Meet Dominique! Dominique is a Study Abroad Alumni who runs her own skin care brand DOHM. We chatted to Dominique about her time on the Womenswear course at Central Saint Martins and what she's been up to since graduating.
Dominique's work
Studying at UAL made me understand a different educational system from the one I have experienced in the U.S. I really enjoyed the depth of historical research practiced at Central Saint Martins.
What’s your name and can you tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Dominique Flaksberg and I am a designer, entrepreneur and Strategist working in education, integrated design and sustainability.
What course did you study on at UAL and why?
I studies the Womenswear Hons fashion design course at Central Saint Martins.
What was the best thing you discovered while you were in London?
Studying at UAL made me understand a different educational system from the one I have experienced in the U.S. I really enjoyed the depth of historical research practiced at Central Saint Martins. It was also interesting to see that the approach to politics was completely different at Central Saint Martins: students were heavily invested in European history, but there was not much exploration to anti colonial theory in design or sustainability as a political act.
Tell us about what you created while you were here? Images and links appreciated!
I followed the curriculum of my course: which was very research based and gave me so much freedom! I let sustainability research on the background to focus on exploration of shape, aesthetic, form and technique, pillars that are very strong at CSM. I made a couple constructed pieces of fashion and created a super fun drawing portfolio that merged fine arts and fashion.
Dominique's work can be found here.
The biggest challenge is finding solutions in a system that does not currently support practices that are responsible. We all live in an illusionary mindset that natural resources are available and will always be.
As a designer you place emphasis on sustainability. How do you approach sustainability in your work? What are some of the challenges you face?
Sustainability became a commercialized term and is currency being used by the (fashion, among other) industry as a marketing strategy. To me, sustainability means holistically considering the impact of your actions and production methods on other humans and on the earth. Overproducing, underpaying employees, and not being responsible for the materials you design post consumer are some examples of unsustainable practices. I work in my personal brand, teaching and consulting for other brands to improve production and design connections to sustainability, so that the industry and future designers can look at design practices considering everything from raw materials to post consumer collection. The biggest challenge is finding solutions in a system that does not currently support practices that are responsible. We all live in an illusionary mindset that natural resources are available and will always be.
What have you been up to since you graduated?
I worked in corporate fashion for a year after graduation, but soon realized the change I could make outside of a 9-5 fashion job were way bigger than working for a traditional fashion brand. I currently teach fashion design to kids, exploring sustainability and design through material exploration. I also freelance to brands and startups in production strategy and sustainable design thinking. I recently launched my skincare brand, DOHM, that brings sustainability into every single aspect of design and production of my products.
How did your time at UAL influence your next steps?
It helped me understand the european mindset in design, the importance of research, and the urgent need we have to address holistic critical thinking in the design academia.
