 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Postweiler Hauber
Postweiler Hauber, a German based label designed by Raphael Hauber, delivers future-friendly streetwear collections for men and women. Hauber's garments are modern and constructive. He experiments with graphics, bold shapes and fabric textures to create clothes that are effortlessly cool but still comfortable. Comparisons might be made to early Raf Simons collections, and to Bernhard Willhelm's glorification of sportswear and easy-going fabrics. We emailed with Raphael about his work.
Where were you born, and what is
your fashion education background?
I was born in Bretten, a small town
in southwestern Germany. After high school I attended a fashion college
and began studying clothing technology, but found it too dry, and the
design approach too conservative. I left that program to study fashion
design at Pforzheim University, graduating in 2003.
What designers or events do you
feel were your earliest influences?
When I started my studies in Pforzheim,
I was fascinated by the Antwerp fashion scene, especially the conceptual
fashion of Martin Margiela. I also was highly interested in the upcoming
designers at the time, particularly Raf Simons, Bernhard Willhelm, Cosmic
Wonder, Bless and Wendy & Jim, for whom I worked as an assistant
in 2001.
How do you see your work in relation
to other designers working in Germany?
A strong difference is the fact that
I live and work in a suburb of Heidelberg, and not in what is regarded
as the creative capital of Germany, Berlin. Apart from these regional
distinctions, I grew up here and I think there exists a German aesthetic
and approach to fashion. That influences my work, too: all that German
goodness, and clichés of the accurate, the top-heavy and the down-to-earth.
What would you say the inspiration
was for Ausbau, your A/W 09 collection?
The collection Ausbau is a collaboration
with the artist Heinz Peter Knes. The fabrics that make up this season's
collection were printed with images from his archives. Although commonly
described as decorative, this collection focuses on the weight of the
ornaments. Through repetition, ornaments gain an aura of power and meaning
that impacts the masses.
Do you see German fashion designers moving in their own unique direction?
In recent years, there are more and more young fashion designers in Germany starting to do their own thing, despite the fact that there is no professional or financial support for fashion designers like in other countries or cities like London, Antwerp or even Vienna. Fashion is not really a priority here, as I previously mentioned. I can see similarities between German designers but, of course, we all have the internet, tv and so on, and we are well informed if we like, so local distinctions are not so prevalent now as they were 50 years ago. Last year I was invited to take part in an exhibition, "Vertrautes Terrain – Contemporary Art in/about Germany“ at the ZKM/ Museum of Contemporary Art in Karlsruhe. I think this "German thing" has been in demand abroad over the few last years. Berlin still has a huge appeal, especially for creative working people from all over the world.
Can you describe your personal
design philosophy as it applies to your clothing label?
Photo Credit: 2.3. Pictures from SS09 collections by Jan Lehner/4.5. Pictures from AW09-10 catwalk show by Biel Sol/6. Pictures from AW 08-09 collection by Jan Lehner/7.A/W 09-10 collection by Biel Sol/8.SS 09 by Jan Lehner/9. AW 09-10 collection by Heinz Peter Knes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|