Quoï is a student on MA Regenerative Design at Central Saint Martins, and is currently working as a teacher, artistic director, and NGO collaborator based between Tokyo and Paris.
Why did you choose to study your course, and why Central Saint Martins (CSM)? I chose to study MA Regenerative Design because it’s a discipline that allows for systems-based reimagining while remaining deeply rooted in material culture.
I chose CSM because I wanted to be challenged. Having worked in the fashion industry for ten years, I’ve seen first-hand that it’s a system in need of change-makers.
CSM offers a rare kind of freedom, where experimentation, critical thinking, and failure are expected. Its emphasis on concept-driven design, and its ability to bring together a diverse, international community of thinkers and facilitators, made it the ideal place to explore what fashion could be – both culturally and ecologically.
What’s the most interesting project you’ve worked on so far? What made it so interesting to work on? I loved the beginning of the course, when we were encouraged to explore through our own lenses while receiving a huge information download from the Ecology and Anthropology tutors. These perspectives are essential to understanding Regenerative Design, and it was exciting to approach design with more-than-design and more-than-human frameworks in mind.
How has the only delivery mode supported your studies and career goals? Taking classes online has allowed me to continue my studies while actively working in both Paris and Tokyo. The flexibility of the course has been essential in enabling me to stay rooted in my professional life.
One of the core principles of the course is engaging with your local bioregion – and I’ve found that incredibly valuable. During my time on the course, I’ve been based between Paris and Tokyo, while also regularly travelling to the Japanese countryside. This has allowed me to explore how both urban and rural environments can inform and inspire regenerative design.
Rather than studying regeneration from a distance, I’ve been able to experiment, build relationships, and reflect in real time – integrating theory with lived experience and building a project deeply connected to place, people, and ecology.
Have you completed any work placements or internships while on the course? No internships, but I’ve continued working throughout the MA – at an NGO, as a teacher, and as an artistic director.
What important piece of advice would you give to students thinking of studying this course? Curiosity is essential – always. Honestly, I loved the course and I think everyone should do it. So my biggest advice would be: just join!
What has been the highlight of your CSM experience so far? I’ve studied at CSM for several years now – I did my BA in Fashion Design: Womenswear here, and this will be my seventh year at the college. During the BA, the environment was highly competitive – it felt like the other students were my teachers, constantly challenging and pushing each other to new heights. In contrast, the MA has been much more supportive. The real highlight has been learning from the tutors and guest speakers, who bring a wealth of knowledge and generously share their insights with us.
What are your career aspirations? Where would you like to be in five years’ time? I’m currently teaching and designing here in Japan. I love creating curriculum and thinking deeply about creativity – and how to inspire others to innovate in regeneration.
I’m working to build relationships through my practice that help rebuild communities and biodiverse systems, using crafted design as the engine. In five years, I’d love to have an established network making meaningful change and inspiring others on a larger scale.
What is the most important thing you've learned on the course so far? So much of what I’ve learned could also be described as unlearning. I’ve unlearned a lot of extractive ways of designing that now feel clearly outdated. It’s become obvious that we have to reimagine our systems and approaches – from the ground up.
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