Designer interview with
Isabel Quiroga

Isabel Quiroga had the Design for her photo frames on the shelf for a while, but something was missing. She found what she was looking for in the pigmented linseed oil that is used for various items published by Vij5. A collaboration was born and since then her 'Precious Memories' have been part of the Vij5 collection.

September 2025

Text: Daniëlle van de Haterd(Staaldraad Tekstschrijver)
Photography: Vij5

Isabel spent her youth as the daughter of a Bolivian father and a German mother in a village just across the border from Enschede. She lived in a spacious area, grew up in a pleasant freedom, and could often be found outside. Isabel's father was a mechanical engineer and a real tinkerer, which has everything to do with her career as a product designer.

CREATE things yourself

'My father had a shed full of tools, and from a very early age, I was fascinated by what you could do with them. He made all sorts of things for us, from a slide to a tree house, and even an electric motorbike. I also started CREATEing things myself pretty quickly, like a skateboard. I sawed a plank to size and cut a roller skate in half for the wheels.'

Training as a furniture maker

Her drive to CREATE has therefore been instilled in Isabel from an early age, and it's something she really enjoys. After high school, she therefore trained as a furniture maker. She knew this wouldn't be her final destination, but more of a nice start. After completing that training, she gained a year of work experience, then it was time for the next step. 'The creative sector attracted me, but I wasn't sure which direction I wanted to go. I was torn between DESIGN and architecture, but it had to be something at the art academy.'

"I never really experienced art at home."

Isabel Quiroga

The art academy

There are very few art academies in Germany, making it difficult to get a place. Isabel therefore enrolled at the AKI in Enschede. The original plan was to build a portfolio here to increase her chances of admission in Germany, but she soon fell in love with this small-scale school and decided to complete her entire studies here. 'Once in Enschede, a world opened up for me. I had never really experienced art at home, but I was very happy with this voyage of discovery.'

Spatial DESIGN

After obtaining her propaedeutic certificate, Isabel chose 'spatial DESIGN'. She was unsure whether she wanted to focus on architecture or photography within that field. 'The course suggested that I do both directions at the same time, which I did for a while, but I found it too intense, so I decided to go fully for architecture. This was still very broad, it was about architecture indoors and outdoors, and about product DESIGN. Eventually, I chose the latter because that's where my heart has always been.'

"I enjoy exploring different materials."

Isabel Quiroga

Product DESIGN

'The free design language and small scale are what appeal to me most in product DESIGN. It felt very natural to graduate in this direction, because it is an extension of my furniture training. I was already familiar with handling different materials and I enjoy exploring this.'

"Don't put me behind a computer; my designs come from working with my hands."

Isabel Quiroga

Studio cum workshop

After graduating, Isabel ended up in Amsterdam, where she lives with her girlfriend in an apartment in the East and has a studio cum workshop there. 'We live in a small space, so that workshop is very nice. You shouldn't put me behind a computer; my designs come about by being busy with my hands, I have that space there.'

Master 'Design Research'

About three years ago, Isabel found more depth in the master's program 'Design Research', which she followed at the Piet Zwart Institute in Rotterdam. 'So much has changed in the years that I have been working as a designer. I wanted to delve into the layers of DESIGN, to highlight designs from different perspectives.'

"I don't like the throwaway society, so I always try to CREATE my own designs in such a way that people will love them."

Isabel Quiroga

Sustainability as a theme

'Over the years, I have seen sustainability become an increasingly important theme. I thought this was mainly about material and technique, but through my master's program, I discovered that it has much more to do with how we relate to it. It is not only important to know how to shape material, it is even more important to be able to CREATE a relationship between people and objects. This suits me very well; I don't like the throwaway society, so I always try to CREATE my own designs in such a way that people will love them.'

Playfulness and functionality

In her Design , Isabel pairs individuality and playfulness with functionality. 'I want things to be able to be used and really add something to everyday life. If you keep thinking "gosh, how handy it is that this works like this," you build memories with the product and won't want to part with it anytime soon.'

Workshop

Isabel has translated her enthusiasm about creating a relationship between design and user into a workshop, which she gives as a guest lecturer at various training institutes. 'I really enjoy doing that because you get feedback from the students. You see what is going on and that fortunately they are increasingly aware of sustainability. You are really working with the now. I learn as much from them as they do from me, because they have a different perspective. I always find it very exciting what I get back, it actually feels a bit like unwrapping presents.

Precious Memories

Isabel's Design often arises organically, as does her "Precious Memories.

'I'm a real collector so I had a lot of small wood blocks lying around. I ended up using them to make feet for picture frames. I combined them with gold-colored aluminum and a sheet of glass, but was still missing an option for personalization. The design had been on the shelf for a while when I found the missing puzzle piece in the pigmented linseed oil used with several products in the Vij5 collection. This completed my design and I presented it at the Design Passage in The Hague.'

Landscape of memories

'by using the different colors, my picture frames offer the possibility of putting together your own landscape of memories. The design now very much invites you to personalize it by combining it in different ways. I also like the fact that images are no longer just on your cell phone, but that you very consciously choose moments you want to print to look at often. That way you make memories tangible and build more of a relationship with them.'

"I think it's great that images aren't just on your phone, but that you consciously choose moments you want to print."

Isabel Quiroga

The Vij5 collection

Isabel had known Arjan and Anieke for years; they regularly ran into each other at various exhibitions. 'They were also at Design Passage and Arjan came to look at my design. Only afterwards did I realize that my 'Precious Memories' would fit nicely into the Vij5 collection. I got in touch and one thing led to another.'

Making things efficient

Although Isabel is an independent designer at heart, she definitely sees added value in working with Vij5. "Whereas as a designer I am sometimes impractical and let myself be led like a toddler by what I like, they look much more closely at how to make things efficiently. That helps to bring structure and calm to a process. Arjan and Anieke have a lot of experience with users and stores, which I really like. I learn from their approach.

Tinkering with the design

As with many products in the Vij5 collection, the original design of 'Precious Memories' has been tinkered with a bit to make it easier to produce. For example, a different material was chosen as the back plate and the wood blocks are now made in set sizes.

Isabel doesn't mind, just likes it. "The design is the design, just a little more streamlined.

The future

Although Isabel has been around in the world of product design for a long time and is happy with what she does, she feels she is far from finished. 'I want to delve much further into my research into the relationship between man and object and Translate this into my Design.' She also still has some private wishes 'As I get older, I notice that I miss the conviviality of a village. So one day I think I will leave Amsterdam. But then I want to live near a big city, because I still want to be able to visit that dynamism and culture easily!'

Isabel's products in the Vij5 collection