Insights from WdKA Fashion Educators Anouk van Klaveren and Leroy van Haalen
The EU-funded Me-You-Us project, a collaboration between the Willem de Kooning Academy (WdKA) in Rotterdam, the University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), and Kolding School of Design (Denmark), is reshaping the future of fashion education. Focused on integrating digital tools to address sustainability, diversity, and inclusivity, the program equips students with the skills needed for a rapidly changing industry. Fashion educators Anouk van Klaveren and Leroy van Haalen, key contributors to the project, offer insights into its transformative impact on students and teaching practices.
A new approach to fashion design
The Me-You-Us project spans three course modules, each focusing on integrating digital tools into fashion design. Year one introduces digital prototyping, encouraging students to move from traditional sketching and draping methods to innovative virtual design. “Students start by exploring the creative potential of CLO 3D software,” explains Van Klaveren. "We push them to think beyond technical applications, using digital tools for creativity, not just for execution."
An innovative element of the curriculum involves reversing the design process. "In one project, students begin with digital designs and then craft physical garments, while another task starts with physical methods like hand-cut patterns and transitions into digital renderings," says Van Haalen. This dual approach helps students understand the fluidity between digital and analog methods, making both integral to their design process.
Diversity through design
Inclusivity and diversity are central themes in Me-You-Us. In the second-year module, students explore digital tools to tell stories of underrepresented individuals in Rotterdam, a city celebrated for its cultural diversity. "We challenged students to identify narratives often excluded from traditional fashion," Van Haalen shares. "Using tools like 3D scanning, they incorporated elements from these stories into their designs, creating work that reflects real-world perspectives."
Van Klaveren highlights how these projects encourage critical thinking. “For example, students analyzed everyday objects like aprons, uncovering their cultural, political, and economic dimensions. This approach not only explored inclusivity but also allowed students to reflect on biases embedded in design.”
Sustainability at the forefront
By the third year, students delve deeper into sustainability, a critical issue in fashion. "Students developed projects addressing social, economic, environmental, and cultural dimensions," explains Van Klaveren. To inspire their work, guest speakers (experts in bio-design, material sourcing, and open-source fashion) were invited to share insights.
The project also encourages speculative design, enabling students to experiment with ideas that might not be feasible in the real world. “Some students created gravity-defying virtual garments and unique avatars to explore the boundaries of digital fashion,” says Van Haalen.
Building digital literacy
One of Me-You-Us's key achievements is fostering digital literacy. "Our goal is for students to see technology as a natural extension of their creativity," Van Haalen emphasizes. By introducing digital tools early in the program, students learn to navigate seamlessly between physical and virtual realms. Van Klaveren adds, "For this generation, the line between digital and analog is no longer distinct. They move between these worlds effortlessly, using digital tools as just another medium for expression."
Open-source
The Me-You-Us program is designed to extend its reach beyond the partner institutions. Its modules, including instructions, lesson plans, and weekly tasks, are available online as open-source resources. This allows other educational institutions to adapt the program to their unique contexts.
"This is not just a teaching program; it's a bold framework for the future of fashion education," Van Haalen explains. "We hope it inspires other institutions to explore how digital tools can reshape the way we teach and practice fashion."
Looking ahead
The project’s culmination in May 2025 will feature a public event showcasing student work and inviting discussions on the role of digital tools in the fashion industry. Held in Rotterdam, this event will include workshops, exhibitions, and international speakers, bridging the gap between education and industry.
For Van Klaveren, the significance of Me-You-Us goes beyond education. “Fashion is under scrutiny for its environmental and social impact, and rightly so. But instead of discarding its beauty, we should use it as a lens to address societal challenges. This project demonstrates how digital tools can help us rethink fashion and its potential.”
Van Haalen echoes this sentiment: “The digital age has already arrived, shaping how we create, communicate, and consume. Through Me-You-Us, we’re not just teaching digital skills, we’re helping students critically engage with the new realities of our world.”
