On Thursday 19th September, RB12 will be alive with conversation from a panel of industry experts during this years London Design Festival. As part of the Shoreditch design triangle, you will be able to sit in and listen with a glass of bubbly and delicious canapes.
Dean Louw, Director of RB12, said: “More and more over the years, we have seen designers become far more conscious of waste production and the impact of their work on the environment, communities and the ecosystems around us. Especially with the likes of David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg inspiring the masses and making huge movements with their environmental activism. In this panel discussion, RB12 wants to explore how creatives are now transforming into their own type of activist, by making a stand against contributing to issues such as climate change, animal cruelty and poor ethical production through social enterprising and working closely with local communities.”
The panel will consist of industry experts including:
Sharon Shi, owner of ethical rug supplier CHACCRA. After more than 10 years in marketing abranding career across both international corporates startups, in 2016 she left to volunteer in Nepal, which inspired her to combine her entrepreneurial streak with her passion for design and a love for the Himalayan country and its culture. Through CHACCRA she wants to help promote Nepalese culture across the world by raising local appreciation in Nepal, and encourage more creative entrepreneurial endeavours to emerge directly from Nepal.
Amanda Mantville from Armadillo & Co. Amanda’s vision for Armadillo & Co is to be committed to ethical production in the market for simple, handmade, quality rugs. They are committed to social responsibility, sustainable practices and to helping to support the community of artisans who hand make all of their products. In 2017 the company founded the Armadillo & Co Foundation with the sole mission to improve the lives of underprivileged communities by providing educational, health and community structures.
Ella Fathi, Interior Architect and Creative Director at SPACE. Ella is passionate about sustainability and ethically responsible design that is developed with a universal ecosystem mindset. She hopes she can bring her Swedish principles around work, staff wellbeing and sustainability to all aspects of her creative process whilst also challenging the current thought processes.
Chrissa Amuah, Founder and Creative Director for AMWA. Chrissa draws inspiration for her textile products from her heritage that stems from Ghana, Togo and Benin. Following a hugely successful international debut at Milan Design Week 2015, Chrissa has gained global recognition with press features in Elle Décor Italia, Departures magazine and the FT’s How To Spend It, to name a few. She has since gone on to establish AFRICA BY DESIGN; a concept of love intended to showcase and celebrate the best of Africa’s design talent. AFRICA BY DESIGN works to create international commercial opportunities for its featured designers.
Sara Riaz Khan, world-renowned artist and author. Inspired by her love of nature growing up on a farm in Pakistan, Sara is also passionate about how nature can be used as an ‘antidote’ for bad times – incidentally, this was the name of her recent exhibition held at the RB12 showroom. This passion has also led her to write a book about ethical design, soon to be released.
All of the panelists are champions of ethical design and prioritize sustainability in their varying businesses. Together they will delve into how cultural appropriation can be avoided and how design can bring about cultural appreciation as well as community empowerment. They will also explore what role ethics plays in the design process with the aim to inspire the audience to think about recyclability, accountability and avoiding wasteful materials and processes in design.