Creativity Through Restriction

I’ve always believed that restriction fuels creativity. Perhaps this is why I find myself leaning more toward the designer's end of the artist-designer spectrum. I thrive on solving problems within a defined set of boundaries. For me, restrictions aren’t limitations—they’re guideposts, a red thread weaving through my work that brings clarity and purpose.

Working within restrictions reveals the abundance of possibilities hidden in simplicity. When you limit yourself to a handful of options, like geometric shapes, you begin to see the infinite combinations they can create. Similarly, striving for sustainability in my designs is a powerful constraint. My work for the UNEP Textile Initiative taught me a lot about the importance of thinking about the entire lifecycle of a product—especially its often-overlooked end-of-life—and the responsibility that comes with being a designer creating new products. At the end of the day, our world doesn’t truly need more products, and as a designer, you carry the weight of ensuring that what you bring into existence has purpose, durability, and a thoughtful conclusion to its life.

These restrictions don’t stifle my creativity—they sharpen it, giving my work focus and meaning. I’ve found that restrictions foster innovation. They force me to think differently, to experiment, to push against boundaries and find solutions I might never have considered. Creativity through restriction isn’t just a methodology; it’s a mindset. It’s about embracing limitations as opportunities to discover new possibilities and, ultimately, create with intention and impact.