Power woman

From Vega Brand Communication School to Design Academy Eindhoven, and now living it up in Europe, South African Agata Niemkiewicz is pushing the frontier of design.

Who are you?

Agata Karolina Niemkiewicz: a mix of nationalities and cultures; slightly boisterous from time to time; a closet collector; brown-glass obsessive; complex and secretive; a South African.

Where do you live?

In the historic area of Delftshaven in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. It’s an interesting city. There is an opera singer who frequents one of the houses opposite mine. In summer I can hear her giving concerts to small groups of people.

What did you want to be when you were a child?  

A lawyer. Back then I thought dressing in a suit and being powerful was the ultimate thing to do.

What do you do now?

I create solutions, ask questions, connect people, research possibilities and try to define realities.

What is your biggest design accomplishment?

Being able to continue doing what I do, even during a recession, means I must be doing something right. 

How did that come about?

Non-stop hard work.

What is your design philosophy?

It’s important to create relationships between the user and product. I refer to my works as cultural carriers because I believe in communicating values, beliefs and understanding through products and experiences. I don’t believe in sustainability in the traditional sense; I believe in the emotional bond between consumers and their belongings.

How awesome are you really?

Enough to be comfortable with myself.

agatakarolina.com