Alfhild Külper: Multidisciplinary Textile Artist and Sustainable Designer

Alfhild Külper is an Amsterdam-based multidisciplinary artist and designer who bridges the gap between high-end fashion heritage and contemporary textile art. Born in Sweden in 1982 and educated at Central Saint Martins in London, Külper spent a formative decade as the Head of Design for the avant-garde Dutch fashion house Viktor & Rolf. In 2021, she established her independent studio practice, shifting her focus from dressing the human form to transforming living spaces through tactile, emotionally resonant textile landscapes and objects. Her practice is fundamentally rooted in sustainability and material innovation. Alfhild Külper exclusively utilizes industrial textile waste—specifically leftover wool and tencel from carpet manufacturing in the Netherlands, India, and Nepal—to breathe new life into discarded fibers. By employing a meticulous combination of traditional hand-tufting and intricate 3D embroidery, she creates three-dimensional sculptures known as Fuzzy Friends and immersive tapestries. These pieces often serve as soft spots for the mind, offering a physical and philosophical refuge from the digital world. Her creations, such as the Liquid Dreams series and her signature portal mirrors, evoke organic forms like moss, aerial topographical maps, and impressionist brushstrokes. Alfhild Külper's practice has been recognized internationally, with solo and group exhibitions at venues like Superhouse in New York, Rademakers Gallery in Amsterdam, and Design Miami. Her commitment to craftsmanship and the healing power of softness has been featured in major publications including the Financial Times, Architectural Digest, and Wired, positioning her as a leading figure in the global movement for sustainable and empathetic textile art.