About

Sara Smed is a Danish knitwear designer and artistic researcher working within textile-based systems and material-driven design.

Her practice explores how garments, knit structures and visual languages can be developed as interconnected systems rather than isolated objects. Through long-term investigations, she examines material behaviour, construction logics and authorship within a contemporary textile context.

Educated as a tailor with a specialization in costume making, she combines hands-on material knowledge with conceptual and process-oriented approaches. Her work spans experimental prototyping, industrial knit development and visual research, often bridging artistic inquiry with production frameworks.

Between 2019 and 2021, she co-developed the project SMED·WAGNER, which evolved from a BA graduation collection into a multi-year design laboratory across education, industry collaboration and early-stage organisational development. The project investigated shared authorship, knit-based systems and sustainable production structures, forming a foundation for her current work.

Following ten years in Berlin and a period as a design teacher at Krabbesholm Højskole, she is now based near Aarhus, Denmark, where she continues to develop her practice through independent research and long-term material investigations.

She is open to collaborations within artistic research, development and production contexts.

︎ cunstoff@gmail.com

︎ 0049 174 2101780 (DE)
︎ 0045 60863126 (DK)

Currently

2026
Freelance Designer
Working on an innovative knitwear technology (DK).

Education 

2021
Fashion Designer1-year M.A. at Univeristät der Künste Berlin.
Thesis / Project: ”SMED·WAGNER - A joint voyage of becoming one business brain” in collaboration with Patricia Wagner.

2020
Fashion Designer
4-years B.A. at Universität der Künste Berlin.
Graduation collection ”Dimension Explorer” in collaboration with Patricia Wagner.
+ 2 years in the student council.  

2012
Garment Worker / Tailor
Specialized in costume making with an apprenticeship at The Danish National School of Performing Arts under the Head of Costume Shop Ghita B. Ohmann.

2008
Odder Gymnasium
(3-year Upper Secondary School Leaving Examination, STX)
1,5 years as Head of Student Council.

Professional experiences

2024 - 2026
Design Teacher
Teacher of Design at Krabbesholm Højskole (DK).

2022-2023
Costume Assistent at Sasha Waltz & Guests GmbH
An internationally touring contemporary dance company (DE).

2021
”Farmer” / 6 month scolar at DesignFarmBerlin
A “design in tech accelerator” / German Start-Up program (DE).
Venture: SMED·WAGNER
+ participation in Dutch Design Week 2021.

2019-2020
Knitting Tutor
Teaching knitting at the knitting workshop, Universität der Künste Berlin (DE).

2019
Collection Manager of Development
1/2 year as maternity leave replacement at Knitoffice / Cousy b.v.b.a - specialised in high-end fashion knitwear production (BE).   

2017-2019
Knitting Tutor
Teaching knitting at the knitting workshop, UDK Berlin (DE).

2018-2019
Costume Designer // Co-producer
Music videos: ”Lest I Lose Myself”, ”Clone” and ”We Cannot Stay Here Forever” for Musician Gurli Octavia (DK).

2017
Costume Consultant // Costume Maker
At The Danish National School of Performing Arts (DK).

2015
Producer // Costume Designer
Music video: ”Dot’s on the skyline” for Musician Paxton Fettel (DK).

2014-2015
Costume Designer // Dresser
Graduation film: ”Rohbauten” by Director Désirée Pfenninger, Filmuniversität Babelsberg Konrad Wolf, Berlin (DE). 

2014
Costume Maker
Play: ”Ottone in Villa” for TeaterDesign and Scenographer Karin Gille at Teater Republique (DK).

Costume Maker
At the costume company Weird Wear under Bente Nielsen (DK).

Costume Maker // Co-Designer
For CoreAct and Scenographer Nathalie Mellbye at Teater Grob (DK).

Costume Designer
Play: ”Byebye Baby” for Teater Signatur (DK).

2013-2014
Costume Maker
Play: ”Peer Gynt” for Phantom Limb Company and Director Rolf Heim at Teater Republique (DK).

2013
Costume Maker
For Director Anja Behrens and Scenographer Julian Toldam Juhlin at DDSKS (DK).

Costume Maker
Play: ”Liberty” for Director Mikkel Flyvholm and Scenographer Louise Beck at Teater Nordkraft (DK).

Costume Designer // Director’s Assistant // Set Designer
Play: ”Dagens Festugesatire” for Per Smedegaard at Teater Svalegangen (DK).

Co-Founder of the workshop space Vaerksted16
Together with Milliner Mathilde Førster, Tailor Magny Hammersbøen, Tailor Martina O. Moldenhawer og Tailor Feline R. Schiøtz (DK).

Costume Maker
At DDSKS under Ghita B. Ohmann. 

Internships

2015
“Theater Hospitanz” / Costume Designer’s Assistent
Play: ”Der Zauberberg” for Costume Designer Aino Laberenz at Deutsche Theater, Berlin (DE).

2012
Costume Maker
at Cosprop under the guidance of Costume Designer and Founder John Bright, London (UK).

2004-2010
Costume Maker // Dresser // Costume Stock Worker
At a varity of different Danish theaters and costume workshops.

Courses & workshops

 
2017
Summer School at Multiartist Bart Hess (NL)

2011-2014
Various textile dying/coloring/patination workshops held by Textile Designer Lise Bønæs (DK).

2010
”2D-drawing to 3D-modeling” workshop by Costume Designer Anja Vang Kragh and Scenographer Mia Stensgaard DK).

2010-2011
General theater & costume history classes at DDSKS by Dramaturg and Theater Historian Mette Borg (DK).

Scholarships & competitions

2021
DesignFarmBerlin
A “design in tech accelerator” / German Start-Up program (DE).
Venture: SMED·WAGNER 


2020
FASH 2020 (SDBI) - finalist with graduation collection: ”Dimension Explorer” (DE).

2019
”Studienabschlussstipendien für internationale Studierende”(STIBET I) - UDK Berlin (DE).