In her piece A Rapprochement – Threads of Transformation, designer Saskia Lenaerts explores how creative practice and ethical engagement can help bridge deep social and emotional divides in communities affected by conflict. The term rapprochement here refers not simply to reconciliation between opposing sides but to a tangible rebuilding of relationships through shared creative labour and mutual respect. Lenaerts describes a project in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, where local participants deconstruct old military uniforms — symbols of violence and trauma — and transform them into new garments with dignity and artistic worth. Each stitch becomes an act of symbolic repair, turning the remnants of war into expressions of resilience, identity and hope.

Lenaerts frames this practice as more than sustainable fashion: it is a communal, regenerative process where materials, skills and narratives are reshaped collaboratively, giving economic opportunity and creative agency back to those most affected by conflict. By engaging with discarded military fabric, the work embodies an organic rapprochement — a coming together of purpose, craft, and social healing that challenges conventional industry models.

Ultimately, her work suggests that fashion and design can be tools not just for aesthetics but for repairing identities and rebuilding trust in post-conflict contexts.

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