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WHO ARE YOU TO TELL THE DREAMER TO STOP DREAMING | A CONVERSATION WITH HOLLY VANDEN
Interview | Written: Yewayi Mushaya
21.07.2025
When did you realise you were an artist?
For Holly Vanden, it wasn’t a moment sparked by mastery or the act of creating something beautiful. It came from something more internal. Vanden realised she was an artist when she decided she was. Permitting herself to take up space, Holly affirmed what she had felt since childhood, that she was an artist.
Based in Brisbane, Australia, Vanden is a developing designer who has already carved out a distinctive edge. In a sea of capsule wardrobes and elevated basics, discovering her work felt like a breath of fresh air. When I first came across her designs, I found myself immersed in a world of sophisticated nastiness. A tender romance laced with a quiet yet sensual provocation. It came as no surprise when Vanden explained that her work explores a female-centred perspective on sexuality and desire.
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Imgaery of Holly Vanden's Designs
Her material choices are as varied as her themes, utilisng lace, upcycled ties, and patterned fabrics all stitched together with an unapologetic boldness. Though she considers her practice to still be in its early stages, Vanden’s designs are an extension of her intrinsic introspection, shaped by her nature as a hopeless romantic.
With such a distinct artistic voice, I asked how she views the direction of her work. In an industry oversaturated by minimalism and mass replication, I inquired where she envisioned her designs would live. “When I go shopping, I often ask myself, Why is everything the same?” she said. “But in that same breath, there’s a real space for small, independent designers to fill the current gap in the retail experience.” The sense of certainty in her artistic direction was planted during her placement with Levi’s in San Francisco.
Immersed in a new environment, Vanden took on the role of head stylist for the brand during a pop-up event. “It was the most life-changing moment of my life,” she told me. The experience gave her rare, up-close exposure to cultural figures like Ricky Thompson and Nico Hiraga. What struck her wasn’t just their style, but their energy. There was a quiet confidence, a comfort in taking up space, grounded in an unshaken belief in their worth. This being a stark contrast to Australia’s tall poppy syndrome.
In San Francisco, Holly spoke of a community where authenticity was met not with scrutiny, but with acceptance. She concluded that “People who drag you down are doing it because they’re doubting themselves,”. Shifting from beliefs that once restricted her, she explained that the societal script that paints creative careers as risky or unrealistic is often just the echo of someone else's fear. A projection of people’s own internalised sense of failure.
By detaching from those external voices and expectations, Holly started to see how exposure to new environments can reframe your beliefs. That shift in perspective became a guiding principle, one she now holds close as she continues to navigate the industry.
As we wrapped up, she left me with a piece of advice before we parted. “Don’t over-plan, embrace spontaneity and trust the process.”
As the industry continues to grow and control becomes less, conversations with artists like Holly remind me that it's in the enjoyment of discovery and development of self that our true art lies.