Maker Stories

Most community-driven projects in fashion focus on superficial change, but what if true transformation comes from deep collective reflection? In this episode, the makers behind the Rotterdam-based initiative Worn Stories share how they turned personal stories, local engagement, and emotionally rooted methods into a movement that revalues clothing and community alike. You’ll discover how a small, resource-constrained collective leverages honest conversations and creative interventions, like love letters to garments and wardrobe stories, to deepen relationships with clothing and foster community trust. We break down the powerful role of intimacy, emotional memory, and decentralized storytelling in shifting perspectives on consumption. Learn about the pitfalls they faced, including resource challenges and navigating non-Eurocentric perspectives, and how these hurdles transformed into opportunities for authentic, community-centered practice. From engaging overlooked neighborhoods in Rotterdam to designing participatory research methods, this episode illustrates how impactful, grassroots approaches can challenge mainstream fashion paradigms. Most importantly, you'll see why community care, trust, and shared values aren’t just idealistic, they’re practical tools for systemic change. This episode is perfect for designers, activists, and cultural practitioners eager to build collaborative models that are rooted in love, care, and local relevance. Join us and get inspired to rethink fashion’s role as a social catalyst, and learn how collective storytelling can spark joy, resilience, and long-term impact in your own work. Chapter: 00:00 The Power of the Collective 10:10 Origins of the Collective 20:13 Research Methods and Community Engagement 29:58 Reflections on Methodologies 40:06 The Strength of Collaboration 32:53 The Evolution of Ideas in a Collective 38:30 Challenges and Learnings in Collective Work 45:04 Proud Moments and Community Engagement 52:40 Exciting Future Prospects Guests: Alyxandra Westwood is a museum curator, writer, and educator specializing in contemporary art, fashion, and sustainability. Sophie Tendai Christiaans is an interdisciplinary researcher and co-author of Design Materials and Making for Social Change, known for her work on decolonial approaches and community storytelling. This episode is a blueprint for anyone seeking to create authentic, community-led change in fashion and beyond. De designers en ik zouden het geweldig vinden als je deze podcast steunt door de podcast te delen en de like op het platform waarop je luistert. Wil jij meer makers stories horen of weten wat Design platform Rotterdam allemaal te bieden heeft. Neem dan een kijkje op de website van Design platfrom Rotterdam CREDITS: Host: Yophi Ignacia Platform: Design Platform Rotterdam Productie + montage (intro/outro): Kisha Canwood Artwork: A.J. Mets ___________________ The designers and I would love it if you supported this podcast by sharing it and liking it on the platform you are listening to. Do you want to hear more maker stories or find out what Design Platform Rotterdam has to offer? Then take a look at the Design Platform Rotterdam website. CREDITS: Host: Yophi Ignacia Platform: Design Platform Rotterdam Productie + montage (intro/outro): Kisha Canwood Artwork: A.J. Mets

Title: Welcome to a new episode of Maker Stories. In this episode, discover how cutting-edge designers are reshaping the industry by blending tradition with innovation, activism with technology, and dreaming big amidst challenges. This episode illuminates from Willem de Kooning Academy the ongoing transformations in fashion driven by digital innovation, sustainability initiatives, and community engagement. Whether you're an industry insider or a fashion enthusiast, these conversations inspire new ways forward in fashion design, production, and education. Chapters: 00:00 Podcast intro 01:04 Live at the academy 02:11 Meet Victoria McGuire 03:18 Menswear vision 07:26 Commercial reality check 10:12 Education and workshops 11:30 Research to 3D workflow 14:26 Suits and storytelling 16:22 Future space making 18:08 Challenges and isolation 20:49 Meet Philip Gram 22:31 Character first process 25:30 Digital physical balance 28:08 Proudest early project 28:52 Hacking Digital Garments 29:48 Limits Spark Creativity 30:46 Isolation Behind Screens 32:18 Meet Digital Fashion Leaders 34:27 Founding The Agency 38:10 Industry Trends And Talks 39:57 Pride And Future Plans 41:36 Inside Bmat Ermo Antwerp 43:27 Digitizing Textiles In 3D 47:36 Building A Community Model 55:08 Resource Fair Pivot 58:31 Whats Next For Bmat 01:01:21 Podcast Wrap Up Gasten Ann Claes (Masjien, Antwerp) Quinten Schaap en Cedric Jacquemyn (BAKERMAT, Antwerp) Philip Malmgren (WdKA alumnus) Victoria McGuire (WdKA alumna) De designers en ik zouden het geweldig vinden als je deze podcast steunt door de podcast te delen en de like op het platform waarop je luistert. Wil jij meer makers stories horen of weten wat Design platform Rotterdam allemaal te bieden heeft. Neem dan een kijkje op de website van Design platfrom Rotterdam CREDITS: Host: Yophi Ignacia Platform: Design Platform Rotterdam Productie + montage (intro/outro): Kisha Canwood Artwork: A.J. Mets ___________________ The designers and I would love it if you supported this podcast by sharing it and liking it on the platform you are listening to. Do you want to hear more maker stories or find out what Design Platform Rotterdam has to offer? Then take a look at the Design Platform Rotterdam website. CREDITS: Host: Yophi Ignacia Platform: Design Platform Rotterdam Productie + montage (intro/outro): Kisha Canwood Artwork: A.J. Mets

