BA (Hons) Cordwainers Footwear alumna Eva Hau was among nine global young creatives selected by Camper for its “Life After Death” International Design Workshop, held in Mallorca at Fundación Camper.
The journey began with an intensive five-day workshop in June 2024, organised in collaboration with London College of Fashion and open to both students and alumni. The nine selected participants were invited to explore the theme of femininity through sustainable design practices, experimenting with upcycling and circular design techniques. The workshop culminated in a final presentation to Camper’s creative team.
“We had to create products that would represent femininity for Camper, so we brainstormed what femininity meant to each of us,” Eva explains. “It felt like we were on Project Runway, but it was a really lovely and fun experience,” she describes the atmosphere.
Eva was then selected to participate in Camper’s ten-day summer workshop in Mallorca in July 2024. Held at Fundación Camper in Son Fortesa, this workshop allowed her to collaborate with both the product design and art direction teams on an exhibition titled “Life After Death.”
The workshops leading up to the exhibition focused entirely on circularity and recycling, with creatives Matthew Needham (Sustainability Lead at Central Saint Martins and founder of Trash Club) and Katy Mason (Multidisciplinary Artist) stepping in to lead sessions. “We were told to bring our own trash and use it to create art pieces to get us started with ideas,” says Eva. Other workshops explored movement and scent creation, all tied back to the main theme. For the exhibition itself, each participant was tasked with creating five prototypes.
Before flying to Mallorca, Eva prepared several mood boards to set the scene for the project, but selecting the right concept wasn’t easy. “There were just too many ideas in my head, and trying to connect everything felt a bit overwhelming,” she recalls. “Letting it all out was probably the hardest part—and the heat didn’t help!” Eva laughs.
For her, the best part of the journey was being surrounded by inspiring people. “Everyone had a unique approach to art direction and creating their own products,” Eva says. “It was wholesome on every level, and it’s nice to see a brand that truly cares for its designers.”
This experience not only strengthened Eva’s creative confidence but also clarified the type of impact she wants to have as a designer. “I want to contribute to a team that shares my commitment to sustainability and thoughtful design, creating products that are meaningful from the very start of the design process,” she explains.
Having graduated from the BA (Hons) Cordwainers Footwear in 2017, Eva appreciated the opportunity to return to LCF and visit the East Bank campus for the first time. “It was amazing to see all the people that I’ve had before, and it felt really nice to see that they’ve still got my back,” she smiles.