WORK
RETHINK FASHION
Initiated and led 2-year Rethink Fashion strand within Make Fashion Circular initiative, supporting cohort of trailblazing ventures to develop capacity, collaboration and collective potential. Secured new partnerships and funding (£1million from PPL with £200k for this project), delivered learning journey using futures and systemic design approaches, curated faculty of contributors and engaged key audiences via compelling content and events. Codesigned model for reflecting on and documenting signals of systemic impact.
BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS AND AN INCLUSIVE APPRENTICESHIP FOR ARTISANS
Established the Turquoise Mountain Myanmar Crafts Programme and built a successful model which provides better jobs for artisans through a locally run social business and an apprenticeship programme teaching them traditional craft skills. Among the apprentices are the first female goldsmiths in Myanmar. The Artisan’s Workshop now produces the best quality jewellery in the country, provides full-time employment to artisans and has a retail outlet where customers can buy and experience the craft. This project sold over $280K during the first two years, launched 8 collections with internationally renowned designers and allowed Myanmar products to connect to retailers in Europe, Asia and U.S.A.
Leeds fashion futures-regenerating fashion from place
Through the Leeds Fashion Futures project, we worked with Zero Waste Leeds and local citizens, authorities, civil society and businesses to explore how Leeds, a city with a deep history of pioneering innovations in fashion and textiles, could continue this pattern and be a leading force for change towards a more regenerative future for clothing. Led design based research to map history of the place and its current different systemic actors; activated different communities so that they could connect efforts to maximise potential towards the change they want to see. This included a podcast, ‘the texile trail’ an interactive walk, a festival with a series of diverse workshops and a map/guide.
RESEARCHING AND PROTOTYPING TRADITIONAL TEXTILES, STRENGTHENING SKILLS AND IDENTITY
Led a team conducting design research into needs and opportunities for the traditional textile market in Myanmar in order to identify a model to strengthen skills and cultural identity, connect to markets and provide design support to weavers. This included activities such as mapping the systems and networks of textiles, prototyping with a range of existing workshops, the development of a capsule fashion collection, and the design of a strategy to support livelihoods of women in this sector and connect existing textile hubs across the country. The findings directly informed a $500K project won by Turquoise Mountain Myanmar.
A regenerative design approach to shaping a just transition in Scotland
The shift to net zero will require rapid transformation across the economy and society, impacting our jobs, the way we live, and the places we live in. In partnership with the Scottish Government, designed and facilitated a series of participatory futures workshops to explore how changes to the energy system could impact local communities and bring together citizens to collectively imagine better futures.
the Myanmar Artisan Toolkit (mat), integrating storytelling and business
Facilitated a team of diverse stakeholders and artisans to design and create a story based on common situations and challenges around starting a business. The MAT is an open source toolkit which takes the reader through an illustrated, visually engaging journey, encourages critical thinking and contains practical tools. The process was tested and iterated with artisans across the country and included the design of an interactive training course for local MAT trainers. Trainers can mentor and support artisans as they build their confidence and apply new skills to become successful small business owners. The MAT has reached over 300 artisans and is evolving to include technology.
pomelo, inclusive INCOME for disadvantaged communities
Pomelo is a social enterprise which supports skills development and provides a marketplace for diverse groups of people from across Myanmar such as small enterprises formed by women or marginalised people such as LGBTQ and HIV sufferers They are trained to design, make and market attractive products. I focused on redesigning the retail business model to increase sales as well as identify, test and implement better ways to support and grow the service provided to the producer community. During my period as manager yearly sales increased by 40% and the producer community doubled in size. This business growth translated directly into higher income and improved livelihoods.
Promoting Drip Irrigation to Low-Income Farmers
Led a design research project, for Proximity Designs, investigating the best ways to promote a drip irrigation product to farmers and understand the “why” behind low rates of adoption and failed attempts at implementation. Insights helped us improve the product design, its communications and branding and better engage the sales team to support the process of building trust in this new technology. Developed scenarios for Proximity Management to inform an irrigation product strategy that responded to farmers’ increased interest in and access to mechanization. Trained and mentored team members in HCD methodologies.
Marina: SHAPING A SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY FROM A COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE
Collaborated with Sociometrika for an immersive exploration of the Quepos community and its relationship with the development of the marina. We used a combination of qualitative and quantitative tools such as open interviews, photo ethnography, community workshops and sociometry. This research was taken into actionable insights and prototypes and presented in the format of a folk tale story. The project outcomes helped the marina developer design a cohesive social and environmental strategy to address relevant community needs and expectations.
map, Empowering Women in Potrero, costa rica
Founded the Women’s Empowerment Programme (MAP) for Abriendo Mentes. This project was born by opening a space for women in the community to express themselves and share with others. Identifying income, recreation, health and education as important areas of need helped shape the project; it included fundraising for and starting a social enterprise making products for the tourist market which provided a source of income for women. Collaborating with a network of stakeholders such as hotels and government institutions we provided short courses to help women develop new skills and sessions to discuss important topics for them, such as nutrition and financial planning. Working together they built bonds and confidence.
la ruche qui dit oui, REconnecting communities with food
Conducted extensive research on the development of a service connecting consumers to farmers: what made it different from existing platforms, the use of technology as an enabling element and the role of the designer in this process. I also analyzed the increasing application of design to develop community-based solutions and positive social impact in the area of collaborative services. This project was published in the Design Management Review under the title of: “Reconnecting Communities with Food”.
visual communications - graphic design
This section showcases some of my work as a graphic designer. It includes diverse projects done for a wide range of clients such as logos for small restaurants, illustrations for products, reports and branding for NGO’s and layouts for lifestyle magazines. This is not an extensive sample of my graphic work, if you have specific design requests do get in touch and I would be happy to send a larger sample.
