an amsterdam-based cultural consultant, journalist and style Anthropologist
ABOUT CARMEN
Her work combines storytelling, strategic insight, and community building to help brands, institutions, and cultural organisations shape their narratives, connect with the right communities, and position their brands for impact.
Programming + Moderation Amsterdam Dance Event at Homecoming Festival (NIG)
A Buttered Table
Concept development CBRE Amsterdamse Poort
Cultural Consultancy CBRE IM Amsterdamse Poort
(Fashion) Journalism
SPECIALIZATION
Carmen’s also a connoisseur of contemporary fashion from Africa, one dedicated to exploring and showcasing the continent’s vibrant, innovative and diverse fashion scenes and forming a bridge between African designers and international audiences. She provides insights and analyses to organisations interested in these scenes, writes and lectures on fashion from Africa, and provide a foothold in Europe to emerging designers from Africa via Showroom.
CASES
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To ensure their asset, Amsterdamse Poort, resonates more with the wishes and needs of the local community, CBRE brought me on board to drive their community engagement and cultural strategy. In this role, I ensure that the project consistently collaborates with local talent, while amplifying the voices of neighbourhood entrepreneurs and community figures through dedicated storytelling on their social media channels and website.
Beyond digital narratives, I conceptualise and programme events and place-testing activities, while strategically matching local and cultural entrepreneurs with the centre. A standout success of this approach is The Jollof Club, who are opening their very first ever restaurant in the Poort. This milestone was made possible through their participation in a pop-up restaurant concept, and idea from my hand. With my holistic approach, I help CBRE transform a commercial asset into a vibrant, community-driven hub.
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Partnering with Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), I developed and executed programming centered on emerging West African subcultures, coordinating panel discussions at both Homecoming in Lagos and in Amsterdam, while also serving as an on-stage moderator. To expand ADE’s local ecosystem, I leveraged my event concept, ‘A Buttered Table,’ to strategically introduce leadership to a previously untapped network of Amsterdam-based fashion and cultural professionals.
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Specializing in contemporary African fashion and style anthropology, my work analyzes personal style as a dynamic, lived practice and a powerful visual narrative of identity, culture, and beliefs. Driven by a mission to elevate pioneering African designers to the global stage, I craft compelling commentary on the profound innovation these creators bring to the broader industry. Bridging cultural theory with real-world editorial insight, I conduct field research to identify and document shifting style dynamics, translating emerging trends across the Netherlands and the African continent into sharp, culturally resonant fashion journalism.
SHOWROOMHer vision comes tangibly to life in Showroom: the cultural agency and boutique she opened in 2023 together with Coco Olakunle. Alongside selling fashion from Africa and rare books on art and culture, a lineup of programming has turned Showroom into a bustling creative hub. It is a place where art, culture, and fashion are celebrated.
BUTTERIn 2025, she launched BUTTER, an online and offline network of fashion professionals from Africa, connecting them with creatives, curators, and programmers from the Netherlands.
CLIENTS
Amsterdam Dance event, CBRE, Wereldmuseum, Zadkine Beautylab, Elle, Marie Claire, Fashion united, Lely Lyceum Amsterdam, Centraal Museum, Ketter & co, Yellow Concepts.