Design Stories Brussels

Women's Voices in Global Design Practices

"Design Stories" is part of the "Looking Through Objects" project, which explores how women drive change through design and creative practices. The project includes a traveling exhibition, a lecture series, and a series of talks and interviews in various locations in Poland, the UK, Belgium, and the Baltic States. "Design Stories" creates an interdisciplinary platform where design researchers, historians and practitioners can share their insights and experiences on women's contributions to design. The initiative seeks to gather both subjective and objective perspectives on contemporary design from its participating speakers.

Our intention with "Design Stories" is to position it at the intersection of all practices related to design, rather than confining it to an academic context. We want to create a platform for discussing design from a female perspective, with a particular focus on female designers, their roles and approaches. We believe that this approach is better suited to the contemporary landscape of design, where the fluidity of practice resists rigid labels and titles. Given the unique nature of design as a discipline, we find it more holistic and realistic to include the voices of both historians and practicing designers actively engaged in the field. This diversity of perspectives – from observers and researchers to practitioners – offers listeners and readers a broader understanding, allowing them to draw their own conclusions about what design means today.

Agnieszka Jacobson-Cielecka

This is the second edition of the "Design Stories" project, presented this time as a panel discussion. The first edition was held online in November 2021, and the contributions from that seminar were compiled into a printed publication, which can be accessed digitally via the following link

From Muse to Main Character

"Design Stories" is part of "Looking Through Objects", a curatorial project celebrating women's contributions to change in Poland, the Baltic region and beyond. Over time, the role of women in design has evolved from muses and supporters to active protagonists, independent creators and thinkers. In the last decade, mindfulness and holistic thinking have become central to design processes, surpassing the short-lived, flashy qualities that once dominated the field.

In addition to the "Design Stories" seminars, discussions, and lectures, the project includes a traveling exhibition showcasing the work of contemporary practitioners from Poland. The exhibition debuted at the Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design in Tallinn in 2022, followed by a stop at NOMUS – New Art Museum in Gdansk in 2023 and the Royal College of Art in London in 2024. Next, the exhibition will be shown in Brussels, starting on May 9.

Event Details

Talk moderator: Oli Stratford, editor-in-chief of Disegno

Welcome and introductory remarks: Arnaud Bozzini, director of Design Museum Brussels

Project curators: Agnieszka Jacobson-Cielecka, Ph.D. Dean of SWPS University's Faculty of Design in Warsaw and Program Director of SWPS University’s School of Form and Gian Luca Amadei, Ph.D., Royal College of Art in London

"Design Stories Brussels" is a collaboration between Design Museum Brussels, SWPS University, Polish Institute Brussels, and Royal College of Art, in partnership with Disegno Journal The initiative is part of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2025.

Admission is free, but space is limited. Reserve your spot here

"Design Stories Brussels" panel discussion is a springboard for the upcoming exhibition "Looking Through Objects" showing at the Design Museum Brussels between May 9 and September 28, 2025.