Nkumbu is a design innovation lecturer and researcher whose work explores the power of creativity to shape culture and drive positive societal change. Centred on fashion and textiles, her research and practice examine how knowledge and lived experiences, particularly from the peripheries, can inform more equitable futures. Her PhD investigated the role and meaning of heritage for fashion designers, interrogating questions at the intersection of history, memory, dress, and identity. Drawing on extensive experience across interdisciplinary projects in the creative and cultural sectors, Nkumbu advances work focused on sustainability, transformation, and socially responsive design.