for a series of illustrations to accompany the launch of the new Sensual Rebels collection across their digital platforms, and I was immediately drawn to both the concept and the creative freedom behind it.

What made this collaboration even more meaningful was the opportunity to meet Marlies herself. Before starting the project, we had a video call where she shared the ideas, references and personal experiences that shaped the collection. Hearing directly from the designer allowed me to better understand the world and the intentions I was about to illustrate, and definitely enriched the creative process.

Founded by Dutch designer Marlies Dekkers over thirty years ago, the brand has carved out a unique place in the world of lingerie.

Rather than treating lingerie as something purely decorative, Marlies has always approached it as a way of celebrating confidence, individuality and strength.

The Sensual Rebels collection continues that conversation. It celebrates women who challenged conventions, embraced their individuality and refused to be defined by society's expectations.

As Marlies writes, these are women who "turn their pleasure into their power", encouraging others to reconnect with their confidence and their own voice.

Marlies has always seen lingerie as a way to encourage women to reconnect with that sense of confidence.

As she beautifully puts it: "lingerie became my Molotov cocktail, my tool to seduce women into embracing their sensual powers."

The collection draws inspiration from women who challenged conventions in very different ways, spanning mythology, art, fashion, literature and history.

For this collaboration, I created a series of eight illustrations, each inspired by one of the collection's muses: Lilith, Vivienne Westwood, Naomi Wolf, Georgia O'Keeffe, Catherine the Great, Grace Jones, Shere Hite and Marlies Dekkers herself.

Each illustration explores a different lingerie design while reflecting the personality and legacy of its muse.

I never approached these illustrations as portraits of these muses; I wanted each piece to capture a distinct atmosphere and character, allowing the garments and the women behind the inspiration to exist while respecting the same visual narrative.

I love translating someone else's creative vision through my own visual language, illustration allows me to look beyond the garment itself and explore the stories, references and emotions behind a collection.

A heartfelt thank you to the entire Marlies Dekkers team for their trust throughout the project, and especially to Marlies for her time.

It was a real pleasure to translate the world of Sensual Rebels into eight illustrations, each celebrating a different woman who chose to challenge conventions in her own way.