Everything Works Out in the End
Founder and Brand Designer of Anders Design Branding
by Elizabeth Lavis
|12 Oct 2023
Eva Van der Borght’s official title at Anders Design Branding is Founder and Brand Designer, but she likes to think of herself as more of a maker and collector of things. “I peruse and collect lots of vintage and old design books, catalogs, and magazines,” she says. “I also like to get lost in library and museum archives looking for inspiration. There are so many online archives available for perusing and scouring through, and history is a great source to get inspiration from.”
For Van der Borght, design is all about trial and error. The best advice she ever heard came from one of her high school teachers. “Everything will always work out in the end,” Van der Borght says. “It fits with daily aspects of life, but also design. The design process has a lot of ups and downs, and sometimes you can’t find the one element that makes everything click. You think this won’t end well, and you’ll have to present ‘mediocre’ creative work to your clients, but everything comes together right before that meeting or show.”
Van der Borght also encourages newer designers to play around, experiment, and not be afraid to fail. “Lots of aspiring designers I talk to are stuck with the idea that everything has to be perfect, which is impossible,” she says. “To get better, you need to do some bad things and learn from them. It’s cliche, but practice does make perfect.” She also warns up-and-coming designers not to compare themselves to others. “You’ll start losing yourself and your style, looking and sounding like everyone else. Why do you need to be like everyone else? Be yourself and find a style that you love,” she says.
Creator+ Branding
Belgium-born Van der Borght moved around in Africa and Asia as a child, an experience that certainly shaped her design perspective. “Growing up abroad has clearly influenced my love of color. Bold prints, pattern mixing, and vibrant colors have always attracted me,” she says. “My design work uses a lot of color and balances multiple vibrant shades. It embraces color fully, and if it brings a smile to someone’s face, I’ve done my job right.”
Although Van der Borght’s childhood ignited a love of color and creativity, she didn’t see design as a viable career path until she was much older. “When I was younger, I didn’t realize that being a designer was a job, so I never pursued it,” she says. “When I got to high school, I realized I could make a living doing this.”
In day-to-day work, Van der Borght’s naturally outgoing and transparent person puts her clients at ease. “The majority of my clients have no experience with design and are looking for an expert in the field,” she says. “Establishing trust is all about being yourself and owning your values and style. That’s what I do in our first chat. I am my bubbly self, and they appreciate that I don’t pretend to be someone I’m not.” Van der Borght fosters an open, reciprocal dialogue about the design process and lays out expectations from the outset. “I tell them that I will push back if something doesn’t fit or isn’t suitable for them, and we set expectations before we officially sign any contract,” she says.
Van der Borght manages burnout by keenly understanding her limitations and diversifying her work. “It keeps things interesting, and when you get stuck during one project, you can switch it up and focus on a new subject,” she says. Through a well-cultivated sense of style, transparent and open communication, and fresh, innovative design, Van der Borght is sure to continue making waves in the industry.
Submit your work for Indigo Design Award competition
