Fashion education is going digital, and we’re riding the wave! Join us at Fashion <3 Tech where we’ll dive into the exciting digital transformation of fashion design education.
- Get Inspired – Discover insights, student work, and fresh perspectives from alumni.
- Engage – For professionals we organise roundtable talks exploring how digital fashion is reshaping fashion design education.
- Learn – For students WdKA offers hands-on workshops introducing them to digital fashion design and image making.
- Connect – Together we wrap up the day with drinks, networking, and sharing of experiences.
MORNING PROGRAMME FOR BOTH STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONALS
09.30 - 10.00: Walk in
10.00 - 10.15: Opening by Úna Henry, dean Willem de Kooning Academy
10.15 - 11.45: Keynotes from digital fashion design professionals covering a range of perspectives, including:
- Victoria McGuire (WdKA alumna) on creating digital roles in traditonal fashion companies.
- Quinten Schaap (BAKERMAT, Antwerp) on their Phygital [digital + physical] material library for sustainable textiles.
- Philip Malmgren (WdKA alumnus) in an exclusive interview about his journey as an emerging digital imagemaker in Paris.
AFTERNOON PROGRAMME PROFESSIONALS
12.00 - 13.30: Lunch + Lunchtime talks
13.30 - 16.15: In the afternoon programme for professionals, three sessions (roundtable talks) will address topics related to the digitalisation of fashion design education.
These roundtable talks are hosted by Annette Gruisen (coordinator of the BA Fashion Design programme at WdKA), and feature researchers, staff, and international professionals in the field. We invite you, fellow professionals, to join the roundtables and share your insights on the digitalisation of fashion design education.
The first roundtable focuses on the development of sustainable and inclusive phygital workflows. Featuring Anouk van Klaveren and Leroy van Halen (both researchers and educators in the Me-You-Us research project), this roundtable invites reflection on their experiences with the didactical aspects of teaching sustainable, inclusive, and diverse practices through digital tools. Together, we will explore the challenges educators face when applying these approaches both in the classroom and the broader professional field.
The second roundtable explores the use of technology and the how of teaching digital literacy within an art school environment. In this roundtable, Aldje van Meer (senior lecturer at the WdKA Research Centre) and Paulina Martina (XR expert and instructor in the Me-You-Us project) will discuss the importance of going beyond simply learning digital tools. They will consider how digital literacy connects to the development of future-relevant skills and knowledge and encourage critical reflection on the tools' impact and meaning for students.
The third roundtable looks at new professional horizons in digital fashion design practices. Victoria McGuire (WdKA alumna and digital fashion practitioner) joins Ann Claes (digital optimist and founder of the Antwerp-based agency for sustainability and technology, Masjien). They will share their observations on this emerging field, their vision for current and future work opportunities for students, and the growing need for fashion students to embrace digital practices to remain relevant in the industry.
16.30 - 17.00: Closing drinks
AFTERNOON PROGRAMME STUDENTS
12.00 - 13.00: Break / Bring your own lunch
13.00 - 16.30: Workshops & Academy Tour. In the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to explore digital tools hands-on in a series of workshops and talks by field experts:
- Digital Prototyping – here you will learn about digital materials and 3D-proptotyping
- Digital Fashion Media – here you will learn about digital image making and art direction
- An tour through the WDKA by student representatives, here you get a taste of how it is to study at an art academy.
16.30 - 17.00: Closing drinks
Fashion <3 Tech: Exploring Digital Tools for Fashion Education
When: Wednesday May 21, 2025 from10:00 - 17:00 hrs
Location: Willem de Kooning Academy, Wijnhaven 61, 3011 WJ, Rotterdam
WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN THIS EVENT?
Professionals, please register here | Students, please register here
