Chromatic Atelier
for textile and surface design
Kukka is my chromatic atelier in Rotterdam. I investigate the cultural, ecological and social dimensions of colour, textiles and pattern, and translate these into textile and surface design.
Every project springs from a question, an observation or a commission, and materialises as fabric, spatial installation, applied innovations that open new perspectives, or work that reframes cultural heritage as present tense.
With a background in communication and fashion, and over a decade of practice spanning textiles, biodesign and chromatic science, I work with brands, manufacturers, scientists and cultural institutions across interiors, fashion and the arts.
In all its forms, my work is a layered language of harmony and vibrancy, where abstract forms meet graphic clarity.
Image: Sanne Poot
Laura Luchtman
Textile and Surface Designer
My work
Artistic Research & Projects:
Bespoke Design:
Kukka Collectibles:
Clients
Projects and Partnerships
Collaboration fuels my creativity. Working alongside craftsmen, creatives, scientists, and industrial partners, I aim to create a conscious colourful world.
curious to discover the thoughts of these clients?
Awards & Achievements
Awards
2023 · DNA Paris Design Awards · winner · category Best Graphic Design: Colourful Project
2022 · Isola Design Awards · shortlisted · category Best Textile Design
2021 · Dezeen Awards · shortlisted · category Best Homeware Design
2021 · Dezeen Awards · winner 3rd place in Public Vote · category Best Homeware Design
2019 · Greenpact Impact Award · winner · won by our ACT-students team from Wageningen University & Research for “Living Colour” research
2018 · Future Fashion Pioneers · nomination · by Dutch TV show VPRO Tegenlicht for project “Living Colour”
Books
2026 · Magnolia Fawn · Michael Hanna · Point Pleasant Publishing
2025 · Blended Fibers · Sonia Górecka & Laura Luchtman · self-published
2023 · Goede gespreksstof, van grond tot garderobe · Stijntje Jaspers · Stichting Fibershed NL
2023 · Kleerkastvasten; de textielketen ontrafeld · Sarah Vandoorne · featured project “Living Colour” · Uitgeverij Vrijdag
2022 · Smart Clothes and Wearable Technology · Jane McCann, David Bryson · written: chapter 10. Smart colour: textile innovation in colouration from manufacturing techniques to applications for smart clothing and wearable technology · Woodhead Publishing
2022 · Der Stoff Aus Dem Die Zukunft Ist · Markus Petruch, Dominik Walcher · featured project “Living Colour” · FinanzBuch Verlag
2021 · The Colour Bible · Laura Perryman · featured project “Living Colour” · Octopus Books / Ilex
2021 · Thicker Than Water: The Quest for Solutions to the Plastic Crisis · Erica Cirino · featured project “Living Colour” · Island Press
2020 · Unfolding Fashion Tech · Marina Toeters · featured project “Living Colour” · Onomatopee Publishers
Grants
2026 – 2030 · SIA RAAK PRO · research grant · project “ChromoFlavo” · research consortium
2024 · Mono Japan: Mono Makers Programme · Kukka x kiten.kyoto
2023 · Creative Industries Fund NL · Design grant “Building Talent” · project “Blended Fibers”
2023 · DOEN Foundation · personal development grant “Art and Design for Biomaterials”
2021 · European light industries innovation and technology (ELIIT) project · European grant · project “BInc” in cooperation with Studio Ilfa Siebenhaar and Vienna Textile Lab
2021 · Droom & Daad Foundation · Design grant · project “Chromarama 2.0” in cooperation with Tegendraads
2020 · Creative Industries Fund NL · Design grant · project “Chromarama”
2020 · Stokroos Foundation · Art & Design grant · project “Chromarama”
2019 · Creative Industries Fund NL · Voucher foreign presentation · project “Living Colour” at Future Fabrics Expo London
2018 · Bankgiro Lottery Fund · project The Future of Living Materials in collaboration with CoE ArtEZ Future Makers and Wageningen University & Research (WUR)
Exhibitions
10.2026 · Artisanal Intelligence · Kyoto YouMe Trienniale · Kyoto · Japan
09.2026 – 10.2026 · Artisanal Intelligence · Vienna Design Week · Vienna · Austria
08.2026 · Artisanal Intelligence · Christo & Jeanne-Claude Center · Gabrovo · Bulgaria
06.2026 · Artisanal Intelligence · Maison Hannon · Brussels · Belgium
