STUDIO VISIT WITH LEA ROESCH
JULY 3, 2024
1. Tell me about how you first got into fashion.
From as far back as I can remember, I always wanted to work in fashion. Growing up, I looked up with admiration to my grandmothers, who were both seamstresses. Also, my mother has an incredibly beautiful wardrobe and an excellent sense of style, so I’ve always been influenced by her interest in fashion. I’m from a small city in the south of Germany called Pforzheim. Though it was a wonderful place to grow up, it always felt too small. I moved to Berlin to study Fashion Design and have been here ever since.
After finishing my master’s degree, I realised I actually didn't have many options if I wanted to pursue a career as a designer. I knew I wanted to start a family, and I knew that wouldn't be compatible with a traditional career in the industry. Working for a big brand means working crazy hours and often sacrificing personal time. Besides, most of these companies don’t offer many options in regards to career growth. It’s only a handful who get to actually rise to director positions where you have creative freedom and control over a brand's identity. I didn’t see myself giving my whole life for a company that was not mine. So that was how I ended up choosing to start my own brand. It was a matter of how I imagined myself spending my life. Work takes so much of our time, so it’s important to do something that gives your life meaning.
After finishing my master’s degree, I realised I actually didn't have many options if I wanted to pursue a career as a designer. I knew I wanted to start a family, and I knew that wouldn't be compatible with a traditional career in the industry. Working for a big brand means working crazy hours and often sacrificing personal time. Besides, most of these companies don’t offer many options in regards to career growth. It’s only a handful who get to actually rise to director positions where you have creative freedom and control over a brand's identity. I didn’t see myself giving my whole life for a company that was not mine. So that was how I ended up choosing to start my own brand. It was a matter of how I imagined myself spending my life. Work takes so much of our time, so it’s important to do something that gives your life meaning.
2. What are the values of Lea Roesch, and what sets you apart?
When I first started, I chose to focus on designing limited, seasonless collections. Having previously worked for other independent brands, I had witnessed the difficulties of working in whole collections as a small label without a stable financial background. It made more sense to me to focus on producing a few high quality staple pieces that would become the core of my brand’s DNA, and that were perhaps easier to sell too. I want my pieces to be for people of all ages and shapes, so starting with bags and coats was essential to achieve that. The thing about coats is that you can design them to be adaptable to all bodies. And bags are suitable for everyone! When it comes to stylistic choices, my approach is to design clothes that I want to wear myself.
When I first started, I chose to focus on designing limited, seasonless collections. Having previously worked for other independent brands, I had witnessed the difficulties of working in whole collections as a small label without a stable financial background. It made more sense to me to focus on producing a few high quality staple pieces that would become the core of my brand’s DNA, and that were perhaps easier to sell too. I want my pieces to be for people of all ages and shapes, so starting with bags and coats was essential to achieve that. The thing about coats is that you can design them to be adaptable to all bodies. And bags are suitable for everyone! When it comes to stylistic choices, my approach is to design clothes that I want to wear myself.
3. How do you consider responsible craftsmanship within your designs?
I want to be honest and realistic when talking about sustainability, because despite our efforts to adopt responsible practices, we are still producing new items every day that are not necessarily needed. In today's world of overproduction, I don’t always feel at ease with my job. Overall, my priority lies in the quality of the fabrics I work with, and I’m always seeking ways to improve. I get most of my fabrics from dead-stock, apart from the Tarpaulin which I use for my best-selling bags - which is made in Germany. I have considered replacing it with more ethical fabrics or to purchase it from dead-stock, but that change implies bigger investments that I can’t secure for now. I also work with leather from European based companies that produce leather with leftover stock from the food industry. The truth is, at the end of the day, we are still trying to find the right answers, and there is still much to improve
For me, sustainability also means being conscious of how garments are made. Until now, I have been producing all my items in my studio here in Berlin. I have just recently started collaborating with a workshop in Brandenburg that supports people with disabilities. They are helping me mainly with the production of bags. They are very familiar with working with Tarpaulin, which was one of the reasons I chose to work with them. It is important for me to maintain local production while supporting what I believe to be a very good institution.
