A Meeting with Annalie van Doorn
“Between the quay and the ship, free birds swim.”
“I read that sentence on a bench in Amsterdam,” says fashion designer Annalie van Doorn. “And I knew immediately — that’s me. The free bird.”
Annalie has just returned from Japan, where she spent four months as an artist-in-residence in Takagi — a location historically connected to one of the country’s oldest tanneries. “I didn’t literally work inside the tannery,” she explains, “but I immersed myself in deep research into traditional leather making, lacquering, colouring and embossing.”
“It was a period of research and deepening,” she says. “The work I made there feels more mature — as if I’ve found a new layer in my design voice.”
After graduating from the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague, her career gained momentum. She became a finalist for Lichting 2023, one of the Netherlands’ leading awards for emerging fashion talent, as well as a BIAAF Bilbao 2024 finalist — a major international competition. She also took part in the Vogue Downtown Fashion Parade. Yet Annalie stays true to her own pace — curious, exploratory, sometimes in between worlds, but always moving.
Her path was far from straight. From an agricultural school, where she had to draw cows (but secretly sketched dresses), to earning a place at the art academy. In between, she worked in event management, learned the ins and outs of sales and marketing, and travelled the world. “My story is about courage, self-reflection, and a good dose of stubbornness,” she says.
“I’m a bit clumsy,” she laughs. “Après nous, le déluge.” An oversized blouse or heavy boots under an elegant dress — that’s me. I want to feel strong, like the women in my family. With a flamboyant attitude. So we can take on the world.”
Her designs are an ode to her 92-year-old grandmother, who, despite her poor eyesight, still walked through her empty house every day dressed extravagantly, with red lipstick. “My grandmother passed away right after I finished my collection,” Annalie adds, “which made it even more special — an even deeper tribute. She really always looked like that.”
This obsession with appearance, status and identity brought Annalie to a deeper question: why do we in the West attach so much value to what we wear?
With humour and sharp observation, she weaves this theme through her work. She plays with elitist garments such as polos and blazers — symbols of status — and transforms them into something new: layered, playful, and sometimes absurd.
Take the poker-chip spencer. “I found the chips at a thrift shop — worthless. But take that same box into a casino, and suddenly it represents a fortune. That shift in value fascinates me.”
Annalie’s design process always begins with research. Then comes a concept board, an abstract drawing, and finally the draping of that drawing onto the mannequin. The sketch becomes not only print (2D) but also form (3D). “Form is my starting point,” she says. “But there’s never a conceptual overload — the shapes dissolve into the whole.”
Besides designing, Annalie paints and draws. “Painting and drawing are my two legs — my foundation. They help me see form and understand balance. I’m not either an artist or a fashion designer. I’m both. One can’t exist without the other.”
One of her favourite pieces is an oversized polo with an abstract horse motif, inspired by the Kentucky Derby. Chic and strange at once — perfectly reflecting her work: a collision between beauty, status, and self-mockery.
“I’m a free bird because I enjoy many things,” she says. “And when something no longer suits me, I move on. I move fast and love to throw myself into the deep end — that energy keeps me growing.”
She sees the future as an open horizon. “I want to travel, create collections, exhibit. That magical feeling of longing for what’s next — being at home for a journey, and on a journey toward my creative path.”
Dreaming big, aiming high, gaining experience. “I want to work internationally. Maybe an exhibition of my paintings. But first: a new collection influenced by Japan.”
She smiles. “And betting on one horse? I dare.”
Annalie van Doorn’s collection is now available directly from her through made-to-order.