About Me
I’m Stella, the illustrator and designer behind Studio Stella Ashburn. With over sixteen years of experience in the creative industry, I bring a unique blend of artistic vision and strategic design expertise to everything I create.
My work centers around illustration and surface pattern design, blending my academic background in graphic designwith several years of professional experience in the fashion industry. This fusion allows me to design patterns and illustrations that are not only visually captivating but also commercially relevant and aligned with current trends.
I create artwork for licensing and also take on commissioned projects, collaborating with brands and businesses worldwide. My designs range from bold, bohemian statement pieces to subtle, storytelling patterns, perfect for textiles, home & living, stationery, and beyond.
Skilled in both traditional and digital illustration, I work with a variety of techniques — from watercolor, ink, and pencil to Procreate, Adobe Illustrator, and Photoshop. Depending on your needs, I can provide vector or rasterized and layered files, ensuring smooth integration into your production process.
If you’re ready to license a design, commission custom artwork, or collaborate on a unique project, get in touch here →.
What I Offer
I combine creativity, strategy, and craftsmanship to create illustrations and patterns that not only look beautiful but also resonate with audiences and work in the marketplace.
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From whimsical storytelling pieces to sleek commercial artwork, I create illustrations with character and emotion — using both traditional mediums like watercolor, ink, and pencil, and digital tools like Procreate, Adobe Illustrator, and Photoshop.
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With my fashion industry experience and deep understanding of trends, I design patterns and all-over prints that are both visually striking and commercially relevant. Perfect for textiles, stationery, home & living products, and beyond.
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My designs are available for licensing, and I also take on custom projects, collaborating with brands to bring their vision to life.
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I deliver vector and rasterized files tailored to your production needs, ensuring a smooth transition from concept to final product.
Credentials & Experience
My journey combines fashion design, graphic design, and illustration, giving me a unique skill set for creating patterns and artwork that are both beautiful and commercially relevant.
Education in Design:
Specialized school education in fashion design
Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design
Master’s degree in Design & Leadership
Fashion Industry Experience:
10 years as Product Designer at s.Oliver, shaping prints and patterns with a strong sense for trends and market needs
Later roles in graphic design and online marketing within the company, strengthening my brand strategy and visual communication skills
Global Creative Leadership:
2021–2024: Global Creative Lead at Elektrobit Automotive, leading international design teams and large-scale creative projects
Studio Stella Ashburn:
Founded my freelance business in 2018, recently rebranded to focus on illustration and surface pattern design
Offering artwork for licensing, custom commissions, and collaborations with brands worldwide
Current Chapter:
Fully dedicated to growing Studio Stella Ashburn, collaborating with global clients, and expanding my portfolio of licensable illustrations and patterns
What My Clients Say About Me
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"Stella perfectly combines creativity with technical expertise. Thanks to her experience she knows what works while still accommodating individual preferences and striving to realize my vision as the client without letting it restrict her creativity. The result was the best possible outcome. A collaboration I would gladly repeat anytime!
Christine Rauscher
PURPUR -
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"Stella instantly understood what we needed and what the logo and overall branding were meant to achieve. The collaboration was incredibly efficient, personally enjoyable, on schedule, and it was evident in many ways that she is an absolute professional. We would absolutely work with her again anytime."
Gregor Hoch
BEXBACHER TOURISMUS HOCH GMBH -
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"As an artist with no knowledge of branding, Stella was the perfect choice for me. She fully embraced the needs of my brand. While my products and art continue to evolve over time, the logo Stella designed for me remains the constant by which I am always recognized and that gives me a great sense of confidence."
Wanda Sonnemann
ELDALAGREN -
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"Stella immediately understood my ideas and brought them to life with just the right touch of finesse. Her design was a creative evolution of what I had roughly envisioned and instantly won me over. Working with someone so brimming with ideas and speaking the same creative language made the collaboration effortless."
Verena Hausenstein
SILBERZWIRN -
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"Stella demonstrated exceptional abstract thinking when it came to identifying and communicating core values, paired with an outstanding attention to detail. At no point did we feel the need to involve ourselves in the details. The collaboration was highly professional and led to a result we are very satisfied with."
Gregor Hoch
HOCH CONSULTING
Let’s turn your vision into reality!
If you’re interested in realizing a project with me, I’d be thrilled to hear from you!
Please reach out to me by filling out the contact form or emailing me at hello@stella-ashburn.com
and include your name, a description of your project, your timeline, and budget.