I want to be honest and realistic when talking about sustainability, because despite our efforts to adopt responsible practices, we are still producing new items every day that are not necessarily needed. In today's world of overproduction, I don’t always feel at ease with my job. Overall, my priority lies in the quality of the fabrics I work with, and I’m always seeking ways to improve. I get most of my fabrics from dead-stock, apart from the Tarpaulin which I use for my best-selling bags - which is made in Germany. I have considered replacing it with more ethical fabrics or to purchase it from dead-stock, but that change implies bigger investments that I can’t secure for now. I also work with leather from European based companies that produce leather with leftover stock from the food industry. The truth is, at the end of the day, we are still trying to find the right answers, and there is still much to improve
For me, sustainability also means being conscious of how garments are made. Until now, I have been producing all my items in my studio here in Berlin. I have just recently started collaborating with a workshop in Brandenburg that supports people with disabilities. They are helping me mainly with the production of bags. They are very familiar with working with Tarpaulin, which was one of the reasons I chose to work with them. It is important for me to maintain local production while supporting what I believe to be a very good institution.
4. What is it like to be a Berlin based designer today?
We often joke that Berlin is not really Germany, but rather its own state. I love Berlin and I still consider it to be one of the best capital cities in Europe to live in, despite it not being as affordable as it used to be. It’s great, especially for those working in the creative industry. There is space for everyone, and the city has so much to offer!
I do think that as a place for fashion, it's not very interesting. When I first moved here, there were many brands showcasing their work at Berlin Fashion Week. There was this one generation of designers that was very interesting and that was very much shaping Berlin’s fashion scene - that of Michael Sontag and Vladimir Karaleev. However, a lot has changed over the years. Many brands from that era are no longer active or have changed their approach. There are of course many upcoming designers, and many of whom feature this very special Berlin aesthetic - that I don’t necessarily consider my own. The great thing about Berlin is that it allows for a diversity of brands and aesthetics to emerge and flourish. There is respect for each other and, in a way or another, mutual inspiration.
We often joke that Berlin is not really Germany, but rather its own state. I love Berlin and I still consider it to be one of the best capital cities in Europe to live in, despite it not being as affordable as it used to be. It’s great, especially for those working in the creative industry. There is space for everyone, and the city has so much to offer!
I do think that as a place for fashion, it's not very interesting. When I first moved here, there were many brands showcasing their work at Berlin Fashion Week. There was this one generation of designers that was very interesting and that was very much shaping Berlin’s fashion scene - that of Michael Sontag and Vladimir Karaleev. However, a lot has changed over the years. Many brands from that era are no longer active or have changed their approach. There are of course many upcoming designers, and many of whom feature this very special Berlin aesthetic - that I don’t necessarily consider my own. The great thing about Berlin is that it allows for a diversity of brands and aesthetics to emerge and flourish. There is respect for each other and, in a way or another, mutual inspiration.
5. Where do you draw inspiration from?
I love biking through the city and seeing what people are wearing. I would definitely say that my biggest inspiration comes from humans - from conversation or interactions. My friends and my family are the most important to me, they are the ones who inspire me the most. Just now, as we sit here, I’m noticing the neckline of your jumper and it is making me want to do something with a similar cut. These tiny little aspects of design that one finds in everyday life are exactly what catch my attention and that I love! It’s funny, because sometimes I also get inspired by my daughter’s doll clothes. She has so many old clothes for her dolls and Barbies that we usually get at flea markets. It has happened to me a few times before finding a dress that I thought would be great for real-life-people (laughs).
6. What are some of the challenges you face being a young designer in the industry?
What I can tell from personal experience is that you don't really learn what goes behind starting and running your own brand when you go to university. I might have had one course about Fashion Business, but it wasn’t close enough to reality. It was all very theoretical, and I believe it would have been valuable to have someone like myself now, with real-life experience, come and share their views.
I don’t have a good sense for economics, and something I struggle with is pricing my own designs. I believe if it wasn’t for my friends pushing me to price my pieces correctly, I wouldn't be able to profit from my brand and live off it now. If it were up to me, I wouldn’t even charge people for the things I make (laughs). I guess it might have to do with a feeling of shame or insecurity - I still find it amazing that people are interested in buying the things I make.
Another challenge is obviously having to do everything myself, and not having the financial resources to hire people to do the tasks one is not good at. For example, handling my website and dealing with all the legal aspects of copyrights and things of that sort. Fortunately, I had my friends help building my corporate identity and giving me some sort of guidelines for navigating my webshop. Still, there is always something that can be improved. There are so many things one doesn’t know, and there’s so little time for it all.
