Fashion & Art

  1. Interview with Designer Dirk Oelmann

    | Interview
    June 8, 2012

    Interview with Designer Dirk Oelmann
    By Sarah Kelley, ASTONISH Berlin
    (Photos courtesy of UCON Silhouette)

    After attending several Fashion Week events here in Berlin, EDGED Showroom really got the atmosphere right. Holding a showroom in a club space, with sand right outside the door and a large deck overlooking a swimming pool on the canal was the perfect illustration of how high fashion can be approachable to everybody. This was the perfect Berlin combination of relaxation and hype. As I was strolling through the Showroom, I got a chance to speak with three featured designers, one of which was Dirk Oelmann of UCON Silhouette. Not only was he holding down the booth, but after a week of staying up to finish the layout of the latest UCON lookbook, he was also video documenting the runway show and the showroom! Even in between all of this, he told me a bit about the line and we managed to set up an interview date.

    A week later, after things had calmed down, I met Dirk at the coolest flat I have seen.

    ASTONISH: Where are you originally from?

    DIRK: I grew up in Siegen, Germany.

    ASTONISH: What sort of educational background do you have?

    DIRK: I went to Bonn after high school and apprenticed as a tailor there for two years. Then I went on to the University of Applied Sciences in Trier, near Luxemburg. I also did my erasmus (a program in the EU which allows students to take a semester at a university in another country) at Taik University in Finland. And then I interned with Alexander McQueen in London for 6 months. Oh and I also studied graphic design for a year.

    ASTONISH: Wow, quite a well-rounded education. How was interning with Alexander McQueen?

    DIRK: It was good, but really intense; 10-12 hour days without getting paid. A good look into what the fashion business is like.

    ASTONISH: How long have you been designing for UCON Silhoutte?

    DIRK: They came to me in March or April of this year and asked if I would collaborate with them. I was quite honored because I had known about the line for some time. UCON has been around for about 10 years now, and they always do collaborations with other designers. Their last collection was in collaboration with a product designer.

    ASTONISH: UCON Silhoutte definitely holds true to the ‘Street Style’, what kind of connection do you have to urban lifestyle?

    DIRK: I have been rollerblading for about 16 years now!

    ASTONISH: What is something that sets UCON apart form the other skate brands?

    DIRK: Hm, well I think that I try to bring an element of high fashion to the look of UCON. The Silhouette line isn´t really a skate-related line. If you like the cloth you simply like it. It’s not about being a skater or not. I think one of the biggest differences design wise to other skate brands is that we do not use any logo or print on the garments. We try to keep it super plain, but in the same moment we focus more on new proportions and work over all the patterns to have a more contemporary look.

    ASTONISH: Would you say that you being a skater affects the way you design clothes?

    DIRK: I don’t think it actually affects what I design per say, like I would probably design much the same way even if I didn’t skate, but I do know that it’s important for skaters to be able to go from their form of physical activity, to meeting up with friends, going to a bar, etc, while still being comfortable and cool looking.

    ASTONISH: How would you describe your design process?

    DIRK: That’s sort of hard to say, there are many ways. I guess it all starts with a sketch. Not even a sketch, just drawing lines, and from there I get an idea for a silhoutte, and build off of that. Also, I take elements of previous designs or make slight changes to existing designs. I think it’s important to have an evolutionary process, rather than making huge stylistic leaps.

    ASTONISH: What would you consider the most important aspect to keep in mind when designing menswear?

    DIRK: I think it’s important that it keeps a certain roughness, without being ultra masculine. When I sketch, I often put scruffy beards on my croquis. I guess sort of a combination of rough and soft. I like the idea of women being able to wear men’s clothes, and vice versa, but I think it should be clear that it’s not meant for that gender. So either way, the clothing lends a sort of edge or softness to the wearer without them having to try for that.

    ASTONISH: What sort of changes in menswear have you noticed recently?

    DIRK: Haha, well when I started studying I would have been astonished at the thought of men wearing such tight pants as I do now, so I guess there aren’t so many boundaries for guys anymore. The opportunity for men to express themselves through what they wear has definitely opened up.

    ASTONISH: Where do you get your inspiration?

    DIRK: I am actually very inspired with how interior designers and architects work with materials and proportions. I really try not to exclusively read fashion magazines, I’m more likely to peruse architectural or graphic design magazines.

    ASTONISH: What would you say the biggest influence behind what you design is?

    DIRK: Definitly a mixture of my sportswear roots and my interest in high fashion and trying to find a good balance between the two.

    ASTONISH: Where would you like to see menswear go in the next few years?

    DIRK: I would like to see it in the direction where Damir Doma and Boris Saberi are going, more exaggerated in general.

    ASTONISH: Whats your favorite season to design for?

    DIRK: Well, menswear is so much more consistent than womenswear, so there aren’t a whole lot of differences between seasons. This is another reason I am so inspired by architecture, because the architects know that it is going to be there for a long time. That’s closer to the way I design, not thinking about the trends and seasons, just about the timelessness of good style.

    ASTONISH: What’s something that everybody should keep in mind when getting dressed?

