In a world obsessed with speed, spectacle and the next big trend, it is rare to find voices urging us to slow down, to touch, feel, imagine and question. In his new conversation with The New Art School, #designer, #educator and #creative thinker Gwen van den Eijnde invites us into precisely that space, the interweaving of heritage, experimentation and narrative in #designeducation.

From his unconventional path, beginning in experimental costume work and evolving into a leadership role at Rhode Island School of Design, Gwen offers a refreshing perspective on what it means to teach and learn #fashion today. He speaks passionately about giving students room to discover their own voices, resisting the pressures of the fast-moving fashion industry and reimagining how garments can tell stories rather than simply follow trends.

In this post we explore the key ideas Gwen shares, about the role of tactility, the balance between heritage and #innovation, and the vital place of art schools as incubators of imagination.

https://newartschool.education/2025/10/01/weaving-stories-gwen-van-den-einde-on-tradition-experimentation-and-the-future-of-design-education/