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What can you tell me about your background?
I was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1976. I lived in Hamburg, Frankfurt, Paris and Los Angeles before attending the Rhode Island school of design in 1997. In 2001 I graduated in fashion and moved to New York and began my internship at marc Jacobs. That is where I met Alexandre Plokhov and we revamped cloak, which he had started a couple of seasons before. We designed 4 seasons together from spring 03 to fall 04. After I left I started a small womenswear project named Harald. After 2 seasons of this project I was approached to launch a menswear line under my own name. Now I am set up with production and financial support and will show my 5th season in February.
Do you like to talk about yourself or your design?
Not so much. I realize that it is important to share where the ideas are coming from and that there has to be an interest in the designer. It is difficult, sometimes, to put into words what is mainly a visual process. The most important thing is that the clothes are interesting. What I say just helps to explain the journey.
What are your first major fashion memories? (what made you want to work
in fashion?) - and ultimately what inspired you to start your own line?
My father is a photographer, so I spent a lot of time in his studio growing up. I guess this is what started my fascination with this industry. After I graduated from school I went to work as a photographers assistant for 2 years. It was when I arrived at R.I.S.D., that I switched to fashion design and I always had the dream to launch my own line. Cloak happened very quickly after graduating, I owe a lot to Alexandre for showing me how things work. It is actually quite shocking how many things have to fall into place for things to work in this business.
Can you list a few of the accomplishments that you are most proud of? ... So far
I am very proud that I have created a label that supports me financially and allows me to have full creative freedom. I look forward to going to work in the morning and from season to season I am more proud of my work.
Also, I just married my former boss at Marc Jacobs, that is maybe my biggest accomplishment. :o)
how do you want your fashion to influence the world? (how would you describe your clients?)
I don’t think that my fashion can change the world at all, but I know that great clothes can make you feel so good and cool. If you wear the right thing and walk out of your door knowing that you look great, it can really change your day. To make people feel like that should be the aim of every designer.
If you had a choice where would you like to visit or live? What cities would you like to show your collection in?
My favourite places are New York, Tokyo and Paris, all for different reasons. New York has a certain darkness that adds the toughness to my collection while Tokyo inspires me to take risks. Men in Tokyo are very experimental in their fashion and it is really amazing how they put themselves together. Paris is the most elegant city and it always drives me to add a certain elegance into my collection. I live in New York and show my collection here, so it is definitely my home, but I travel to Tokyo 4-5 times a year, since I have my production done there. I go to Paris twice a year for premiere vision and starting with the fall’09, collection, we will be selling from Paris. So next season we will be showing the collection in all three cities.
Is it easy being a designer today?
It really isn’t ever easy, but especially not now. Stores are closing left and right and I don’t think that there is anyone in this business who isn’t worried. We have to keep going. I don’t let it affect my design process.
How does your personality change when you are creating a collection?
When I design, I wake up at 5 am and go to the office because this is the most beautiful time for me and my head is very clear. Nobody calls me and I don’t check my emails. It is generally a very nice time for me, although I usually get pretty exhausted.
What type of media do you look at for inspiration
I am really into the Weimar films right now. Especially Fritz Lang and Joe May. There is something really modern about them. These films were super groundbreaking at the time and I think that they are so beautiful. If there is one movie that stands out for me it has to be “Death in Venice.” It is a film by Visconti. The book was written by Thomas Mann and the music is mostly Gustav Mahler. It addresses the fascination that we have with youth and beauty and is still very relevant in fashion today.
What has been the most surprising or most predictable reaction to your design?
I think that it is very important to try my clothes on. I like to see that look in the mirror when the guy really feels that he looks great. A big part of these collections are the fit and this becomes clear only on the body.
Looking back at your career so far is there anything you might change?
I am really pleased to be where I am at this point in my life. Every choice that I have made in the past has somehow led me to where I am. So whether the choices have been good or bad, they have lead me to a good place.
What career advice would you offer someone trying to break into the
fashion business?
When I first began working as a photographers assistant in 1995 I had just finished high school and was still somewhat naïve. I was the second assistant and they really treated me like shit. The first assistant was a frustrated 28 year old that couldn’t get his own career going. I stayed there for 2 years because I knew that I needed to get a tougher skin. Throughout this time, I realized that all that matters in the end is how much you know. What you know, how to do it and how skilled you are. I realized that social skills and popularity are not important and this drove me to dedicate myself completely to my studies when I went to R.I.S.D. in 1997. I really soaked up everything they were willing to teach me and I think that this is very important. The fashion business is perceived to be driven by popularity contest and designer personalities, but I really think that it isn’t so. Sure you have a few talentless designers that have a moment of popularity, but there are not many designers that have been around for a long time, that do not have a strong skill.
All taken from Frillr.com
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