Featured Designer_ Ronja Berg

Where are you based_ Stockholm

Age_ 26

Where did you study_ Beckmans college of design 

What year did you graduate_ 2021

What inspired you to start upcycling discarded materials_ 

My interest is in the communicative gap between creator and observer, and what happens with the message when the creator tries to expand the distinct relationship that we already have to the material, and expose it to new interpretations. 

What materials do you use in your work_

It depends on the project. Mostly I use clothes, accessories, jewelry or shoes, typical things you wear. But I also think it’s interesting to work with things that you find in your everyday life but don’t necessarily associate with clothing, like old phones or cable cords. 

Where do you find your materials_ 

Second hand shops and different dumpsters around town 

How does the process of upcycling inform your work?

When you work with something that already has an existing shape you try to find new relationships between the object or material's shape and the shape of the body. In this universe it works to make a bra out of a shoe since the shape of an ankle and shoulder is pretty much the same, it makes a new fit. I find the process of recontextualization interesting and I guess that informs my work a lot.

What advice would you give other young designers_

Never stop using heels.

— Ronja Berg is a Swedish designer who lives and works in Stockholm. / @_ronja_berg