Past. Present. Possible. Under this title kicked off the 25th edition of Dutch Design Week in the innovative heart of Eindhoven. A festival of bold ideas, of the future imagined by young and courageous minds coming not only from the Netherlands but from all over the world. This year, at the heart of this creative universe, I discovered the remarkable presence of several young women from Romania and the Republic of Moldova. Women who not only create but also tell stories, challenge us to think critically, and propose solutions. Each work is a bridge between what was and what could be.

Sabina Scorțanu, from the Republic of Moldova, constructed a visual ballad of two contrasting elements in her country’s economy: on one side, the grapes that made Moldovan wines famous; on the other, Russian gas, on which the entire nation still depends. Ioana Maria Caramiciu, born in Romania, brings fashion to the intersection with technology in the Fashion Tech Farm section. Her project is an experience, a discreet ally in the fight against stress and anxiety. Ioana Ștefănescu, also from Romania, proposes a second life for soft, warm sweaters in a project that speaks about sustainability, but also about the emotional attachment we have to our favourite clothes. I will let them tell their stories. From the thread of these ideas, the future is being woven.

Sabina Scorțanu

Ballad of Import-Export: Harvesting Gas and Grapes

My name is Sabina Scorțanu, I’m an artist and designer from the Republic of Moldova, currently based in the Netherlands, where I study Geo Design at the Design Academy Eindhoven. At this edition of Dutch Design Week, I’m presenting the installation Ballad of Import-Export: Harvesting Gas and Grapes.

The idea came to me quite spontaneously. At first, there were two separate projects. The grape-destemmer was mainly about Moldovan agriculture and about how the tools and traditions preserved in people’s households may disappear over time. That’s why we need to pay attention to the types of tools still used in homes, even the more rudimentary ones. Then I was inspired to combine elements of these traditional tools with more industrial components of grape production and processing. That’s how a kind of hybrid installation was born, blending manual and industrial tools. The second part of the installation is about gas. Grapes represent the export of Moldovan products, while gas represents imports and the tensions between these concepts. Gas is imperceptible, seemingly unrelated to art and design, but through this topic, we can gain a more critical perspective on the polarized economic and social situation in Moldova.

The project consists of two parts. The first is the grape-destemmer, a hand-made mechanical device that separates grapes from their stems. The second part consists of four metal cones, also handmade, through which sound subtly travels via vibration. The sound is a recital of verses collected from social media, reflecting the gas crisis in Moldova. It’s a kind of long poem, a ballad transmitted gently through one of the cones.

How does a fragment of this poem sound like?

The poem was translated into English for the international audience here. A Romanian excerpt sounds like this:

“A hundred years will pass, and we’ll still be poor.
I will say nothing.
Add 2 + 2 and you’ll understand why this is happening.
Let it be as it is.
Everything is stable in the swamp.
You’ll keep warmer in the tundra.
…
The older generation in Moldova poorly understands the complexity of the economy and macroeconomics! They can’t reason about it!
I’d rather pay more for electricity than sponsor Transnistria.
Reason will come with hunger and darkness.
Turn off the light.”

Would you say your work also has an activist tone?

Not very pronounced, more indirect, more subtle, I would say.

You’ve basically created a piece of art. The grape-destemmer is visually appealing.

I chose to make it that way. Sometimes when I walk through Moldova, I see the beautifully decorated gates, and that's where my inspiration comes from: the people’s households. I see many nature-related elements, and I try to bring that ornamentation and stylization into what might otherwise be seen as a purely utilitarian or industrial object.

Ioana Maria Caramiciu

Huggle Collection

My name is Ioana Maria Caramiciu, and I studied Industrial Design at TU Eindhoven. I graduated in February, and now I’m trying to build my own brand, based on my master's specialization: Textile 4D, which involves 3D printing on elastic textiles. It creates some very interesting structures that I try to incorporate into various products.

Tell me about the project you’re exhibiting.

It’s called Huggle. It was my graduation project for my master’s. I created some fidgeting tools. Fidgeting is a repetitive motion that helps us calm down, typically used when we’re stressed or anxious. The problem is that most fidgeting objects are really just toys for children. I wanted to make something for adults, something more elegant, not just a toy. I focused on material interaction. Usually, such toys follow established interaction patterns, and I tried to recreate those using Textile 4D. I tested these interactions with users - both kids and adults - at various stages to see who would be more interested. In the end, adults were the most engaged. I even tested them with kids from the Romanian School in Eindhoven, they were my first users.

Basically, these small pillow-like objects fit in your palm, and you can squeeze or hug them.

They’re relatively small, designed to fit comfortably in your hand, but they can also be placed on a blanket so they’re always nearby at home, serving as a reminder. One issue with fidget toys is that people often lose them. I tried to address that by creating a place for them in the home. Then people said, “But I want to take it to the office.” And so I created these mobile attachments, you can clip them to your bag, take them to work, and bring them back home again.

Why did you choose to focus on anxiety?