Welcome to a new episode of Maker Stories. In this episode, I invite you to join me for an honest and in-depth conversation with Kuiyu Kang'ari, a multidisciplinary designer, artist, and founder of Liquid Lemn. As we explore the powerful intersections of decoloniality and storytelling in design, I reflect on my own journey connecting with black and brown creatives, and the unique depth and spirituality that shines through their work. In our discussion, Kuiyu Kang'ari opens up about navigating identity, embracing community, and building design practices rooted in heritage and joy. We share stories about the influence of African culture, from food rituals to textiles, and talk through the impact of colonization and generational trauma on our creative paths. This episode is about more than just design; it’s about connection, healing, and imagining new, communal ways forward. Come along as I seek inspiration, connection, and new narratives together with my guest. Want to know more about the designer: Kuiyu Kang’ari is a multidisciplinary artist and entrepreneur and founder of Liquid Lemn, an Afro-futurist fashion house of non-binary wear using East African Textiles. More info: liquidlemn.com www.instagram.com/kuiyucreates/. De designers en ik zouden het geweldig vinden als je deze podcast steunt door de podcast te delen en de like op het platform waarop je luistert. Wil jij meer makers stories horen of weten wat Design platform Rotterdam allemaal te bieden heeft. Neem dan een kijkje op de website van Design platfrom Rotterdam CREDITS: Host: Yophi Ignacia Platform: Design Platform Rotterdam Productie + montage (intro/outro): Kisha Canwood Artwork: A.J. Mets ___________________ The designers and I would love it if you supported this podcast by sharing it and liking it on the platform you are listening to. Do you want to hear more maker stories or find out what Design Platform Rotterdam has to offer? Then take a look at the Design Platform Rotterdam website. CREDITS: Host: Yophi Ignacia Platform: Design Platform Rotterdam Productie + montage (intro/outro): Kisha Canwood Artwork: A.J. Mets

Welcome to a new episode of Maker Stories. I’m thrilled to bring you an intimate and insightful conversation with fashion designer and artist Marga – a trailblazer in the Dutch creative scene and founder of her couture label. In this episode, I invite you to join me as I dive deep with Marga into the worlds of fashion and art, exploring where they intersect and how they can lift each other up. We talk about what it really means to be a multidisciplinary maker, and she opens up about the powerful role Black identity plays in both her conceptual frameworks and artistic process. You’ll hear us discuss her journey from the prestigious Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts to prominent exhibitions throughout the Netherlands, and the story behind her thought-provoking work, like the 4C Body installation. Along the way, Marga doesn’t shy away from the realities, navigating institutional challenges, the importance of autonomy and self-care, and what it takes to hold onto your dreams in a demanding creative industry. This conversation is both honest and deeply personal. I hope it gives you a new appreciation for the bold, ever-changing field of fashion and art in Rotterdam, and for the makers who live at its heart. Want to know more about the designer: Marga Weimans is a Dutch fashion designer based in Rotterdam. She has had her own label since 2006. In her work, she explores diverse themes related to identity, technology, and beauty. She enjoys experimenting with new techniques and materials and draws inspiration from her Surinamese background and life in a big city like Rotterdam. More info: margaweimans.com/ www.instagram.com/margaweimans/ De designers en ik zouden het geweldig vinden als je deze podcast steunt door de podcast te delen en de like op het platform waarop je luistert. Wil jij meer makers stories horen of weten wat Design platform Rotterdam allemaal te bieden heeft. Neem dan een kijkje op de website van Design platfrom Rotterdam CREDITS: Host: Yophi Ignacia Platform: Design Platform Rotterdam Productie + montage (intro/outro): Kisha Canwood Artwork: A.J. Mets ___________________ The designers and I would love it if you supported this podcast by sharing it and liking it on the platform you are listening to. Do you want to hear more maker stories or find out what Design Platform Rotterdam has to offer? Then take a look at the Design Platform Rotterdam website. CREDITS: Host: Yophi Ignacia Platform: Design Platform Rotterdam Productie + montage (intro/outro): Kisha Canwood Artwork: A.J. Mets

Welcome to a new episode of Maker Stories. As someone who grew up between these two cultures, I’ve always been fascinated by the intersections of community, creativity, and well-being. Zinzi de Brouwer brings a unique perspective, shaped by her experiences working with Indigenous and artisanal communities. Particularly, the Tsonga women in Mozambique, to foster design processes that focus on equity, restoration, and collective wisdom, instead of the dominant Western model. In our conversation, we dig deep into the importance of caring for yourself and your community, and what it really means to decolonize design. We talk about the challenges, the triumphs, and the often-overlooked wisdom of Indigenous practices. Together, we question new trends like “regeneration,” and consider how these so-called innovations are rooted in ancient ways of living. Join me for this heartfelt discussion about designing not just products, but human ecosystems, and how creative work can truly become a force for justice and collective liberation. Want to know more about the designer: Zinzi de Brouwer is founder of Studio Palha, an equity-centred community design studio based in Mozambique and the Netherlands. In which artisanal communities of the Global South take the central stage in bridging craft and design to form new fashion narratives. More info: www.instagram.com/zinzidebrouwer/ studio-palha.com/ De designers en ik zouden het geweldig vinden als je deze podcast steunt door de podcast te delen en de like op het platform waarop je luistert. Wil jij meer makers stories horen of weten wat Design platform Rotterdam allemaal te bieden heeft. Neem dan een kijkje op de website van Design platfrom Rotterdam CREDITS: Host: Yophi Ignacia Platform: Design Platform Rotterdam Productie + montage (intro/outro): Kisha Canwood Artwork: A.J. Mets ___________________ The designers and I would love it if you supported this podcast by sharing it and liking it on the platform you are listening to. Do you want to hear more maker stories or find out what Design Platform Rotterdam has to offer? Then take a look at the Design Platform Rotterdam website. CREDITS: Host: Yophi Ignacia Platform: Design Platform Rotterdam Productie + montage (intro/outro): Kisha Canwood Artwork: A.J. Mets