Daisy de Villeneuve - queen of the felt-tip pen

Daisy de Villeneuve is not yet 40 but she already has an impressive track record.  Despite her young age, I wanted to feature her on this blog as I very much like her work and admire her talent and drive. Daisy's name is inextricably linked to the world of fashion but she has created her own personal take on it, drawing on a sharp sense of observation, a keen sense of style and felt-tip pens. Her distinctive style brings back to mind the hours I spent as a child and teenager, drawing fashion collection in felt-tip pen - my models wore lots of flared trousers and maxi-dresses in bright colours! 

Daisy photographed by Valerie Phillips

Born in fashion aristocracy from 1960s star model Jan and influential father Justin, she is an illustrator whose work you have certainly come across, be it at Liberty where she recently designed candles,

on the tube where you might have come across her travel wallet designed for Transport for London,

or in magazines where her work appears frequently.

Contacted through a friendly introduction, Daisy de Villeneuve kindly answered my questions on her own sense of style and how she sees fashion for women over 40:

First childhood memory of clothes? 

My mother has a huge collection of clothes from her days as a model in the '70's so I expect from seeing her wardrobe when I was little.

First piece of clothing you bought with your own money?
A white suit with navy trim from Whistles in the late '80's that I bought with money saved up from babysitting.

Significant fashion moment in your life? 
Going to Kensington Market when I was 14 & seeing all the stalls.

I would never wear...?
Crocs

I can't leave the house without...?
Rep lipstick

Fashion icon?
My mum

Growing up in the midst of fashion aristocracy, who could be a fashion role
model for women over 40?

The model Carmen Dell' Orefice is extremely stylish at 79

How much does fashion inspire your drawings and how much you create your own
style for your characters? 

My drawings are all from my imagination but I will draw quite classic garments with fashion elements such as a stripy t-shirt which reminds me of Jane Birkin or Capri pants & I think of Brigitte Bardot.

What counts and what does count with fashion/accessories (brand, quality,colour, fabric....)

All of it counts, you can get a nice looking garment but the quality is dreadful, so quality counts at the end of the day.

Should a woman's choice of clothes change as she is getting older?
Yes. Getting older doesn't mean you can't dress well, but more elegant. Because I work from home sometimes I wear jeans & converse, a uniform left over from my art-school days. It was okay in my 20's but now in my 30's, I have to watch myself. I try & mix it up a bit, wear a nice pair of jeans & a blouse with brogues instead of opting for the scruffier look because it's comfy.

Favourite?

boutique - Matches + Browns Focus
shop - Merci in Paris
brand - Smythson
designer - Zac Posen

Fashion advice for women over 40? 
Dress to feel comfortable and be yourself. Don't follow trends, especially as you get older. 

Wise words that resonate with my own views - trends are there to be picked or rejected and certainly not slavishly followed once you know your own body and style.

Pictures provided by Daisy de Villeneuve, except for the photograph of Carmern dell'Orifice, taken from her Rolex advertising campaign. 
Look up Daisy's wonderfully whimsical website and enjoy more of her pictures: http://www.daisydevilleneuve.com/