During my studies, I had two main directions: mental health and material innovation. This project combines both. I noticed that materials invite interaction, so I thought, okay, we can do more than just fashion, we can also have benefits. I imagined these objects could be used in psychologists' offices, but also at home. They can be bought from a shop or received as a gift, and kept around whenever we need them.

Ioana Ștefănescu

ReKnit Edit

My name is Ioana Ștefănescu, and I studied industrial design, both for my bachelor’s and master’s at the Technical University of Eindhoven. This year I’m exhibiting my master’s project, called ReKnit Edit, which is about donated clothing, especially sweaters that end up in second-hand shops or other waste streams.

What I found is that most donated clothes are incinerated in the country where they’re donated, because expectations for such clothes are too high. People want to find nearly-new clothes in second-hand stores. So, if a garment has a small stain or hole, it gets burned.

What do you do with these sweaters?

These sweaters are rescued from the sorting centres before they’re incinerated. First, I studied the reasons they were being thrown out. Most of the time, it’s because they look slightly worn or have a small flaw. Then I explored how we could save them differently, not just by adding buttons or zippers. I started experimenting with a knitting machine to see how we could preserve their softness, that comforting hug-like quality sweaters have. I explored ways to add small pieces or to remove and embellish holes, not always hiding them or stitching over them.

What happens to your creations now?

The next step would be to create a platform where consumers can see a rescued sweater, learn what its issue is (say, a small stain), and choose how it should be repaired. If the damage is on the edge, we might add a braid and make it wider or tighter. If it’s on the shoulder, back, or collar, we might do something more delicate or stylized. So I’d like the project to continue as a cooperation with the consumer, not just my own vision.

What’s the next step?

I really want to get involved in the clothing and production system, not necessarily with in an atelier, but by cooperating with companies that sort clothes, recycle textiles, or redesign garments. There’s a huge focus on sustainability. The new EU regulations for textiles coming in 2025 make it clear: we must act more aggressively and cooperate more. Even if we’re small-scale designers, what we do matters.

At Dutch Design Week, the future is imagined with the mind, it’s felt with the heart and shaped by hand. In the creations of these three young women, the past is not forgotten, the present raises questions, and the future becomes possible.

Note:
Dutch Design Week takes place in Eindhoven, from October 18–26, 2025. Over 2,600 talented designers exhibit their work across numerous venues and iconic buildings in the city. Eindhoven is already recognized as a true laboratory of innovation and creativity. The event encourages experimentation and interdisciplinary collaboration and serves as a unique platform for emerging creators bringing fresh perspectives and solutions that can shape a sustainable and positive future. With special attention given to young talent, Dutch Design Week attracts around 350,000 visitors annually from all over the world.

Create, Ask, Transform: three female voices at Dutch Design Week

Sabina Scorțanu

Ballad of Import-Export: Harvesting Gas and Grapes

How does a fragment of this poem sound like?

The poem was translated into English for the international audience here. A Romanian excerpt sounds like this:

Would you say your work also has an activist tone?

Not very pronounced, more indirect, more subtle, I would say.

You’ve basically created a piece of art. The grape-destemmer is visually appealing.

Ioana Maria Caramiciu

Huggle Collection

Tell me about the project you’re exhibiting.

Basically, these small pillow-like objects fit in your palm, and you can squeeze or hug them.

Why did you choose to focus on anxiety?

Ioana Ștefănescu

ReKnit Edit

What I found is that most donated clothes are incinerated in the country where they’re donated, because expectations for such clothes are too high. People want to find nearly-new clothes in second-hand stores. So, if a garment has a small stain or hole, it gets burned.

What do you do with these sweaters?

What happens to your creations now?

What’s the next step?

At Dutch Design Week, the future is imagined with the mind, it’s felt with the heart and shaped by hand. In the creations of these three young women, the past is not forgotten, the present raises questions, and the future becomes possible.

2025, Amsterdam

Create, Ask, Transform: three female voices at Dutch Design Week

Sabina Scorțanu

Ballad of Import-Export: Harvesting Gas and Grapes

How does a fragment of this poem sound like?

The poem was translated into English for the international audience here. A Romanian excerpt sounds like this:

Would you say your work also has an activist tone?

Not very pronounced, more indirect, more subtle, I would say.

You’ve basically created a piece of art. The grape-destemmer is visually appealing.

Ioana Maria Caramiciu

Huggle Collection

Tell me about the project you’re exhibiting.

Basically, these small pillow-like objects fit in your palm, and you can squeeze or hug them.

Why did you choose to focus on anxiety?

Ioana Ștefănescu

ReKnit Edit

What I found is that most donated clothes are incinerated in the country where they’re donated, because expectations for such clothes are too high. People want to find nearly-new clothes in second-hand stores. So, if a garment has a small stain or hole, it gets burned.

What do you do with these sweaters?

What happens to your creations now?

What’s the next step?

At Dutch Design Week, the future is imagined with the mind, it’s felt with the heart and shaped by hand. In the creations of these three young women, the past is not forgotten, the present raises questions, and the future becomes possible.

DDW 2025: Past. Present. Possible.

2025, Amsterdam