THE STUDIO
Kukka
bespoke design since 2010
Kukka is a textile and surface design studio with a focus on experimental colour and material research. Next to self-initiated projects, Kukka designs tailormade prints and patterns for brands and manufacturers, with a focus on a sustainable future.
Kukka {KOOK-kah} means “blossom” in the Finnish language. In spring, when nature awakens and trees start to blossom, everything starts with a fresh new energy. Prints and patterns can do the same for your surface; they are one of the most valued tools to make your products come alive.
Founder and Designer
fuelled by a passion for patterns
Laura Luchtman
Design and creative concept have always been central to the work of Dutch designer Laura Luchtman. With two Bachelor degrees in Communication (Inholland University Rotterdam 2003) and Fashion Styling (Vogue Academy Amsterdam 2008), Laura delved into a variety of endeavors including fashion writing and fashion design before running her own design practice Kukka in 2010.
She discovered her passion for prints and patterns as an inhouse Intimate Apparel Designer. Her interests expanded to biodesign during the disruptive course Textile Academy (Waag Society Amsterdam 2016), resulting in close collaborations with scientists and other designers.
Laura is a frequent speaker and panellist at international events about biodesign and the future of fashion and textiles.
ARTIST STATEMENT
“With my work I like to make people think. I usually start from research, where I dig into social, cultural or ecological issues. I dissect these subjects and translate them into abstract, graphic simplicity. You have to look for the layers within my work, which makes it exciting. The works are soothing or stimulating, but always in balance.” – Laura Luchtman
Clients and Collaborators
past and current selection
Exhibitions and Fairs
2021
09.2021 – 10.2021 · European Heritage Days, Female Artists Exhibition · 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 fair · 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
2020
10.2020 · Design and Utopia: from manifesto to action · Abierto Mexicano de Diseño · Franz Mayer Museum · Mexico City · Mexico
17.10.2020 – 25.10.2020 · Dutch Design Week · virtual exhibition · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
06.2020 · Design to Fade (PUMA biodesign exhibition) · Milan Design Week & Fuorisalone (online due to Covid-19) · Milan · Italy
04.2020 – 07.2020 · Dezeen Virtual Design Festival · London · UK
2019
10.2019 · ArtEZ Labyrinth of Sustainability (group exhibition) · Embassy of Sustainability · Dutch Design Week · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
09.2019 · Raw Assembly (group exhibition & fair) · Melbourne · Australia
09.2019 · Barrett Barrera Projects at Seattle Art Fair (group exhibition & fair) · Seattle · USA
09.2019 · Biofabrication in Fashion, curated by Open BioFabrics (group exhibition & fair) · Avantex · Paris · France
11.05.2019 – 02.09.2019 · A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes (group exhibition) · MoPOP · Seattle · USA
04.2019 · Raw Assembly (group exhibition & fair) · Sydney · Australia
02.2019 · Design Shanghai x Neuni Group (group exhibition & fair) · Shanghai · China
01.2019 · ColourNext 2019 (group exhibition & fair) · India Design ID · New Delhi · India
01-2019 · Future Fabrics Expo by The Sustainable Angle (group exhibition & fair) – Victoria House · London · UK
2018
15.11.2018 · Circular Experience (group exhibition) · Corporate Fashion Award · Hulstkamp gebouw · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
10.2018 · Bioneers Conference · The Change Makers Fair · San Rafael, CA · USA
20.10.2018 – 28.10.2018 · Fashion? Future Design for the Present (group exhibition) · Dutch Design Week · Campina Melkontvangst · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
20.10.2018 – 28.10.2018 · Work in Process (group exhibition) · Dutch Design Week · Klokgebouw · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
05.09.2018 – 28.09.2018 · Colour Via (group exhibition) · London Design Festival · Surface Matter · London · UK
03.09.2018 – 12.10.2018 · 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
2017
15.11.2018 · Circular Experience (group exhibition) · Corporate Fashion Award · Hulstkamp gebouw · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
10.2018 · Bioneers Conference · The Change Makers Fair · San Rafael, CA · USA
20.10.2018 – 28.10.2018 · Fashion? Future Design for the Present (group exhibition) · Dutch Design Week · Campina Melkontvangst · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
