Pioneers: Rahemur Rahman

What does your work involve? 

I like to think my profession is to be with people and work for people. My current job roles meander around this thought.

What inspires you? 

The formidable women who taught me before university are the only reason I have achieved anything. They all work in local creative education for marginalised communities, which is currently being stripped of its funding. If anyone reading this holds any power and likes my work, please support local creative initiatives so that the ‘next me’ isn’t stuck trying to sign up for community programmes that have lost funding or no longer exist.

What message would you give to the next generation? 

Do not be self-centred: the world needs more people who care about the people around them, the planet they walk on and get nourishment from. Design and creativity are beautiful things and we can use our innovative thinking to create not just glamorous bags, fabulous jackets and chic dresses, but also to come up with solutions for the problems we see in society. The days of just beauty are over. You can’t dress up the plaster while the wound is eating you!