Pauline, can you tell us a little about your background and how you got started?
“I originally trained as a fashion designer and studied at the ArtEZ Academy of the Arts in Arnhem. At the time, it was quite a traditional program: you become a designer and typically go on to create clothing collections. Right after completing my Master’s, I started my own studio. Things were going well – I showed my work at fashion week in Amsterdam and sold them via a showroom in Paris.
But I began to feel like it was a rat race, constantly creating something new every six months based on prevailing trends. I didn’t want to contribute to the unsustainable system of the fashion industry. It clashed with my principles and vision.”
What is your vision?
“I started asking myself: what is fashion really? Textiles are in constant contact with us. For me, clothing is about how we engage with life. Take sportswear, for instance. On the street, it suddenly transforms the environment into a running track. What we wear shapes how we see ourselves and how we interact with others.
And then there are the various ways textiles can be used beyond clothing, like in interior design. That connecting power is what I find most beautiful about fashion and textiles.”
You're a researcher among fashion and textile designers. Can you tell us more about that?
“Over the years, I’ve allowed my studio to become more research-driven. I started experimenting with techniques like 3D printing and laser cutting. But there’s little room for real innovation when you're under pressure to constantly deliver and manufacture products.
That’s why I increasingly sought collaborations with industry and research institutions. At Philips, for example, I worked on smart textiles from a research perspective rather than for immediate commercial use. We embedded lighting into textile bands using small LED’s and conductive yarn. I explored how to integrate those beautifully into garments and how to actually add value to a product. Of course, that brings up challenges – like how do you incorporate technology such as batteries into the fabric? In the end, you want people to be able to wear it comfortably.
Over time, I developed many prototypes. That became the studio’s focus: combining R&D with design. I’ve learned a lot and started sharing my knowledge of wearable tech with students by creating teaching modules for fashion programs. Although wearable computing has existed since the 1990s, fashion schools barely addressed it until five or ten years ago. I also support students through workshops, internships, and master’s programs.
The Netherlands is actually quite strong in this field of wearable tech. It’s a small world, but it’s remarkable how many people here are working on it. I think it partly has to do with our interest in innovation and circularity.”
How did SUNTEX, now called heliotex, come to be?
“In 2013, I began working with solar technology in clothing. In the early days, we made garments and backpacks in the studio using various flexible solar technologies, like thin-films and beads, that we embedded into fabrics. At that time, our work was entirely focused on the body.
In 2015, we created prototypes for jackets in collaboration with the [Dutch] Wadden Association. These Solar Parkas had integrated solar panels that allowed you to charge your phone, for instance. Some of my Solar Shirts even ended up in museum collections. But these pieces were never mass-produced. The projects were meant to test and improve the wearability of the technology. Of course, price is an issue with such products unless they’re considered “high performance wear” or for an exclusive target group. Plus, we had big questions about how to ensure the garments washability, longevity and recyclability after being sold.
That’s why I gradually shifted toward the world of architecture. Solar technology is here to stay, so I want to contribute by exploring how to integrate it thoughtfully and beautifully into buildings and how to ensure the solar cells can be recycled effectively.
Textiles still play a major role. There are so many ways to use fabric in architecture. That’s now the focus of heliotex. Through scaling up and making the material variable and customizable, I hope to make a greater impact.”
Tell us more about your latest project, the Umbra Pavilion.
“The Umbra Pavilion is a public space installation in Eindhoven’s Strijp-S district, set to launch during Dutch Design Week from 18 to 26 October 2025. At its core is heliotex, our newly developed solar textile. Lightweight, flexible, and designed for architectural application, it provides cooling through shade while simultaneously generating solar energy.
Over the past three years, I’ve collaborated with the company Tentech. They are a design and engineering company specialized in textile architecture. They develop their own projects and advise architects who want to work with textiles, even if they’ve never done so before. Together, we’ve worked to develop heliotex. With the Umbra Pavilion, we want to demonstrate how solar energy can be woven into daily life on an architectural scale. This is our opportunity to show the general public what’s possible.”
And finally, what are your hopes for Expo 2025 in Osaka, Kansai, Japan?
“Even as a student, I was fascinated by Japan. I once wrote a thesis on the Japanese approach to fashion and the human body. At this stage of heliotex, it’s important to show what we’re doing and get feedback. The context of Expo is ideal for that. We’ll be part of the Dutch Pavilion, where innovation is the main theme. I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for exposure.”