20.10.2018 – 28.10.2018 · Work in Process (group exhibition) · Dutch Design Week · Klokgebouw · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
05.09.2018 – 28.09.2018 · Colour Via (group exhibition) · London Design Festival · Surface Matter · London · UK
03.09.2018 – 12.10.2018 · 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
2011
07.2016 · FashionClash Festival (designer market) · SAM Decorfabriek · Maastricht · The Netherlands
2011
09.2011 – 11.2011 · Bring it On (group exhibition) · Ship of Fools gallery · The Hague · The Netherlands
Talks
2021
17.05.2021 · “Textile/Fiber Design – Collaborating with Nature” · webinar · Fiberspace Gallery · Stockholm · Sweden
11.05.2021 · Analog Eco Symposium · De Grafische Werkplaats · The Hague · The Netherlands
29.04.2021 · “Maintaining tradition in a transitory world“ · webinar · Center for Culture and Development · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
05.02.2021 · “Chromarama: the role of design in colour blindness“ · online · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
2020
29.10.2020 · Webinar “Design Method: Working from personal fascination” · Center for Culture and Development · Rotterdam
21.10.2020 · Dutch Design Week Talk “To Reassure Reality“ · Online · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
19.10.2020 · Dutch Design Week Talkshow by NBTC Holland Marketing · Effenaar · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
12.10.2020 – 13.10.2020 · Guest lecture Material Futures · HKU Fashion Design · Utrecht · The Netherlands
30.01.2020 · BNO IMG LAB: Fashion · Het Nieuwe Instituut · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
23.01.2020 · Future of Fashion; a panel discussion · Erasmus University · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
2019
16.11.2019 · Getting Closer Fashion Festival panel discussion · De Wasserij · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
03.2019 · TEDxRotterdam: Raising the Bar · Theater Rotterdam Schouwburg · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
12.02.2019 · The Future of Living Materials · round table · Avantex · Paris · France
16.01.2019 · Embassy Lab Water Conscious Fashion · Neonyt · Berlin · Germany
2018
11.12.2018 · guest lecture for 3rd year biological and medical laboratory research bachelor students · Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
30.11.2018 · Colour Materialized Symposium · Avans University of Applied Sciences AKV|St Joost · Breda · The Netherlands
25.10.2018 · Design Research & Innovation Festival (DRIVE) · NatLab · Eindhoven · The Netherlands
2017
09.11.2017 · TextielCommissie Symposium Natural Dyeing · Cultural Heritage Agency · Amersfoort · The Netherlands
30.08.2017 · Future Flight Movie Night · BlueCity · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
06.06.2017 · Fashion Innovation & Sustainability · Venture Café · Rotterdam · The Netherlands
TV, Radio & Podcasts
2021
02.2021 · Renske Mennen · Future Visions ep.4 “How bacterial dyeing can change the toxic fashion industry” · podcast
2020
11.2020 · BlueCity · The Growcast ep.5 “Natural textile dyeing with bacteria” · podcast
18.06.2020 · BNR News Radio · De Ochtendspits · live interview project Design to Fade: PUMA x Living Colour
18.06.2020 · Omroep Wetering · interview project Design to Fade: PUMA x Living Colour
04.06.2020 · Dutch talkshow Studio Circulair
2019
20.11.2019 · Dutch Fashion TV show Hip voor Nop
Awards, Grants, Residencies
2021
Dezeen Awards 2021 · Design award · project “Chromarama” shortlisted in design category Homeware
European light industries innovation and technology (ELIIT) project · European grant · project “BInc” in cooperation with Living Colour and Vienna Textile Lab (work in progress)
Droom & Daad Foundation · Design grant · project “Chromarama 2.0” in cooperation with Tegendraads (work in progress)
2020
Taskforce Fashion 2020 · Residency for Responsible Fashion
Creative Industries Fund NL · Design grant · project “Chromarama”
Stokroos Foundation · Art & Design grant · project “Chromarama”
2019
Greenpact Impact Award · won by our ACT-students team from Wageningen University & Research for “Living Colour” research
Creative Industries Fund NL · Voucher foreign presentation · project “Living Colour” at Future Fabrics Expo London
2018
Future Fashion Pioneers · nomination · by Dutch TV show VPRO Tegenlicht for project “Living Colour”
Bankgiro Lottery Fund · grant · project The Future of Living Materials in collaboration with CoE ArtEZ Future Makers and Wageningen University & Research (WUR)