5 thoughts on design
Your identity is not always your expertise, but as a designer of color you do bring your experiences with you.
Your identity is not always your expertise, but as a designer of color you do bring your experiences with you.
When there is someone in the room who gets it without explanation, the work feels different. That energy is real.
When there is someone in the room who gets it without explanation, the work feels different. That energy is real.
At the end of a project I want the people we worked with to feel ownership over what comes next, not just recipients of our conclusions.
At the end of a project I want the people we worked with to feel ownership over what comes next, not just recipients of our conclusions.
I look forward to the new generation that shares the enthusiasm and the energy to make change together.
I look forward to the new generation that shares the enthusiasm and the energy to make change together.
Language inclusivity is something I am always working on, from the first week of an internship to conversations with clients: be aware of the words we choose.
Language inclusivity is something I am always working on, from the first week of an internship to conversations with clients: be aware of the words we choose.
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A cute frog
A black cat with several goldfishes
A cute frog
A black cat with several goldfishes
A cute frog
A black cat with several goldfishes
Discovering design
It was a VPRO documentary that Zoë saw years ago that became her introduction to the world of design. The image of working with people, making things that genuinely meant something to them is one that stayed with her. And so, when she finished CMD in Breda, she went looking for work that felt like that. She found Afdeling Buitengewone Zaken (ABZ) in Rotterdam and was intrigued by their projects, in particular one about De Gouden Koets and its relation to Dutch colonies. Starting off as an intern, she has been with ABZ ever since.
It was a VPRO documentary that Zoë saw years ago that became her introduction to the world of design. The image of working with people, making things that genuinely meant something to them is one that stayed with her. And so, when she finished CMD in Breda, she went looking for work that felt like that. She found Afdeling Buitengewone Zaken (ABZ) in Rotterdam and was intrigued by their projects, in particular one about De Gouden Koets and its relation to Dutch colonies. Starting off as an intern, she has been with ABZ ever since.
About social design
Social design is quite a young field (and a white one) Zoë explains. A few years ago, together with a colleague, she raised the idea of doing something real around diversity and inclusion within the studio. It became a practice. Now, at the onboarding of every new group of interns, she gives a presentation on how the studio thinks about inclusion and how interns can bring that into conversations with others. She became the go-to person for this. Introducing D&I is never easy. It can create discomfort, friction, and moments that are hard to navigate. But those challenges have made the studio sharper. D&I is never something you simply solve. It requires continuous attention and someone willing to keep pushing the conversation forward. As she says: "D&I is a fight. Someone has to hold it." And that takes energy.
Social design is quite a young field (and a white one) Zoë explains. A few years ago, together with a colleague, she raised the idea of doing something real around diversity and inclusion within the studio. It became a practice. Now, at the onboarding of every new group of interns, she gives a presentation on how the studio thinks about inclusion and how interns can bring that into conversations with others. She became the go-to person for this. Introducing D&I is never easy. It can create discomfort, friction, and moments that are hard to navigate. But those challenges have made the studio sharper. D&I is never something you simply solve. It requires continuous attention and someone willing to keep pushing the conversation forward. As she says: "D&I is a fight. Someone has to hold it." And that takes energy.
One of the phone mock-ups made for an international client during DDW 2025
Co-created billboard in Hilversum
One of the phone mock-ups made for an international client during DDW 2025
Co-created billboard in Hilversum
One of the phone mock-ups made for an international client during DDW 2025
Co-created billboard in Hilversum
Diversity in the scene
But what does that really look like in practice? Being mindful of language is one area Zoë particularly focuses on. Recognizing when a client uses language that unintentionally excludes others, and deciding whether, when, and how to address it. Sitting with mothers from different cultural backgrounds to think through how they raise their children, and making sure every voice in the room can be heard. Perhaps people confide in her more easily because of a shared experience of being a person of color in the Netherlands. That is not a side effect of the work; it is part of what makes it land.
Zoë looks at the new generation of designers of color and sees something valuable coming. "The more voices are heard, the more people can recognize themselves, feel represented, and know they belong."
But what does that really look like in practice? Being mindful of language is one area Zoë particularly focuses on. Recognizing when a client uses language that unintentionally excludes others, and deciding whether, when, and how to address it. Sitting with mothers from different cultural backgrounds to think through how they raise their children, and making sure every voice in the room can be heard. Perhaps people confide in her more easily because of a shared experience of being a person of color in the Netherlands. That is not a side effect of the work; it is part of what makes it land.
Zoë looks at the new generation of designers of color and sees something valuable coming. "The more voices are heard, the more people can recognize themselves, feel represented, and know they belong."
Making change, together
Gradually, more designers of color are entering the field and Zoë has seen firsthand what that does. When someone joins who gets it without explanation, the energy in the room changes, "that energy is real". The work becomes easier to talk about, easier to push further. That kind of recognition is not a small thing. It is what makes the fight sustainable. She looks at the new generation of designers of color and sees something valuable coming. "The more of us there are, the better."
Gradually, more designers of color are entering the field and Zoë has seen firsthand what that does. When someone joins who gets it without explanation, the energy in the room changes, "that energy is real". The work becomes easier to talk about, easier to push further. That kind of recognition is not a small thing. It is what makes the fight sustainable. She looks at the new generation of designers of color and sees something valuable coming. "The more of us there are, the better."
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DESIGNERS IN FULL COLOR all rights reserved 2026
DESIGNERS IN FULL COLOR all rights reserved 2026
DESIGNERS IN FULL COLOR all rights reserved 2026