04.2026 · Haus of Automotive · with BASF Coatings · Milan Design Week · Milan · Italy
04.2026 – 05.2026 · Artisanal Intelligence · Riga Bourse Art Museum · Riga · Latvia
01.2026 · Mono Japan Fair · Kukka x kiten.kyoto · with Mono Makers Program · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
12.2025 · Friday Night Live · curated cultural programme · Kunsthal · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
11.2025 · Design Passage · curated design festival · The Hague · The Netherlands
10.2025 · Artisanal Intelligence · residency group exhibition · EU pavilion, Expo 2025 · Osaka · Japan
10.2025 · Artisanal Intelligence · residency group exhibition · Bridge Studio · Kyoto · Japan
07.2025 · Kukka x kiten.kyoto · solo presentation in-store · Japan House · London · UK
07.2025 · Designing with Patterns of Cairo · group exhibition · Founders Spaces · Cairo · Egypt
03.2025 · Kyoto Gift Show · tradefair · Kukka x kiten.kyoto · with Mono Makers Program · Kyoto · Japan
02.2025 · FebraTêxtil · tradefair · with Regenerative Fashion Futures · Expo Center Norte · São Paulo · Brazil
02.2025 · The Living Space · group exhibition · Neck of the Woods gallery · Vlaardingen · The Netherlands
12.2024 · Brasil Eco Fashion Week · New Materials · with Regenerative Fashion Futures · Centro de Convenções Frei Caneca · São Paulo · Brazil
10.2024 · ICAD · group exhibition · Grand Kemang Hotel · Jakarta · Indonesia
04.2024 · Chromarama · solo mini exhibition · De Aanschouw · Rotterdam · Netherlands
03.2024 · Warchild presents Secret 7″ · group exhibition · NOW Gallery · London · United Kingdom
02.2024 · OBJECT · curated design show · HAKA Building · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
11.2023 · Design Passage · curated design festival · The Hague · The Netherlands
07.2023 · Puur Talent · group exhibition · with Priveekollektie Contemporary Art | Design · North Sea Jazz Festival · Ahoy · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
05.2023 – 06.2023 · Designing Circularity · group exhibition · Central Market · Hong Kong
05.2023 – 09.2023 · Chromarama · solo exhibition · Côte du Cool · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
02.2023 · OBJECT · curated design show · HAKA Building · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
01.2023 · A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes · group exhibition · Fresno Art Museum · Fresno · USA
10.2022 · Dutch Design Week · group exhibition · Fashion Tech Farm · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
07.2022 – 01.2023 · A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes · group exhibition · Fresno Art Museum · Fresno · USA
07.2022 · Chromarama Vol. 2 · solo exhibition · De Wasserij · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
07.2022 · North Sea Jazz Festival · with Priveekollektie Contemporary Art | Design · Ahoy · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
06.2022 · Techtextil · tradefair · Messe Frankfurt · Frankfurt · Germany
06.2022 · Isola Design Gallery · group exhibition · Milan Design Week · Milan · Italy
04.2022 · Isola Design District x Catawiki · contemporary design auction · Catawiki · Milan · Italy
04.2022 – 10.2022 · To Dye For · group exhibition · TextielMuseum · Tilburg · The Netherlands
04.2022 · MaterialDistrict · tradefair · Werkspoorkathedraal · Utrecht · The Netherlands
04.2022 · Artbooster Noord · group exhibition and art auction · Neck of the Woods III · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
03.2022 · International Creatives for Ukraine · charity design auction · Marcin Rusak · Warsaw · Poland
10.2021 · Dutch Design Week: Embassy of Inclusive Society · group exhibition · Ketelhuisplein · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
10.2021 · Dutch Design Week: It’s In Our Nature · group exhibition · Klokgebouw · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
10.2021 · Dutch Design Week: The Exploded View · group exhibition · The New Block · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
09.2021 – 10.2021 · Female Artists · group exhibition · Priveekollektie Contemporary Art | Design · Heusden · The Netherlands
09.2021 · Fabrique Mozaique: The Circular City · group exhibition · Huidenclub · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
