Portrait of Ximena Xarau seated on a cream sofa in a patterned dress, natural light through a studio window — creative director and luxury illustrator based in New Zealand.

Ximena Ballantyne is a fashion illustrator and designer whose work explores couture, storytelling, and timeless visual narratives.

Drawing since childhood, her practice has evolved through traditional and digital mediums, shaped by a background spanning Argentina, the United States, and New Zealand.

With a foundation in fashion design and a deep appreciation for style, mood, and character, her illustrations focus on capturing the essence of fashion rather than the construction of garments; translating emotion, elegance, and story onto the page.

Her work today centers on fashion illustration and narrative-driven projects, with a growing body of work developed for editorial, publishing, and personal collections.

She is currently accepting a limited number of illustration commissions for 2026.