17/03/2025
Curious Collections by Mariëlle Leenders
Concept | Design | Photography | Research
Mariëlle Leenders (born December 6, 1974) grew up embraced by nature, where she spent her childhood immersed in its rhythms. At 18, she set out to explore the world, deepening her understanding of different cultures and strengthening her bond with the natural world.
In 2000, Mariëlle graduated cm laude from the internationally renowned Design Academy Eindhoven. Since then, she has been working as a photographer, concept developer, and product designer under her own label and studio: Curious Collections.
Mariëlle’s work reflects her deep love for nature and her ability to capture its unexpected and spontaneous beauty. She is drawn to the intricate details that often go unnoticed—the delicate veins of a leaf, the organic symmetry of a flower, or the raw, weathered textures of stone and wood. Her designs are more than just visual representations; they are an invitation to pause and experience nature’s quiet poetry
To her, nature is not just a source of inspiration—it is who we are. She believes that humans are an intrinsic part of nature, not separate from it, and through her work, she aims to remind people of this fundamental connection.
Her designs go beyond visual aesthetics; they serve as an invitation to experience nature’s essence, to notice its smallest wonders, and to recognize the urgent necessity of preserving it. She captures the intricate details of the world around us—veins of a leaf, the movement of water, the textures of weathered wood—transforming them into immersive visual narratives that draw people closer to the natural world.
Mariëlle’s work is a call to awareness, a gentle yet urgent reminder that preserving nature is not an act of charity but of self-preservation. Her designs serve as immersive visual narratives—transforming nature’s smallest wonders into art. She calls on us to notice, to cherish, and to protect. By bringing the raw, untamed beauty of the outdoors into our everyday spaces and life, she seeks to dissolve the illusion of separation. We do not live beside nature—we are nature. And in honoring and protecting it, we rediscover ourselves.
