Haiko Huvenaars

Haiko Huvenaars is a systems thinker and cultural strategist working at the intersection of industry, culture, and policy. As Director of New Order of Fashion, he leads a public design lab that challenges cultural norms and makes space for new ways of thinking, making and relating. With a background in industrial engineering, Haiko discovered the fashion industry through a supply chain lens, where he became obsessed with the mismatch between what we make and what we actually use. In recent years he combined his learnings and interest in circularity and digitalisation to found a fashion-tech startup, through which he introduced digital deposit (statiegeld) on circular garments. Now, he looks at fashion as a lens through which we can better understand society as we navigate through turbulent times of fundamental change.

During the Design Innovation Sessions, Haiko’s keynote will explore the history of regenerative fashion, revisit some pivotal moments and bold promises made by industry leaders and policymakers, and ask: “What difference has it really made?” It will reflect on the tension between stakeholders as we consider where to look for answers next, and examine which recent world events are triggering a butterfly effect in industry dynamics. From there, the keynote will introduce culture as a potential vehicle for change.