Carlijn Jacobs

Carlijn Jacobs is a New York-based photographer known for her vivid colours and surreal portrayals of everyday objects. Her images put a sheen on reality, elevating what’s commonplace into glossy new material.

Prior to this collaboration, Carlijn had been on our radar for her striking fashion photography and standout still-life style. When we saw a print of hers featuring a pink calla lily cupping a set of crystal spheres, we knew it would make stop-and-make-you-stare art for our bags.

Together with Carlijn, we selected eleven more stills from her archives to feature: “Pierced Flower,” “Grape Balloons,” “Gloss” and a bunch more you can now collect.

Read on for an exclusive interview with the artist whose work aims to make you look twice.

A: Why is photography your chosen medium?

CJ: I like turning reality into something unreal.

A: What’s your process like for composing a photo?

CJ: It’s a puzzle. I try to make sure all the components are right before even starting to compose a shot, and when the puzzle is complete, I like to try different compositions and sometimes break the puzzle again or add more.

A: What’s your relationship with colour?

CJ: It’s a very strong relationship — very rarely do I cheat with B&W! No, seriously, I really love colour and am not afraid to work with it. Colour can make a photo very impactful.

A: Your photos are being featured on our 2025 bags. How do you hope Aritzia clients will engage with your work? Is there any reaction or feeling you’re hoping to incite?

CJ: It’s very surreal seeing all these people walking around with shopping bags featuring images that are yours. I enjoy beautifying the unexpected and unseen things in life — such as the Japanese purple grapes on the bags — so I hope clients will also be surprised by these unexpected images.

A: What’s some good advice you’ve received as an artist?

CJ: I can’t remember but I can come up with my own advice: show up and keep producing. The more you create, the better you get.

A: In a sentence — what’s your goal as an artist?

CJ: To not be bored in life.

The Artistic License Series

A love of great art has been central to our brand since its inception in 1984. But in 2005, we formalized that love by launching our Artistic License Series, a program through which we collaborate with artists to showcase their work in our boutiques, online and on our bags.

We love finding artists who push norms and inspire us with cutting-edge work. Each year, we aim to feature art completely different from what we’ve ever shown. Photography, oil painting, claymation, illustration, flower-splicing — we’re into it all, and we hope you are too.

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