Sanne Hamers: The Dutch Stylist Who Built a Beautiful Life on Her Own Terms

Sanne Hamers is a Dutch-American stylist and design consultant best known to the wider world as the former wife of actor and retired ice hockey player Wyatt Russell — son of Hollywood legends Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn. She was born in Dronten, Netherlands, in June 1987 and grew up in Amsterdam, later relocating to Groningen in the northern Netherlands for her university education. Long before any Hollywood connection defined her public identity, she was a Dutch student with a sharp eye for aesthetics and a clear sense of the career she wanted to build.

She married Wyatt Russell in 2012 and divorced in 2017. But reducing Sanne to a footnote in someone else’s biography misses the more interesting story — that of a European woman who navigated the surreal experience of marrying into one of Hollywood’s most iconic families, maintained her professional identity throughout, and then quietly rebuilt a life of genuine contentment entirely on her own terms after the marriage ended.

Growing up in Europe — a region known for its rich fashion culture — influenced her sense of aesthetics and interest in design. Her exposure to both European and American fashion cultures helped shape her unique styling approach, blending modern trends with classic European sophistication.

What makes Sanne Hamers genuinely compelling as a figure is not the marriage that brought her into public view — it is the consistent, grounded identity she has maintained despite that spotlight. She was a stylist before Hollywood. She remained one throughout it. And she has continued building that career independently after it, adding design consultancy to her repertoire and living a life that is, by every available account, quietly and authentically fulfilled.

Dutch Roots: Growing Up Between Dronten and Amsterdam

Sanne’s early life in the Netherlands gave her a foundational sensibility that has run through everything she has done professionally. The Dutch design tradition — characterised by clean lines, functional elegance, and the rejection of excess — is arguably the most direct influence on her professional aesthetic.

Her early years were focused on building experience, experimenting with looks, and collaborating with other creatives. Her warm personality and creative energy helped her quickly form valuable connections, laying the groundwork for her future career in Hollywood styling and design.

She attended the University of Groningen before relocating to the United States, where she continued her studies and pursued her dream of working in the fashion world. The University of Groningen is one of the Netherlands’ most prestigious institutions — a choice that reflects both academic seriousness and a deliberate investment in professional foundations before the much more unpredictable world of fashion and styling.

How Sanne Met Wyatt Russell: A Salsa Bar in Holland

The story of how Sanne and Wyatt Russell crossed paths is one of those real-life coincidences that feels implausible. Wyatt Russell joined the Groninger Grizzlies of the Dutch Ice Hockey League in 2009. The first time he met Sanne was when he was a member of the Groningen club. They initially met at a neighbourhood salsa bar and were attracted to one another as soon as they saw each other.

When Sanne Hamers met Wyatt Russell in a salsa bar, it was not just the dance steps that synchronised but their hearts too. At the time, Sanne was still a student pursuing her dreams in the fashion industry, whereas Russell was a hockey player in Europe. Despite their different worlds — a Dutch fashion student and an American hockey player from one of Hollywood’s most recognisable families — the connection was immediate and genuine.

They dated for approximately two years before getting engaged. Before being married on March 14, 2012, they dated for a few years. After being married, Sanne relocated to California and began residing with her spouse at their house in Malibu.

Life as a Member of the Russell-Hawn Family

Marrying Wyatt Russell did not simply mean marrying a man — it meant entering one of Hollywood’s most storied family units. Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn are among the entertainment industry’s most enduring partnerships, and their extended family includes Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson as half-siblings to Wyatt.

For Sanne, the transition from Dutch student to Malibu resident and daughter-in-law of two Hollywood legends was an extraordinary cultural shift — one she handled with characteristic composure. Despite being part of a famous Hollywood family, Sanne managed to maintain her individuality and continued to pursue her career as a stylist, demonstrating that one can still hold onto their dreams and ambitions while being part of the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.

Goldie Hawn introduced her to Rachel Zoe, a well-known celebrity stylist, after she moved to the US. Sanne even took on the role of personal stylist for her then mother-in-law. Being trusted with the personal styling of Goldie Hawn — one of the most photographed women of her generation — was both a professional compliment and a significant career opportunity that Sanne handled with evident skill.

The Divorce and What Came After

Over time, their paths began to differ as their careers took them in separate directions. The couple eventually separated in 2015 and finalised their divorce in 2017. Although the marriage ended, both maintained mutual respect and privacy regarding their relationship.

The divorce settlement reflected the relatively modest financial arrangements of a couple whose wealth was not stratospheric at the time. She received $25,000 from her divorce with Wyatt and complete ownership of her artworks, jewellery, screenplay ideas, and other personal belongings. Wyatt received the mobile home, a Toyota Tundra truck, and other items.

What followed the divorce was not a dramatic public reinvention or a search for media attention. After the divorce, Sanne didn’t chase more fame or try to stay in the spotlight. Instead, she stepped away quietly and chose to live a more private life. She kept working in fashion and design, using her skills to help others create beautiful spaces.

A Career Pivot: From Stylist to Design Consultant

One of the most interesting evolutions in Sanne’s post-divorce life was the expansion of her professional identity from pure fashion styling into design consultancy — a field that draws on the same foundational skills but applies them to living spaces rather than wardrobes.

She changed occupations following her divorce and is now a Design Consultant in California. She works with the renowned interior design firm California Closets. Sanne is a master of organising. She enjoys making use of all the crevices and crannies in a space. She says in her bio on CaliforniaClosets.com: “I feel that starting your day in an ordered place decreases stress and helps you to focus on what matters most.”

That philosophy — order as a form of wellbeing — reflects both the Dutch design sensibility she grew up with and a personal wisdom that appears to have been deepened by the experience of navigating major life transitions with grace.

Personal Life Today: Partner, Son, and Quiet Contentment

Sanne gave birth to Skipper Cassin Young on March 2, 2021, marking her first time being a mother. About her son, she and her partner have created a particular Instagram account for him and post cherished pictures of their child on the account.

She shares cosy family moments — like weekend walks, sunny picnics, and quiet mornings. There is nothing fancy or over-the-top. Just simple, beautiful memories being made every day. It is a calm and gentle life. Far from flashing cameras and red carpets. And that seems to be exactly what Sanne wanted.

Her current partner is Joe Young — a relationship that has developed quietly and away from any public performance. Today, Sanne Hamers is believed to be living in California. She still works as a stylist and design consultant, but on her own terms. Her Instagram page gives a small peek into her design taste — clean, natural, and peaceful.

Conclusion

The story of Sanne Hamers is ultimately a story about identity — specifically, about what happens when you maintain yours even when the world around you is pulling toward someone else’s. She moved from Dronten to Amsterdam to Groningen to Malibu, from Dutch student to Hollywood daughter-in-law to California design consultant and mother, and through each of those transitions she carried the same core: a Dutch sensibility about function and beauty, a professional commitment to her craft, and a personal preference for substance over spectacle. The world may have first noticed Sanne Hamers because of who she married. But the reason she remains interesting is entirely her own.