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Designer Q&A: Meet Irene Van Ophoven and Her Stunning Interior Products that Push the Established Boundaries of Design

In this piece, textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan  interviews Dutch designer Irene Van Ophoven about her journey to establishing her own design studio, including how digital technologies have enhanced her ability to create innovative, stunning designs.

Thursday, October 28, 2021

Irene Van Ophoven’s design studio is based in Rotterdam. It’s here that she creates her beautiful patterns and prints that explore new and innovative creative applications for interior decor. Her work encompasses textiles, wallcoverings, ceramics and much more. As an inquisitive creative, her playful approach pushes the established boundaries of design by exploring new materials and techniques to create bold, balanced, tactile interiors.

Debbie McKeegan: When did you choose a creative career and why?

Irene Van Ophoven: I think it has always been there. As a child and in secondary school I was always busy with creative things. I also painted a lot. Eventually, I studied art history and cultural studies at the University of Amsterdam. So my background is actually very broad. I first started working in the cultural industry on a more organizational level, but in the end, blood was thicker than water, which led me to my current creative career.


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About Debbie McKeegan

Debbie McKeegan is the CEO of TexIntel. As a multi-disciplinary creative and renowned digital print pioneer, she holds over 25 years’ experience within the Textile manufacturing industry. An award winning Textile designer, and lifetime manufacturer of printed products for Fashion and Interiors, she has a unique insight that combines creativity with a deep knowledge of traditional manufacturing process and the essential application of disruptive digital technologies.

TexIntel is an Expert Resource that provides independent, authoritative, realtime advice to some of the most innovative creatives and emerging companies in the Home Decor, Fashion, Manufacturing, Digital Print, and Textile Technology Industries. https://www.texintel.com

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