Schnauzer plate

Hunting attire

I love to wear Wellies. In these boots no high tide can restrict my mobility, no whim of nature can wipe the smile off my face. From Chelsea Farmer's Club, Berlin.

Check check

If you don't want to be filmed by paparazzi all day long, you better wear patterns provoking moiré-effects. TV-people try to avoid it wherever they can.

Concorde

A wonderful song about making love aboard the Concorde, written and produced in the year 2000. Some days after the recording session the plane crash in Paris took place. Therefore not only the aircraft was put out of operation, but also this song, and the orchestra that was supposed to present the title disbanded immediately.

Olympic design

Recently I had the chance to take a shower in the catacombs of the Olympic stadium in Munich. Since soccer club Bayern München moved to the new "Allianz Arena" in 2005, nothing seems to have changed - except for the water drained from the whirl pool. Even the assigning of the coat hooks is unrevised, and an eerie association of a neutron bomb having set this place into impassivity haunted my mind - an association counterpoising perfectly the light, optimistic attitude of the world-famous tent-roof. Anyway; among the architectural monuments of the early 70s, this Olympic stadium clearly stands out. Every single detail, as in this wet cell the brave order of the yellow tiles conjure up a smile to my face. Although in the original version the tiles probably had been orange. Very orange. Orange like the phlegm of a carthorse suffering from bronchial catarrh. But the yellow is gladdening, too.

Despina Zourelidou, the woman behind "Amant Maitresse"

Wigald: Gosh! I’m so excited that we are doing this interview as we have been working together extensively in the 90s for“RTL Samstag Nacht”, the German version of “Saturday Night Live” - me in front of the camera, you as one of the dressers. Nowadays you are well-known asinitiator, designer and CEO of “Amant Maitresse”. Many people have their own brands, but just a few reveal such a clear attitude in terms of taste as you do. When we worked together, I came to know you as a very industrious, but quite modest person. Honestly, did you have any premonitions about your future? Or even something like a plan?

Despina: Well, I didn’t have an exact plan, but I think I’ve got an inner animal that is pushing me constantly to accept new challenges. The idea for “Amant Maitresse” came into being three years ago, the company was founded one year later. And I am very happy that not only womenlike my stuff!

Wigald: That’s no wonder taken into consideration the fervour with which you praise the fair sex. On the other hand many of your creations also have a mischievous aspect, e.g. the hooped socks going with the dress and the remarkable range of beamy shoulder pads.

Despina: Well spotted! I have never taken fashion that seriously; above all for me it’s about having fun. And a touch of irony just suits my clothes well.

Wigald: In the meantime on the red carpets of German TV awards about two thirds of all dresses are tailored by Amant Maitresse. O.K., I am exaggerating, but not too much. Is it generally possible to increase this enormous success? And if so, in which direction would you like to conduct your brand on a long-term basis? Men’s fashion? Shoes? Perfume?

Despina: There is certainly a huge potential of development. Amant Maitresse still is in its infancy. The red carpet was conquered quickly because I know my way around there. My piece of homework is rather something else: How can I persuade the retail traders that it’s a good idea to order my clothes for their shops? It’s just economic facts that count; this business is hard as nails. I’m also interested in the new buying manners of the women: Today they rather prefer to order online, they love to try on everything in their living-rooms together with their friends, having a glass of champagne, deciding really calmly. The sorted-out pieces are sent back, without any stress. Somehow I like this online-shopping-thing, maybe the next step is an online shop with incorporated style consultation.

Wigald: Thinking back at “RTL Samstag Nacht” – Did you learn anything there making life easier in the world of fashion?

Despina: “RTL Samstag Nacht” was one of the most wonderful productions I have worked for. It was a pioneer’s job, but without the pressure you have to bear working for television nowadays. We had enough time to try and elaborate ideas until we were truly satisfied. This was one reason for the tremendous success of our show. And at “Amant Maitresse” I’m trying to realize the same mentality.

