I hope you’re sitting down with a tea and a sequinned cardigan because an artist called Valfré is about to melt your heart with her girly illustrations of modern ladies.
Kitty Gal by Valfré | Pink Flamingo by Valfré
The artist behind these utterly relatable scenes (and subsequent line of accessories) is Ilse Valfré, whose Instagram feed I now stalk.
Ilse Valfré, photo by Misha Vladimirskiy
She lives in a world where all day every day, girls are celebrating being girls. Valfré cites in an interview with Galore that her drawings are of a “girl living life just like everybody else, same struggles in love, work, and friends. She is learning not to care what other people think of her.“
I Donut Give A Fuck by Valfré
Feminist or not, the self-comparison that women are encouraged to participate in on a daily basis can be crippling. Valfré’s illustrations remind us of the girl we are on the inside who doesn’t give a fuck about meeting anyone’s standards. She doesn’t fit any molds, and feels great about it. The girl inside of us prefers to wear a full face of makeup while hanging out at home with no pants on, and could care less what you think about it.
Too Bored Too Lazy by Valfré
Movie Night by Valfré
There’s definitely a new movement, is sub-generation a gross word?, that’s putting in the effort to remind girls that sticking together will get them (us) way further than fighting each other will. Everything from book sales to beauty campaigns subtly suggests that women compete with one another for the affection of men or a better job or even a fucking groceries. After immersing yourself in Valfré’s technicolor universe full of girl gangs and creative independence, it’s damn near impossible to consider trying to outdo your fellow sister in the Real World™. It’s about movie nights, cat drawings, pastries and the occasional drinking of boys tears, and everyone knows that boy tears taste better when shared with good girlfriends.
Aside from being a clearly talented illustrator with a passion for girl power, Valfré has managed to sculpt her passions into a viable and frankly awesome online store featuring accessories, both fashion and tech (aka the cutest cellphone cases you’ve ever seen), emblazoned with her designs.
Valfré’s apparel section definitely goes above and beyond your average “image on a tee” concept, though. There are wrap tops, plunge dresses, overalls with banana pockets, and collared velvet skater dresses to entertain your imagination. Seem excessive? I keep telling you, she’s created an entire world full of girls who are allowed to be whoever they want, and this is what those girls wear! It’s seriously brilliant.
Not Yours Wrap Crop Top, $38 | Sunday Funday Crop Tee, $38 | Fries Before Guys Tee, $38
Special mention goes to the Dudette Tee which may or may not be in my cart awaiting my next paycheck. Also the Whatever I Tried tee and the Hongo muscle tee above are definitely in my near future. Also I didn’t know everything in the damn store was $38* until I started writing this post, but I’m definitely okay with it. Also, the sizes typically range from XS-2XL!
* Everything is $38 because it is marked down from $48 which is also not a bad price for anything as adorable and indie as Valfré. All of the jackets are also marked down to $78 from $98, so if you love one and have the skrill, now is the time!
Let’s move on to how you’re also wrong about the Valfré-designed cellphone cases if you think they are anywhere near boring or generic.
That “Shellphone” Case is literally made to make your selfies more magical. Then, once again, we have the 100% Boys Tears motif that just warms the cockles of my black little heart. There’s also an amazing case shaped like a cat with a third eye, but this post would be weird if I just posted everything that I love to death because it would very literally be everything in the store. Of course, there are more traditional style phone cases for those who just love her illustrations so much that you need them everywhere. They even have my two favorites, Pink Flamingo and I Donut Give a Fuck!
Unfortunately, there are only cases for iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones right now, but maybe someday they’ll expand so we can all be as adorable as a Valfré girl. *cough*Moto G*cough*
…*cough*Third Generation*cough*
Anyway, take some time to explore the mind of Ilse Valfré and I’m positive that you will come out cuter, shinier, and more adventurous!
Goodbye Denim Jacket, $78