“Your individual style is what showcases your identity,” Ivanka De Koning, a famed queer femme fashion influencer, told us when asked whether individuality can be manifested through fashion. For hers, it did. “As my identity evolved, so did my style.
” De Koning was 26 years old when she came out as queer, making her what she would call a “late bloomer”. She was born in Heerlen, Netherlands, but traveled around the world for most of her childhood because of her father’s military career, before landing in New York City. Manhattan quickly became her home, a welcoming space free from judgment and expectation.
Since starting a fashion blog in 2016, she’s now gained more than 422,000 followers on Instagram and 60,000 on TikTok, leading two mass audiences as a figure for inspiration. People look to her, a luxury fashion creator within the LGBTQ+ community, on their journeys to find the same solace and self-confidence she so clearly exudes. On her page, the 36-year-old creator balances a palette of sophisticated brands like Prada, Dior, and Sandro with the playfulness of JW Anderson.
De Koning dazzles downtown, decorated in a mix of feminine fashion codes and masculine cues, making even the classic black tie her own with a patent leather skirt. In its entirety, her style is refined. Dark undertones and light washes of vibrancy materialize a striking self-awareness in her, captivating her followers.
But though her confidence appears effortless, it took her a while to f.