While little girls were swooning over Snow White and Cinderella in the 1980s, I was intrigued by the mysterious, Walt Disney “mean girl” Maleficent. Maybe it was her narrow chiseled chin, her overly arched eyebrows or her blue-green skin tone. I was just a little girl who loved purple, so maybe it was her brilliant magenta cape that captured me. Whatever the reason, I thought she was gorgeous. I still do. Believe me, I did not have a “dark” childhood. You can’t always love the “good girl.” 

Recently, I came across a drawing of the sexy sorceress on Pinterest. Her powerful stance was so perfectly sketched and her slender features were so meticulously etched that I was eager to learn more about the master behind Maleficent.

The artist was Hayden Williams and a closer look at his Pinterest page and blog revealed a fashionable portfolio. A native of London, Williams began drawing when he was three-years-old. He describes himself as a self-taught artist who, as a child, focused his energy on sketching female cartoon characters. Williams studied fashion design in college and by the time he was a young adult, he was creating fashion illustrations.

“I come up with collections and designs via illustration and share them online with the following I have built via social networking platforms such as Twitter and Facebook,” Williams said in a recent interview.

Williams draws inspiration from women and he is especially fascinated by classic clothing from the 1950s and 1960s. The artist enjoys creating timeless pieces, with a modern edge, that flatter the female physique.

“I love creating pieces that women would want to invest in,” Williams said. “The aim is for women to look at my sketches and envision themselves wearing the designs until I can make them a reality one day.”

Williams dreams of one day working with a team of professionals who can help him bring the ‘Hayden Williams woman’ to life. For the sake of fashion, I hope his dream becomes a reality.

I’m a fan of so many illustrations that it’s hard to pick favorites (aside from Maleficent). “Stepford Wives” is a step back in time. I love classic clothing and, like the artist, crush on dresses from decades ago. “A Stroll in Paris” is simply sexy — a girl, her designer heels, her dog (or cat in my case) and Paris. And as for Williams’ spring/summer 2012 collection, I’ll take one of each. I’ll be a Barbie doll living in a fashion designer’s world.

Prints found online are not for sale. If you would like a custom illustration, please contact Hayden Williams via email.

Stepford Wives

Miranda Priestly

A Stroll in Paris

Perfectly Polished

Spring/Summer 2012 Collection