The people behind Essentiel Antwerp
Paola
We've talked with Paola De Narvaez, our talented Junior Graphic Designer who shares her biggest dreams and passions. Discover more about her creative job at Essentiel Antwerp, her work as a ceramicist, and her life in Antwerp.
You've been working at Essentiel Antwerp for two years now. What's it like to work here?
Paola — Coming from Paris and being new to Antwerp, working at an important brand and symbol of the city like Essentiel Antwerp helped me discover Antwerp from within. It really makes me feel part of this creative city.
Working at Essentiel Antwerp means being surrounded by passionate people and working in a cheerful atmosphere. It's a very stimulating environment where I experience teamwork very strongly and I love that. As a graphic designer I work closely with both the styling and the marketing departments which makes my work very diverse. That means I'm part of the design team, but I also create the right visuals for marketing campaigns. At Essentiel Antwerp we work on collections multiple seasons ahead. I love being a part of that visionary process, it's exhilarating.
You always come to the office with a big smile. What exactly do you like so much about your job?
Paola — I have a true passion for aesthetics and I love to find beauty in the world around me. I want to reveal beauty and communicate it to the world. Whether I work on a design, a lookbook or a social media campaign, the bottom-line question is always: does the result reflect Essentiel Antwerp's unique vision of beauty? I think that's captivating.
I especially love to work on new collections with the styling team, those are very creative moments. I love that my managers trust and encourage me to try and propose new things. The greatest thrill of all is of course to see designs come to life in our collections!
"Whenever the illustrator in me is allowed to step forward, I feel like I am on the top of my game and take the most pride in what I'm doing."
I imagine that's a great feeling! Is there a specific accomplishment you are most proud of?
Paola — Whenever the illustrator in me is allowed to step forward, I feel like I am on the top of my game and take the most pride in what I'm doing. The most gratifying of all is when I get to draw unique artworks for our clothing. Sometimes it's for T-shirts or hoodies, sometimes for silky button shirts. It doesn't matter what piece I'm designing, this type of work is always extremely invigorating and at the same time relaxing, because I can fully express my creativity.
I had the opportunity to make the drawings for several shirts such as the Looney Tunes collection (Spring 2021) and some T-shirts coming up in the following seasons… Seeing my contributions come to life on designs and most specifically seeing people wear them, there's just nothing like it! It is such an amazing feeling to put my heart into illustrations that other people end up loving and wearing. It really feels like being a little particle of the Essentiel Antwerp DNA. I am truly thankful to the art directors and managers for that.
You seem born for this job, but did you always know you wanted to work in fashion?
Paola — I spent a big part of my childhood in my father's painting studio, doing nothing but drawing, painting, and browsing through paintings and art books. I always wanted to be an illustrator. On top of that, I've always been attracted to design, trends, and fashion. That is the reason I decided to study textile design in Paris and then graphic design in Brussels.
My work at Essentiel Antwerp brings all of these passions together. It wasn't planned at all but when moving to Antwerp, I stumbled on the opportunity at Essentiel Antwerp and tried my luck.
What are your biggest passions in life?
Paola — A straight answer would be drawing, ceramics and graphic design, because that is what I'm doing most of the time. But it's more than that. These activities are just tools I use to express a more profound fascination I've always had: rhythm. Most people find it in sounds or physical movements. I get in touch with rhythm visually: through colors, shapes, shadows, highlights, patterns, and compositions. My goal is to create an arrangement that moves people.
"At Essentiel Antwerp we work on collections multiple seasons ahead. I love being a part of that visionary process, it's exhilarating."
Are you making your childhood dreams come true?
Paola — In many ways, yes! I discover new places, I create almost every day, and I am surrounded by fascinating, diverse, and positive people.
Next to your work at Essentiel Antwerp you also create beautiful ceramics collections. Could you tell us more about your work as a ceramicist?
Paola — I first got in touch with ceramics art when I followed a workshop in the South of France, a few years ago. I immediately had the feeling that perhaps someday, it could be more than just another hobby.
Making ceramics is very relaxing, but it's also a fantastic medium to indulge and develop myself creatively. I had always worked on paper and suddenly there was an additional dimension to work with, it was like seeing the world through a new lens. In January 2020 and through a colleague at Essentiel Antwerp who I can never thank enough, I started following classes in a ceramic's studio and well, I just kept coming back! Since December 2020 I am a part-time freelance ceramicist. That combined with my work at Essentiel Antwerp is just the perfect balance, I always feel inspired because of it.
"Something Paris and Antwerp have in common is that people are fashionable and enjoy looking good. If you ask me, rightly so. I love to see people aiming to be the best version of themselves."
Your roots are in Paris. What made you move to Antwerp?
Paola — As opposed to what people often tend to expect from someone who grew up in Paris, I have always been eager to discover what exists elsewhere too. About eight years ago I moved from Paris to Brussels and discovered other places in Belgium. I immediately had a soft spot for Antwerp. After getting my diploma in Brussels, I considered some options and decided I wanted to discover Flanders a bit more. My boyfriend (who is originally from Limburg), and I immediately thought of Antwerp and were lucky to both find a job we liked rather easily. It was meant to be!
Living in Antwerp must be quite different from living in Paris, what differences do you notice?
Paola — It's never easy to describe the place you grew up in to others. In Paris I was surrounded by people literally all the time. Perhaps that's the biggest difference. To me Antwerp often has a picturesque, restful, I would say typical Flemish charm. But Antwerp is also vibrant, and I love that there are many people from around the world as well. Another thing I notice Paris and Antwerp have in common is that people are fashionable and enjoy looking good. If you ask me, rightly so. I love to see people aiming to be the best version of themselves.