07.2021 – 10.2021 · Design by Nature · group exhibition · Museum de Fundatie · Zwolle · The Netherlands
07.2021 · OBJECT · curated design show · HAKA building · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
06.2021 · Fashion and Design Festival Arnhem · online group exhibition · Arnhem · The Netherlands
06.2021 · 22Rooms&Artists · group exhibition · The Student Hotel x Pottage Foundation · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
05.2021 · Analog Eco Festival · group exhibition · De Grafische Werkplaats · The Hague · The Netherlands
04.2021 – 09.2021 · Showroom Limburg · group exhibition · Discovery Museum · Kerkrade · The Netherlands
02.2021 · Chromarama · solo exhibition · De Wasserij · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
10.2020 · Design and Utopia: from manifesto to action · group exhibition · Abierto Mexicano de Diseño · Franz Mayer Museum · Mexico City · Mexico
10.2020 · Dutch Design Week · virtual group exhibition · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
06.2020 · Design to Fade · PUMA biodesign exhibition · Milan Design Week & Fuorisalone · Milan · Italy
04.2020 – 07.2020 · Dezeen Virtual Design Festival · London · UK
10.2019 · ArtEZ Labyrinth of Sustainability · group exhibition · Embassy of Sustainability · Dutch Design Week · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
09.2019 · Raw Assembly · group exhibition · Melbourne · Australia
09.2019 · Barrett Barrera Projects at Seattle Art Fair · group exhibition · Seattle · USA
09.2019 · Biofabrication in Fashion, curated by Open BioFabrics · group exhibition · Avantex · Paris · France
05.2019 – 09.2019 · A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes · group exhibition · MoPOP · Seattle · USA
04.2019 · Raw Assembly · group exhibition · Sydney · Australia
02.2019 · Design Shanghai x Neuni Group · group exhibition · Shanghai · China
01.2019 · ColourNext 2019 · group exhibition · India Design ID · New Delhi · India
01-2019 · Future Fabrics Expo by The Sustainable Angle · group exhibition · Victoria House · London · UK
11.2018 · Circular Experience · group exhibition · Corporate Fashion Award · Hulstkamp gebouw · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
10.2018 · Bioneers Conference · group exhibition · The Change Makers Fair · San Rafael, CA · USA
10.2018 · Fashion? Future Design for the Present · group exhibition · Dutch Design Week · Campina Melkontvangst · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
10.2018 · Work in Process · group exhibition · Dutch Design Week · Klokgebouw · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
09.2018 · Colour Via · group exhibition · London Design Festival · Surface Matter · London · UK
09.2018 – 10.2018 · Fashioning the Future · group exhibition · Impulse · Wageningen University & Research · Wageningen · The Netherlands
06.2018 – 08.2018 · State of Fashion – Searching for the New Luxury · group exhibition · Melkfabriek · Arnhem · The Netherlands
09.2017 · Night of Art and Science · group exhibition · Leiden · The Netherlands
08.2017 · Future Flight Movie Night · group exhibition · BlueCity · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
06.2017 · Fashion Innovation & Sustainability · group exhibition · Venture Café · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
06.2017 – 07.2017 · Fashion Makes Sense LAB · with Waag Society · group exhibition · FashionClash Festival · SAM Decorfabriek · Maastricht · The Netherlands
06.2017 – 11.2017 · Earth Matters · group exhibition · TextielMuseum · Tilburg · The Netherlands
01.2017 · reVISIONing textile · group exhibition · Schatjes art + events · Amsterdam · The Netherlands
07.2016 · FashionClash Festival · designer market · SAM Decorfabriek · Maastricht · The Netherlands
09.2011 – 11.2011 · Bring it On · group exhibition · Ship of Fools gallery · The Hague · The Netherlands
Residencies
2025 · Artisanal Intelligence · Textile crafts research residency · Kyoto · Japan
2023 · Glass(s)elf Vol.7 · Glassblowing residency · Boda · Sweden
2020 · Taskforce Fashion · Residency for Responsible Fashion · Tilburg · The Netherlands
Talks
04.2026 · Biodesign guest lecture · TU Delft · Delft · The Netherlands