Wigald: Well, I keep my fingers crossed –for you, but also for me: Hopefully one day I will be reincarnated as a woman so that I can wear your dresses completely uninhibited!

http://www.amantmaitresse.de

Fashion extremism

Prominent thigh vs. Cucumber-Queen: Two radical definitions of elegance, both refusing the necessity of modesty. One photo was taken in Paris, the other one in the city of Lübbenau.

The art of matching colours

The colour conception of these warning signs is based on the idea of concurrent paintings; both trousers find their correspondences in the plywood puppets' lips, and the bulbus oculi in the ground colour of the football or rather the t-shirt. The twin-set of flaxen hair and socks is especially striking and should be considered more often not only for road safety purposes, but also for you and me.

Coffee klatch

Ceramics by Rebecca Maeder from Switzerland. The basic pattern could be found in the household of my parents, so this service reminds me of my childhood. Now that memories grind off, melt away and, over the decades, transform into something new, these vessels perfectly describe the reassembly of my origins in my consciousness.

The guy is bad, the guy is dangerous.

Bomber jacket: "PJ". Cowboy hat: Kaufhof. Eye-sight: Reduced.

Fire alarm

Do you remember the days when nobody thought of staring at smartphones all day long, when there were just stupidphones existing? The very aged among us may even remember the era of the extendable antennas or those unwieldy shouldered canisters called car phones. One of my most ardent wishes is a massive comeback of these tools - at least as far as their hefty design is concerned. Still I am waiting, and whenever I enter a cellphone store, my search of a telescopic aerial leads into disappointment. At least I found this wonderful lighter bringing me temporary relief. For the very young among my followers: the protruding hump that you press in order light the flame - that was the antenna in the old days.
What? No, I don't smoke. I just watch the flame now and then. It's a mere act of meditative alleviation; in focussing the blue core of the silent fire, my melancholia gets burnt. Well, ok, it might be stupid to watch a lighter flame all day long, but watching the display of a smartphone instead doesn't make you automatically smarter. In any case my little fetich is warming much more efficiently. Try and see!

Woolly dream world

Hand-knitted socks from Tbilissi, Georgia. Too bewitching to hide them behind trouser legs (and too bulky to insert them into shoes with your normal size).

An angel in the attic

This morning I discovered an angel in my attic room. Its hair wasn't as curly as claimed in most artistic works depicting angels, but at least it had impressive wings and astonishing shoulder pads meeting fully this blog's high demands on that item.

Viva visor cap

A winter cap with a distinctive rarity value from the early 80s. The countenance under this cap does not have to accept heavy snow storms or intensive sunshine without any refuge; a protective visor from brownish plastic can be pulled out of the front area. Isn't it a terrible shame that mankind seems to have forgotten about this cunning technique? High time to ring in the renaissance of the visor cap.

Chest of drawers, winter edition

Recently I walked through the lovely village of Pfronten in southern Bavaria and found some old cross country skis waiting for the skip collection. Intuitively I loaded them into my car and commissioned my friend Rudi, a freelance cabinetmaker, to figure out a second career for the sporty slats. Now three months are over and this is the outcome.

Maternity wear

Sketch for a pinafore dress, late 20th century, but still intriguing.

Watch out!

"One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble, can't be too careful with your company" (Murray Head, 1984). I found this watch on a bazaar near the Millennium Hilton Hotel in the Thai capital. It stopped working after one night, but having already fallen head over heels in love with its brave asymmetry, I repudiated to undo it for many months. Who needs a fully operative watch anyway? Our forefathers listened to the church bells and we've got our cellphones. Ticking is overrated.

Nocturnal

A soviet night vision aid having a tête-à-tête with a tyrolean hat - quite a recommendable combination for rural areas with weak street lighting.

Specky four-eyes

A bavarian acquaintance of mine works as an optometrist. Once a year she invites me to rummage through the cardboard box in which she stores junked glasses for the "catholic mission in Russia."