Debora Szpilman Illustrates Dylan Mulvaney's Bestselling Memoir, Paper Doll

Debora SzpilmanBook PublishingIllustration
Written by Dutch Uncle

Dutch Uncle artist Debora Szpilman contributed illustrations to Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer, the bestselling memoir by American actress, performer and social media personality Dylan Mulvaney, published by Abrams Image.

An illustrated hardcover spanning 272 pages, Paper Doll is a personal account of Mulvaney's experience of womanhood, her early career in theatre, her transition and the extraordinary public attention that followed her rise to prominence on social media. Combining humour, personal reflection and candid storytelling, the book explores identity, visibility, resilience and the complexities of growing up in the public eye.

Dylan Mulvaney: From Days of Girlhood to bestselling author

Dylan Mulvaney first reached a global audience through her viral TikTok series Days of Girlhood, documenting her first year of living as a woman. The series attracted more than one billion views across platforms, establishing Mulvaney as one of the most recognisable transgender voices in contemporary popular culture.

A trained musical theatre performer, Mulvaney studied at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and went on to perform in the Broadway musical The Book of Mormon. Her career subsequently expanded into comedy, television, live performance and advocacy.

Her growing public profile has brought considerable recognition, including Forbes 30 Under 30, Attitude magazine's Woman of the Year and the Out100. She also received a Webby Special Achievement Award and was invited to the White House by President Joe Biden to speak about transgender rights.

Paper Doll looks beyond the social media persona, reflecting on the personal experiences behind her public journey. Mulvaney writes about family, relationships, her theatrical beginnings, the support and challenges she encountered during her transition, and the intense media scrutiny that followed a 2023 Bud Light advertising campaign. The result is a memoir about identity and self-expression, but also about the particular pressures of building a public life in the age of social media.

Abrams Image and the illustrated memoir

Published by Abrams Image, an imprint of the American publisher Harry N. Abrams, Paper Doll belongs to a long tradition of illustrated non-fiction and visually led publishing. The publisher's catalogue spans art, photography, design, fashion, popular culture and illustrated books.

The book was promoted as an instant New York Times bestseller and received endorsements from prominent writers and performers, including Glennon Doyle, bestselling author of Untamed, and Joe Locke, star of Netflix's Heartstopper.

Its combination of autobiography, cultural commentary and illustration places the book within a growing market for visually distinctive contemporary memoirs, where personal storytelling and visual communication work together.

Debora Szpilman

Brazilian illustrator Debora Szpilman is represented worldwide by Dutch Uncle in the UK and USA.

Based in Paris, she brings a multidisciplinary background to her illustration practice, having studied architecture at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro before training in fashion at Studio Berçot in Paris.

Her editorial work has appeared in some of the world's most respected publications, including The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Financial Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic and New York Magazine.

She is also a weekly contributor to The Financial Times, producing illustrations for Jancis Robinson's wine column. Her wider client list includes Airbnb, Rimowa, Warby Parker and Abrams Books.

The commission for Paper Doll adds another significant book-publishing credit to Debora's international portfolio, bringing together contemporary memoir, popular culture and the work of an illustrator whose clients span leading newspapers, magazines, publishers and global brands.

Book details

**Discover more of Debora Szpilman's illustration portfolio and explore her representation by Dutch Uncle.

Dutch Uncle

Dutch Uncle is an award-winning international illustration and animation agency founded in 2006 by Helen Cowley. With offices in London, New York, and Tokyo, we operate across every major timezone, connecting the world's most ambitious brands with exceptional global creative talent.

Over nearly two decades, Dutch Uncle have built one of the most decorated artist rosters in the industry. Our artists have produced Gold Clio and Cannes Lions award-winning work for clients spanning fashion, luxury, fintech, tech, healthcare, and publishing. We have collaborated on prestige illustration and animation projects for global leaders, including Hermès, Burberry, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Rimowa, as well as Apple, Google, Mercedes, Netflix, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, The New York Times.

We represent illustrators and animation directors who lead their fields in conceptual thinking, visual intelligence, and craft. Artists whose work cuts through algorithmic sameness to deliver genuine cultural impact.

Beyond our core roster, we also draw on an international network of talent across five continents to meet the scale and complexity of any brief.

Dutch Uncle operates as a full-service creative production partner, managing everything from artist sourcing and briefing through to licensing, copyright, animation production, and final delivery.

We specialise in complex, multi-market projects that demand creative precision and seamless execution. Whether that is a single editorial commission, a suite of high-impact social media assets, or a global animated campaign.

For nearly twenty years, the world's leading agencies, publishers, cultural institutions, and brands have trusted us to bring their most ambitious work to life.

https://www.dutchuncle.co.uk
Next

Marc Burckhardt Paints Two Portraits for the US Postal Service’s 250th Anniversary Stamps