Eugenie Zhan is an inspiring creative, dividing her time between her full-time role as an Optometrist and her work as a freelance Fashion Illustrator. This week we chat with Eugenie to get a glimpse into her creative and diverse career pathway that encompasses both her profession and passion.

Hey Eugenie, please Introduce yourself and what you do!

Hello! My name is Eugenie I’m 22 yrs old from the sunny coast, QLD Australia! I am a fashion illustrator - completely self-taught - as it started as a hobby and gradually turned into a side hustle. I am also an optometrist working for OPSM in Kawana, which is a family-owned franchise store. Basically I’m a visual artist and a vision scientist and I love to make beautiful art and help people see better.

What made you choose a career as an Optometrist?

I honestly felt like it was a natural pick for me as I wanted to do a degree that was related to health, and eyes are so important! My role every day is to help people see better - what better goal can you have! Also, out of all health professions, optometry is the only profession that overlaps with fashion retail [as] we tailor their frame styling with their visual needs.

Tell us a bit about your creative side-hustle as a Fashion Illustrator and how this creative pursuit came about.

What I do is [live] drawing for fashion events, but also do birthdays, weddings/parties. I also do bespoke artworks for my clients, which range from brands, companies, weddings, fashion designers to family friends wanting a special gift.

And so how it began... I have always had a love for drawing and in particular, fashion. My mum would make me clothes and we’d have fun coming up with unique designs together. I tried sewing clothes but realised I had a lot more fun designing and drawing them instead! In school, my friend and I would come up with mini fashion design catalogues - it was so much fun thinking back on it now!

But my drawing career officially started when I was brave enough to volunteer to draw live for the Sunshine Coast Fashion Festival in 2015, despite having no prior experience. I remember the first drawing I sold for $5 and the lady was so kind to give me $10 because she loved the drawing so much - that seriously made my night! From there on, I made some [great] contacts with the designers [from the fashion show].

Those designers went on to host the Brisbane Fashion Month with my works featured at Brisbane International Airport and in the Brisbane Winter Garden. I then drew live for Undress Runways, DQ Designer Runway Shows, shopping centres and a charity called [Suited to Success], which led [me] to a meet with QLD Government Ministers. Following this, [I had the opportunity to live draw for] Polo Ralph Lauren, Oscar Wylee as well as collaborate with jewellery designers, lingerie designers and couture fashion designers.

So really, my drawing career came about [by] first volunteering and putting myself out there, despite being told “I wasn’t good enough” or “I had no experience”.

What do you enjoy most about your roles as an Optometrist and Fashion Illustrator?

It’s so interesting because [they are] two very separate worlds and the only time [they] overlapped was when I drew live for an opening of a new Oscar Wylee store. It’s a very nice balance and I love being able to do both - Optometry and Fashion Illustration. One is like a “job” and the other one is a “hobby job”.

As an optometrist, I like that a patient will hopefully walk out knowing their vision will be better than when they first walked in, [as] for many, a small change in refraction can make a huge difference! Then when I take off my Optometry cap and head to fashion events, it’s such a different vibe. I get an adrenaline rush from drawing live as I’m doing [each sketch] in about 5-8 minutes. I really love that reaction when [clients] first see their drawing and how I was able to capture their look on paper. With a few simple strokes, you can see their personality shine from the portrayal of their clothes, their stance, and even their hairstyle!

What are your tips for young women who want to pursue a creative career?

Tip #1
Be brave and volunteer your service for free at the start, which will give you good exposure to the right crowd. When people start approaching you for [the] work you are doing, you can start to charge a fee.

Tip #2

Be open to meeting new people as it is crucial to have a good network of contacts. They will become the most genuine adverts for your work and may potentially become clients.

Tip #3

Reach out to other illustrators or artists in your field and show your support. In turn, they will also support you, which will strengthen the art community and your presence within it.

Tip #4
Be consistent, efficient and persistent. Don’t give up!

Tip #5

When approached with an opportunity that seems outside of your skill set, just do it and learn on the job (or quickly learn before the event) . Don’t ever think “I’m not ready” because you just have to do it!

Tip #6

One more! I am always more than happy to answer any questions you have! Just message me!


To get in touch with Eugenie, feel free to message her on instagram (@eugeniezhan). You can also purchase her Fashion Illustrations here.