Designing with Purpose: In Conversation with Rachel Allen

Note: Our fireside chat’s are an open, informal conversation that brings together industry leaders and emerging talent to share insights, personal journeys, and lived experiences. At United in Design, our fireside chats create a space for honest dialogue, mentorship, and inspiration—helping to bridge the gap between aspiration and access, and driving forward our mission to build a fairer, more inclusive design industry.

March 27th, 2025 - We’re incredibly grateful to Rachel Allen Interiors for opening their doors to our interns as part of the first rotation in our year-long Cohort 4, Career Pathway Program. As a powerful mission driven partner of United In Design, Rachel Allen extended her expertise participating in our monthly community fireside chat with an audience of young aspiring creatives from minority ethnicities trying to break into the industry, where she shared powerful insights on maintaining integrity in a fast-paced, trend-driven industry, and spoke openly about the cultural barriers many young creatives face when design isn’t seen as a viable career path.

Rachel also opened up powerful discussions around navigating cultural roadblocks, especially in communities where design and creativity aren’t always recognised as viable career paths. The lack of visible success stories from minority backgrounds only adds to this challenge, making honest, open conversations like these vital in shifting perceptions and inspiring the next generation. She gently held the room, allowing a safe and open environment where our culturally diverse group felt empowered to express their fears, share their challenges, and lean into truly honest dialogue.

The conversation sparked lively debate and raw, unfiltered exchange— “something we don’t often have the space for in our industry” quotes one participant. Her presence reminded us of the power of holding space for issues of inclusion and equity. One of our interns, Caceli, beautifully shared the benefit of his experience through United in Design:

“Seeing the impact of our Career Pathway Internship firsthand has been truly inspiring. This journey has been more than just work experience—it’s been a game-changer, opening doors that once felt out of reach. But we can’t stop here. To create real, lasting change in our industry, we need to do more, reach further, and ensure opportunities like this are accessible to even more aspiring talents.”