From Sydney to Paris: How Izzy Lawrence’s Instagram Caught the Eye of Chanel

Izzy Lawrence’s journey from Sydney to international acclaim began with a love of art. Growing up, Izzy was captivated by the illustrations in picture books, especially the whimsical, detailed worlds created by Australian artist Shaun Tan.

“I remember reading The Lost Thing and feeling this sense of wonder at the world [Shaun] had created. It made me see that I could create my own worlds too, which was a very expansive and inspiring feeling.”

The revelation that art could be a tool for personal expression planted the seed for a career in Visual Communication Design. Although originally from Sydney, when it came time to choose a place to study, Izzy picked Newcastle—not only because of the opportunity it offered for an affordable life, but also for its lifestyle and strong creative community.

“I could live at the beach, like, are you kidding me? I fell in love with Newcastle and have loved it ever since.”

During her studies, she participated in an exchange program in California, where she learned the value of consistent, daily effort in creativity over the pressure of last-minute projects.

“The exchange taught me the power of showing up consistently. In California, the focus was less on these huge, final projects and more on steady, everyday work. That shift took the pressure off—creativity became manageable and even fun. I learned that putting in a little time each day beats the last-minute all-nighters. When I came back from exchange, I stopped putting so much pressure on myself. I quit comparing my work to others and started to enjoy the process. That mindset shift was huge for me; it’s the reason I’m still in the industry today without feeling burnt out.”

After graduation, Izzy’s wanderlust led her to South America, where she taught English and began experimenting with illustrations inspired by her vibrant surroundings. Soon after, she landed an internship with Channel 10, where she worked on promos for popular shows like The Bachelor. Her daily commutes became filled with sketching, and she began to pour more energy into her creative Instagram, establishing a growing audience online.

After COVID-19 forced the world to work remotely, Izzy returned to Newcastle and made the risky decision to switch to part-time freelance work. Working with bigger clients such as Nickelodeon and MTV freed up more time to focus on her art.

“It was scary to give up a steady income but having those days to focus on my craft pushed me to take my art seriously. That risk has paid off in the long run.”

During this time, Izzy discovered the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (now the Self-Employment Assistance Program), which she credits with jumpstarting her entrepreneurial journey. Immersed in the creative atmosphere of Onwards Studio, where she shared a hot-desk space with like-minded artists, she found renewed inspiration and focus. This shift to working independently led Izzy to invest even more time in building her social media presence.

“I’d just quit my job and was pretty terrified. It wasn’t about whether people liked my work—I just needed to get jobs, so I posted often and got creative with animation to make my illustrations more eye-catching. One reel went viral, and subsequently a few others did too and that really built my following fast.”

This momentum opened doors to collaborations with renowned brands. In one whirlwind month, she took on editorial projects for The New York Times, Bloomberg, and a major campaign for the Hamburg Film Festival. Each job was a lesson in high-stakes creativity, working with tight timelines and adapting to the demands of globally recognised brands.

One particularly intense project was a campaign for Bloomberg, which involved designing a visual narrative for Hermès watches.

“I reminded myself to just focus on the process instead of letting imposter syndrome take over. The deadline was so tight, and I kept swinging between feeling determined to get it done and being overwhelmed. I remember calling friends from my studio and freaking out about not being able to do it. But it pushed me to a new level, both in terms of the quality of work and how much I could handle under pressure. It was a big growth moment for me.”

As her career continued to flourish, Izzy began taking on even more significant projects. One of her favourites was a horoscope-themed UX feature for Starbucks, where she blended her unique style with an emphasis on user experience. Shortly afterward, she experienced a pivotal career moment when a California-based agency reached out to represent her. Initially hesitant to give up control, Izzy soon realized that the support would allow her to negotiate more effectively and focus on her creative process.

Embracing the freedom to work for herself from anywhere in the world, Izzy seized the chance and booked a flight to France, planning to live and work in Bordeaux for a year. In what felt like the ultimate manifestation of her dreams, just one week later, she was approached by none other than Chanel’s beauty department in Paris.