Share itDesigners Interview Series: barre|noire from Berlin
Mar 30, 2011
Start from this week, we will interview a number of fashion designers worldwide and see how they build up their own brand. We can also catch a glimpse of their initial sketches on Fashionary! Our first guest is Timm Suessbrich, he founded barre|noire together with Aleida Roser. Following their collective studies in fashion design in Berlin, and further international design projects in Paris and Los Angeles, among other locations; they decided in August 2009 to found their own label, barre|noire.
Let’s see our interview with him.
We just wanted to have something simple and timeless, but it also had to describe our style and design: A black bar stands at the beginning of every draft we make. So, as you can see, the idea is very simple but nonetheless it represents a thousand of different things.
We knew each other from our studies. We worked both for different designers and thought: We can do this just as good as they do! We both had the same goals and our style is similar – so me met for a cup of coffee. The decision to found our own label only took 20 minutes!
What do you want people to feel when they are wearing barre|noire?
We want to make them feel special and they definitely should feel comfortable.
There are a lot of enjoyable moments: For example, when the new delivery of fabric arrives and I open the package for the first time. Or when I’m choosing the colors for the new collection – that’s just great!
To find the perfect draft out of a thousand.
What will you do when you are running out of ideas?
The best thing to do, if you run out of inspiration, is listening to music. What also helps is going for a walk, meet people or eat for some nice food.
I love to do my drafts on paper. That’s why during the drafting process, our studio is full of paper everywhere: on the floor, on the walls, on the windows.
We use our computers just for office work. The actual collection is always born on paper.
We know that you have Fashionary, which part of it do you love the most?
I basically love the whole thing but I sometimes wish it were a little bit bigger than it is now. There’s a lot of important information, which you definitely must know if you’re a designer. Every fashion design student should have to work with it – it really should be part of every designer’s basic equipment.
What sketching tools you like to use when you sketch your outfits?
Paper & pencil. When the draft is ready, I start coloring with Copics and other crayons.
Berlin is very cheap: cheap rental, low living costs. You can save a lot of money!
In addition to that, Berlin is very modern, fast and creative. There are many young people and many cultures living together – all you need to work creatively.
But on the downside, Berlin is quite poor – it’s very difficult to sell our collection here.
Any advice for the people who are working like you?
I had to learn to lighten up and to sometimes take a very deep breath. As a designer you really have to be patient! And you should definitely dare to do things you don’t like. For example: Try and work with a color you really don’t like and see what happens – you’d be surprised how well that works!
nice site! congrats
visit my fashion illustrations here: :)
http://inspiration-of-the-nation.blogspot.com/2011/02/my-fashion-illustration-in-pencil.html
i really appreciate fashion…i really love it….its beautiful…
i want to be a fashion designer someday…