    DIRK: Don’t care too much! Just wear what you want to wear, right in that moment I would also like to add that I think it’s really important that people become more sensitive to what they buy, especially the amount of work that does or does not go into it. As a tailor I am very aware of the amount of work that goes into a well-fitting pair of pants, for example. It’s important to be aware of who or what you are supporting. In this context I would like to mention, that all of UCON’s Silhouette production is done within Europe, which I am personally really proud of!

  2. Interview with Makeup Artist Stefan Kehl

    | Interview
    May 31, 2012

    Interview by Margarita Miranda, ASTONISH Berlin

    Stefan Kehl is a makeup artist based in Berlin. He is a very busy person, so I was lucky to get some of his precious time for the interview. I met him in his beautiful apartment in Berlin, Kreuzberg, right by the river. The funny thing is that I lived in the same house 15 years ago. While we were drinking rooibos tea at his desk, I started my Q&A.

    ASTONISH: How did you become a makeup artist?

    STEFAN: I have always wanted to do something creative, something that had to do somehow with drawing and painting. Something with fashion. It was all very vague and I ended up learning to be a hair dresser. That was the right decision, I liked it a lot. Before that, I started an education in technical drawing. A lot of people advised me to do that and they said it is a really creative job. But it was the most uncreative work you can ever imagine. During my education in the salon, I had to learn about cosmetics and makeup as well. And as a well-known salon, we were booked for a lot of fashion shows. I decided to do the makeup for them. The teacher of the school where I made my education was very old fashioned and knew only makeup styles from the 70’s, with all these colors like blue, pink and green, and all in very bad quality. But I was very lucky to have a good friend working in a beauty parlor; she supplied me with tons of testers when I needed them. Only the best, like Chanel and Dior. I brought them back in the morning before the shop opened. Like that, I could learn from the beginning with only the best quality. After I was finished with my education I went to Berlin. And I never wanted to work in a salon again. I continued learning by myself all about makeup. In combination with being a hairdresser, I had the best chances.

    ASTONISH: Where do you get your inspiration?

    STEFAN: There are a lot of ways. I started early with meditation, and when I need an idea I start with the search for my inner voice and listen to it. That always works for me. But of course I also look into other cultures and ethnic groups, watch reports about animals, look into fashion magazines, and walk the streets with open eyes.

    ASTONISH: How did you become successful? What is difficult in that business?

    STEFAN: It is only difficult if you put too much pressure on yourself. Stress is paralyzing for me, but if I start whatever I do relaxed, without wanting anything, I get into a nice flow. And things just turn out at its best. That always works for me. Of course it is important to know people, keep in contact with them, update them, have a good agency and have good people working for you. And, of course, keep yourself updated and motivated always.

    ASTONISH: Do you prefer to work with a certain brand?

    STEFAN: At the moment Chanel and Kevin Murphy are my absolute favorites.

    ASTONISH: What is your favorite product?

    STEFAN: I am very content with Chanel’s fabulous foundation Lift Lumière. The texture is incredible. It just melts together with the skin to a wonderful deeply freshness. I am very impressed by that brand. I really like to work with their products.

    ASTONISH: Who would you like to do makeup for? Tell me three persons.

    STEFAN: If I said Lady Gaga, I would have to laugh. But I would do it, because that would be a big boost for my career. I am really not so much into celebrities;  they don’t matter for me at all, so no names are popping up. That makes it easy for me to work with them. I just like to do hair and makeup for everybody. That’s what I like.

    ASTONISH: What do you like more, working for photographers or for runways?

    STEFAN: I like both. For editorials I can fully live my creativity. For runways I have the possibility to influence the fashion world with my creations of makeup and hair.

    ASTONISH: What is your favorite look at the moment?

    STEFAN: I have fun with very strong, intense colors. Just colorful. The trend now is away from the “I’m dead and I took a lot of drugs” look to a more soft, transparent, female look. I like to work that look with a little bit more color, also with contrast colors, warm and cold together for example or a combination with summer and winter colors, to give the look an exciting, unorthodox touch.

    ASTONISH: Can you tell me about one of your favorite looks? What do you call it?

    STEFAN: I don’t have a name for it.

    ASTONISH: Call it the “look with no name”, then.

    STEFAN: OK, here comes “the look with no name”! It combines summer and winter colors. The foundation has a suntanned color, the eyebrows are only slightly accentuated, lashes with a lot of black mascara. The eye shadow is in a bright strong turquoise blue with light reflecting particles. For lips a mixture between a rusty and a berry red. The color should be a little dirty. It must be applied very accurate to get the look. Apply a lot of highlighter on cheeks, over eyebrow curves and the lip outline underneath the nose. Shape the cheeks only with a little blush, very slightly; the focus is on eyes and lips. The whole look is clear and strong. The same look you can do with a warm green eye shadow and orange lipstick, which is not too bright in color. This look I used to do for a blonde model, but it also works for brunettes.

    See more of Stefan’s work: www.stefankehl.de

    Photo credits: Gutschera Osthoff, Frauke Fischer, Jürgen Schabes, Anja Frers. Portrait of Stefan by Margarita Miranda.