01.2026 · Mono Makers Program: Kukka x kiten.kyoto present Tōzai · Mono Japan Fair · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
09.2025 · The Colour Authority · S6E08 Growing Color with Laura Luchtman · podcast
06.2025 · Book launch “Blended Fibers” · Page Not Found · Den Haag · The Netherlands
03.2025 · Our Living Environment · with Dutch Design Foundation & ASML · SintLucas · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
10.2024 · Colours of Connection: Designing for Inclusion and Ecology · ICAD · Jakarta · Indonesia
09.2024 · Creative Synergies in the Mono Makers Program: A Mid-Project Report · Mono Japan Fair · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
09.2024 · Colour and Refuse Reuse · Cairo · Egypt
10.2023 · Redefining Sustainability · panel discussion · Ox Space · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
06.2023 · Designing Circularity: Fashion · podcast
10.2022 · Designer Talks: Colour Blindness with Pat Bloom and Laura Luchtman · podcast · Designplatform Rotterdam
10.2021 · Inclusivity Talks: Visual Impairments · Dutch Design Week · Embassy of Inclusive Society · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
05.2021 · Textile/Fiber Design – Collaborating with Nature · webinar · Fiberspace Gallery · Stockholm · Sweden
05.2021 · Analog Eco Symposium · De Grafische Werkplaats · The Hague · The Netherlands
04.2021 · Maintaining tradition in a transitory world · webinar · Center for Culture and Development · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
02.2021 · Chromarama: the role of design in colour blindness · online · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
02.2021 · Renske Mennen · Future Visions ep.4 How bacterial dyeing can change the toxic fashion industry · podcast
11.2020 · BlueCity · The Growcast ep.5 Natural textile dyeing with bacteria · podcast
10.2020 · Webinar Design Method: Working from personal fascination · Center for Culture and Development · Rotterdam
10.2020 · Dutch Design Week Talk: To Reassure Reality · Online · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
10.2020 · Dutch Design Week Talkshow by NBTC Holland Marketing · Effenaar · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
10.2020 · Guest lecture Material Futures · HKU Fashion Design · Utrecht · The Netherlands
06.2020 · BNR News Radio · De Ochtendspits · live interview project Design to Fade: PUMA x Living Colour
06.2020 · Omroep Wetering · interview project Design to Fade: PUMA x Living Colour
06.2020 · Dutch talkshow Studio Circulair
01.2020 · BNO IMG LAB: Fashion · Het Nieuwe Instituut · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
01.2020 · Future of Fashion; a panel discussion · Erasmus University · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
11.2019 · Dutch Fashion TV show Hip voor Nop
11.2019 · Getting Closer Fashion Festival panel discussion · De Wasserij · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
03.2019 · TEDxRotterdam: Raising the Bar · Theater Rotterdam Schouwburg · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
02.2019 · The Future of Living Materials · round table · Avantex · Paris · France
01.2019 · Embassy Lab Water Conscious Fashion · Neonyt · Berlin · Germany
12.2018 · Guest lecture for 3rd year biological and medical laboratory research bachelor students · Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
11.2018 · Colour Materialized Symposium · Avans University of Applied Sciences AKV|St Joost · Breda · The Netherlands
10.2018 · Design Research & Innovation Festival (DRIVE) · NatLab · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
11.2017 · TextielCommissie Symposium Natural Dyeing in cooperation with Waag Society · Cultural Heritage Agency · Amersfoort · The Netherlands
08.2017 · Future Flight Movie Night · BlueCity · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
06.2017 · Fashion Innovation & Sustainability · Venture Café · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
Workshops
2024 · Threads of Colour: Inclusive Design · ICAD · Jakarta · Indonesia
2019 · Tataki-Zome · DWGWD festival · BlueCity · Rotterdam · Netherlands
2017 · Night of Art and Science · Leiden · The Netherlands
2017 · Fashion Makes Sense LAB · with Waag Society · FashionClash Festival · SAM Decorfabriek · Maastricht · The Netherlands
