Hey, I'm Rachel
I'm Head of Design at Zalando where I lead the design innovation and strategy lab, The Studio. The Studio shapes the future of fashion at the intersection of technology, culture, and customer insight. With 10+ years in design —from Taxfix to Klarna, from Berlin to Shenzhen—I’ve built global teams, launched bold pivots, and turned vision into meaningful strategy.
I'm Head of Design at Zalando where I lead the design innovation and strategy lab, The Studio. The Studio shapes the future of fashion at the intersection of technology, culture, and customer insight. With 10+ years in design —from Taxfix to Klarna, from Berlin to Shenzhen—I’ve built global teams, launched bold pivots, and turned vision into meaningful strategy.
I'm Head of Design at Zalando where I lead the design innovation and strategy lab, The Studio. The Studio shapes the future of fashion at the intersection of technology, culture, and customer insight. With 10+ years in design —from Taxfix to Klarna, from Berlin to Shenzhen—I’ve built global teams, launched bold pivots, and turned vision into meaningful strategy.
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Seeing Through the Hype
Hatch Conference
Watch
Designing Your Way (With or Without AI)
Flexxible by Design
The Future of Fashion UX: AI & Authenticity
Future of UX Podcast
Instinct, Insight, Imagination
Push UX
Watch
Gen Z’s Move to Greater Authenticity
Zalando Blog
Read
Descender Podcast Host & Creator
Podcast | 3 seasons | 18 ep.
Listen
Seeing Through the Hype
Hatch Conference
Watch
Designing Your Way (With or Without AI)
Flexxible by Design
The Future of Fashion UX: AI & Authenticity
Future of UX Podcast
Instinct, Insight, Imagination
Push UX
Watch
Gen Z’s Move to Greater Authenticity
Zalando Blog
Read
Descender Podcast Host & Creator
Podcast | 3 seasons | 18 ep.
Listen
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My Experience
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My Experience
02
My Experience
Head of Design at Zalando
2023 - Present
Leading Zalando's design innovation lab, The Studio, focusing on high-impact projects for the next 2-5 years. Translating customer insights into actionable design strategies. Including Zalando's 2023 Customer Experience strategy, vision work for inspiration moodboards, virtual try-on, livestreaming, the football fan experience, and Gen Z customer research panels.
Design partner in launching Zalando’s Shenzhen R&D office.
Creating and hosting the design manager support and training program
Head of Design at Zalando
2023 - Present
Leading Zalando's design innovation lab, The Studio, focusing on high-impact projects for the next 2-5 years. Translating customer insights into actionable design strategies. Including Zalando's 2023 Customer Experience strategy, vision work for inspiration moodboards, virtual try-on, livestreaming, the football fan experience, and Gen Z customer research panels.
Design partner in launching Zalando’s Shenzhen R&D office.
Creating and hosting the design manager support and training program
Head of Design at Zalando
2023 - Present
Leading Zalando's design innovation lab, The Studio, focusing on high-impact projects for the next 2-5 years. Translating customer insights into actionable design strategies. Including Zalando's 2023 Customer Experience strategy, vision work for inspiration moodboards, virtual try-on, livestreaming, the football fan experience, and Gen Z customer research panels.
Design partner in launching Zalando’s Shenzhen R&D office.
Creating and hosting the design manager support and training program
Design Leader of Klarna's Platform & Navigation Team
2020 - 2022
Led the Platform & Navigation team in developing Klarna’s Super App strategy. Conducted research and trend analysis on Eastern Super Apps, adapting insights for the European market.
Developed B2B strategy for mini-app development with partner companies. Established design principles, methodology, and guidelines for the mini-app strategy.
Managed cross-functional product and marketing design teams across Milan, Stockholm, and Toronto.
Design Leader of Klarna's Platform & Navigation Team
2020 - 2022
Led the Platform & Navigation team in developing Klarna’s Super App strategy. Conducted research and trend analysis on Eastern Super Apps, adapting insights for the European market.
Developed B2B strategy for mini-app development with partner companies. Established design principles, methodology, and guidelines for the mini-app strategy.
Managed cross-functional product and marketing design teams across Milan, Stockholm, and Toronto.
Design Leader of Klarna's Platform & Navigation Team
2020 - 2022
Led the Platform & Navigation team in developing Klarna’s Super App strategy. Conducted research and trend analysis on Eastern Super Apps, adapting insights for the European market.
Developed B2B strategy for mini-app development with partner companies. Established design principles, methodology, and guidelines for the mini-app strategy.
Managed cross-functional product and marketing design teams across Milan, Stockholm, and Toronto.
Sr. Product Designer of Taxfix's Incubation Group
2019 - 2020
Led research and design for Taxfix’s Incubation Product Group, driving market expansion into France and Italy.
Developed localized strategies and created the first user research funnel, unifying customer personas across product and marketing.
Created engaging motion graphics and animations to enhance digital content.
Sr. Product Designer of Taxfix's Incubation Group
2019 - 2020
Led research and design for Taxfix’s Incubation Product Group, driving market expansion into France and Italy.
Developed localized strategies and created the first user research funnel, unifying customer personas across product and marketing.
Created engaging motion graphics and animations to enhance digital content.
Sr. Product Designer of Taxfix's Incubation Group
2019 - 2020
Led research and design for Taxfix’s Incubation Product Group, driving market expansion into France and Italy.
Developed localized strategies and created the first user research funnel, unifying customer personas across product and marketing.
Created engaging motion graphics and animations to enhance digital content.
Designer at Nexar
2017 - 2018
Sole designer during Series A-B, leading design and research for Nexar’s live driver app.
Aligned Nexar’s AI technology with market fit through concept exploration.
Developed an on-site research and prototyping lab, leading research with US partners.
Designer at Nexar
2017 - 2018
Sole designer during Series A-B, leading design and research for Nexar’s live driver app.
Aligned Nexar’s AI technology with market fit through concept exploration.
Developed an on-site research and prototyping lab, leading research with US partners.
Designer at Nexar
2017 - 2018
Sole designer during Series A-B, leading design and research for Nexar’s live driver app.
Aligned Nexar’s AI technology with market fit through concept exploration.
Developed an on-site research and prototyping lab, leading research with US partners.
Designer at Flux.io
2016
Designer for Flux.io, a Google X spinout offering cloud-based collaboration tools for architects and engineers.
Focused on improving onboarding and converting users to subscription models.
Developed strategic web app products to streamline complex workflows. • Designed for Flux.io, a Google X spinout offering cloud-based collaboration tools for architects and engineers. • Focused on improving onboarding and converting users to subscription models. • Developed strategic web app products to streamline complex workflows.
Designer at Flux.io
2016
Designer for Flux.io, a Google X spinout offering cloud-based collaboration tools for architects and engineers.
Focused on improving onboarding and converting users to subscription models.
Developed strategic web app products to streamline complex workflows. • Designed for Flux.io, a Google X spinout offering cloud-based collaboration tools for architects and engineers. • Focused on improving onboarding and converting users to subscription models. • Developed strategic web app products to streamline complex workflows.
Designer at Flux.io
2016
Designer for Flux.io, a Google X spinout offering cloud-based collaboration tools for architects and engineers.
Focused on improving onboarding and converting users to subscription models.
Developed strategic web app products to streamline complex workflows. • Designed for Flux.io, a Google X spinout offering cloud-based collaboration tools for architects and engineers. • Focused on improving onboarding and converting users to subscription models. • Developed strategic web app products to streamline complex workflows.