shaped by process, material and place

a wholistic narrative.

Empowerment Design Studio is a womenswear label founded in 2020 by Pia Marietta Hintz.

After studying fashion design at the Berlin University of the Arts, she gradually shifted her work into a different context – moving away from a model in which design takes place in one part of the world and production in another, towards direct collaboration and a shared development process on site.

The studio, set in a local Zambian compound, forms the origin and centre of the work: making the stories of Zambian women visible through contemporary fashion collections.

our approach

The collections are created in collaboration with a local team of female artisans who are trained in the studio and continuously developed over the long term.

Many of them have gained access here for the first time to formal employment, consistent work, and specialized craftsmanship.

Design, adaptation, and production are closely interconnected and evolve together – shaped by experience, material, and direct exchange within the studio.

It is time to end the systematic exclusion of the Global South in art and design.
That is why we foster creative collaboration to tell real stories through design.

At Empowerment Studio, we are committed to the holistic empowerment of people who continue to be socially disadvantaged in Zambia’s informal settlements.

We do this through practical training and vocational education, by opening access to international markets for their products, and by building a strong community within our empowerment projects.

Our goal is to strengthen women and enable them to be seen not as recipients of aid, but as valuable and driving forces within their communities and beyond.

side by side

The collections draw from forms of work, lived reality and movement, translating them into clothing.

The focus lies not on the individual product, but on the way it is made – and its connection to the context it emerges from.

Clothing – not only for consumption, but intended to foster contemplation.

impact

Empowerment Studio is more than just a workplace; it is a collective of women experiencing healing and growth through creative expression.

The collections are developed in collaboration with our team of tailors, who are trained and continuously developed within the studio.

For many of them, this is their first access to formal employment and specialised craftsmanship.

Design and production are closely intertwined and evolve together throughout the working process.

We redefine what success means for a socially sustainable fashion label by not focusing solely on profit maximisation, but by building a platform that enriches both customers and artisans through meaningful products intended to inspire reflection.

We therefore commit to a radical non-profit structure:

All income remains within the project – it is reinvested into the development of the studio, employment, training, and scholarships for young people in the creative field. The international leadership is also committed to operate entirely without personal profit withdrawal.

responsibility

zero waste

We are committed to generating as little waste as possible. All fabric offcuts from the cutting process are reused in creative projects, for example being transformed into rugs for our partner school Life Trust School Waya.

local leather

We use leather selectively for specific details. Our leather is sourced in Zambia and repurposed as a by-product of the food industry, reducing waste and preserving resources. Its durability surpasses synthetic leather, which is often made from environmentally harmful materials. By using this material, we also support the local economy.

solar power

Our studio and production spaces in the Waya compound have been powered entirely by solar energy from our own photovoltaic system from the very beginning. This allows us to operate sustainably in the long term.

fair work

We pay wages above the legal minimum. All employees at Empowerment Studio are also covered by health insurance and are part of the national pension scheme.

strong partners

Empowerment Studio is part of the Zambian NGO Life Trust, which has been dedicated for over 25 years to providing high-quality, holistic education for children and young people affected by extreme poverty in the townships of Kabwe, Zambia.

LONG-TERM COMMITMENT

Tailoring has been a central part of our mission for over a decade, empowering people in the city of Kabwe.
Today, Empowerment Design Studio offers women in Waya the opportunity to train, work, and grow as tailors, leaders and entrepreneurs – while sustainably supporting their families.

about Life Trust

TRANSFORMING DESIGN

Waya Township, once primarily known for extreme heavy metal contamination and lead poisoning as a result of historic mining activity, is now gaining recognition for creativity and exceptional craftsmanship. This shift in perception is a testament to the resilience of the local community and the transformative power of fashion and design.