About me

Hi there! My name is Anja Karboul, and I’m a freelance fashion and live illustrator based in Berlin. I’ve been living here for 18 years – now with my husband and two children – and have loved the energy and diversity of this city ever since the moment I moved here. Since I come from a fashion background, the themes of my illustrations automatically revolve around silhouettes, fashion labels, faces and colors.

After graduating as a fashion designer, I received a scholarship to study at the New York Fashion Institute of Technology. This was followed by positions at fashion labels such as Yohji Yamamoto, Kenneth Cole and Schumacher and finally the leap into my dream job as an illustrator.

A passion for drawing people, faces and portraits

I love drawing people and the many different facets of their personalities. I have always been fascinated by the idea of exploring the subtle details that make each personality visually unique. My work is created using both traditional and digital methods. When I start an illustration, I always rely to a certain extent on the dynamics that develop during the creation process and let myself be guided by them.

Live-Illustration with Anja Karboul

After 20 years in fashion, my strengths clearly lie in observing and recording my impressions. I often have the pleasure of sketching for my clients at exclusive events, capturing the looks and faces of the guests in just a few striking brushstrokes using watercolours and coloured pencils.

I also regularly provide my illustrations to clients such as Louis Vuitton, Dior and Tiffany & Co. as part of collaborations and commissioned projects.