13 Jun Meet the Workspace Resident: Raquel De Carvalho

The FC Designer Workspace on Durham Road is a creative hub that includes learning and hire facilities for fashion design and textiles alongside private and affordable studio spaces. This week we introduce FC Designer Workspace resident Raquel De Carvalho. 

Raquel De Carvalho is a Brazilian London based knitwear brand, with a focus on reinventing and challenging traditional knitwear. Her aim is to dismantle gendered stereotypes with a focus on bringing to life ethical garments that are delicate, bold and sexy.

Keeping sustainability at heart, Raquel’s work explores the body and its organic forms through experimentation with intarsia, lace and yarns, thus creating a sensual mix of textures.

Her practice consists in merging hands-on crafts and technology, developing fully-fashioned garments with both artisanal techniques, including upcycling, crochet, and domestic machine knitting, as well as electronic machines.

On gaining a studio at the Workspace Raquel commented: “I have been using the FC Designer Workspace from a very early stage, when I didn’t have a brand yet but I was working on some knitwear projects. I was renting the co-working space and coming a few times a month.

“Now, one year and a half later, I have my own Studio and I feel really excited about being in this space. I really feel inspired and motivated by the people I meet here everyday. I guess when you are working with creativity, having people around to connect and exchange ideas and experiences makes all the difference.”

The team at FC Designer Workspace offers further support and advice to residents such as Raquel De Carvalho. Jenny, Beth, Jo and Leah all supported to discuss PR and the latest updates on social media, such as the new Threads platform that is rivalling Twitter. FEL’s marketing team support all designers that they are working with at the FCDW. Events were also discussed that can be held at the retail shop – FC Designer Collective, at neighbouring Fonthill Road too. 

@raqueldecarvalho__