006 : How Intuition Shapes A Meaningful Career with Christiana Vardakou

In this conversation, Dimitra and Christiana dive into the role of intuition in creativity and how trusting one's instincts can lead to more authentic and fulfilling work. Christiana shares her journey from digital textile design in London to founding a hands-on natural dye studio in Athens. Through her experiences with slow design, teaching, and embracing mistakes in handmade processes, she emphasizes how intuition, play, and imperfection can shape both creative expression and business. The discussion explores how mistakes can become opportunities, why collaboration is essential, and how sustainable, intentional choices can align creative work with personal values.

Takeaways

• Intuition is a guiding force in both creative expression and business decisions.

• Mistakes are part of the process and can lead to unexpected beauty in handmade work.

• Embracing natural materials and slow design invites more meaningful creation.

• Creative paths often evolve organically through openness to opportunity.

• Collaboration—especially with clients—can enhance both the process and the final result.

• Transparency and sharing the process builds stronger audience connection.

• The unpredictability of natural dyes teaches flexibility and trust in the process.

• Community and a positive work environment foster better creative outcomes.

• Tradition and innovation can coexist in contemporary design.

• Sharing knowledge through workshops and social media supports sustainable education.

 

Useful Links to Christiana's work

Christiana's Instagram

Christiana's website

Christiana's Story 

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