I love biking through the city and seeing what people are wearing. I would definitely say that my biggest inspiration comes from humans - from conversation or interactions. My friends and my family are the most important to me, they are the ones who inspire me the most. Just now, as we sit here, I’m noticing the neckline of your jumper and it is making me want to do something with a similar cut. These tiny little aspects of design that one finds in everyday life are exactly what catch my attention and that I love! It’s funny, because sometimes I also get inspired by my daughter’s doll clothes. She has so many old clothes for her dolls and Barbies that we usually get at flea markets. It has happened to me a few times before finding a dress that I thought would be great for real-life-people (laughs).
6. What are some of the challenges you face being a young designer in the industry?
What I can tell from personal experience is that you don't really learn what goes behind starting and running your own brand when you go to university. I might have had one course about Fashion Business, but it wasn’t close enough to reality. It was all very theoretical, and I believe it would have been valuable to have someone like myself now, with real-life experience, come and share their views.
I don’t have a good sense for economics, and something I struggle with is pricing my own designs. I believe if it wasn’t for my friends pushing me to price my pieces correctly, I wouldn't be able to profit from my brand and live off it now. If it were up to me, I wouldn’t even charge people for the things I make (laughs). I guess it might have to do with a feeling of shame or insecurity - I still find it amazing that people are interested in buying the things I make.
Another challenge is obviously having to do everything myself, and not having the financial resources to hire people to do the tasks one is not good at. For example, handling my website and dealing with all the legal aspects of copyrights and things of that sort. Fortunately, I had my friends help building my corporate identity and giving me some sort of guidelines for navigating my webshop. Still, there is always something that can be improved. There are so many things one doesn’t know, and there’s so little time for it all.
7. Is there a moment in your journey as a designer that you feel most proud of?
I'm very proud that I pushed through and continued with the brand during times when it wasn’t going so well. Now, I’m at an incredibly beautiful point where it's self-sufficient, and I couldn't be more grateful. Just the other day, I had a really fun moment when I was with my mom shopping around the Mitte. We saw a girl wearing one of my bags, and my mom was like ‘Oh my god, there’s someone wearing your bag!’ She was so proud and she even told my father about it afterwards. It made me happy to see them proud. As a parent myself, I can relate to their feelings so much more now. You worry, but you also feel immense pride. It was really special to see someone who supports my brand in real life.
I'm very proud that I pushed through and continued with the brand during times when it wasn’t going so well. Now, I’m at an incredibly beautiful point where it's self-sufficient, and I couldn't be more grateful. Just the other day, I had a really fun moment when I was with my mom shopping around the Mitte. We saw a girl wearing one of my bags, and my mom was like ‘Oh my god, there’s someone wearing your bag!’ She was so proud and she even told my father about it afterwards. It made me happy to see them proud. As a parent myself, I can relate to their feelings so much more now. You worry, but you also feel immense pride. It was really special to see someone who supports my brand in real life.
8. Of all the designs you've created so far, do you have a favourite one?
I think it has to be the bags, mainly because they are what made my brand grow, and I never get tired of them! I use them regularly, and I like to choose which colour to wear depending on my mood.
I think it has to be the bags, mainly because they are what made my brand grow, and I never get tired of them! I use them regularly, and I like to choose which colour to wear depending on my mood.
9. Looking ahead, what are your plans, hopes and aspirations for the future?
Right now, I'm desperately waiting for my first delivery from the workshop I'm currently working with. If everything goes well, I’ll finally have time to start designing clothing again. As I mentioned before, I started my brand focusing only on coats and bags. But being my own boss means I get to play around as much as I want, which is so crazy! So, now I want to make a little summer collection for a photoshoot I’m having in June.
Honestly, I don’t need much more than what I have right now. I just hope that people don't get tired of my designs. I wouldn't want to grow much bigger or produce in large quantities. I don’t think that’s necessary and it’s not how I view success. As long as I can pay rent and feel fulfilled, that’s good enough for me.
Right now, I'm desperately waiting for my first delivery from the workshop I'm currently working with. If everything goes well, I’ll finally have time to start designing clothing again. As I mentioned before, I started my brand focusing only on coats and bags. But being my own boss means I get to play around as much as I want, which is so crazy! So, now I want to make a little summer collection for a photoshoot I’m having in June.
Honestly, I don’t need much more than what I have right now. I just hope that people don't get tired of my designs. I wouldn't want to grow much bigger or produce in large quantities. I don’t think that’s necessary and it’s not how I view success. As long as I can pay rent and feel fulfilled, that’s good enough for me.
10. What’s your favourite object in your studio?
My sewing machine, which belonged to my grandmother. She used this very same sewing machine to build her own fashion studio when she was around my age. She gave it to me when she could no longer sew. I sometimes think about how she must be laughing somewhere in the clouds, watching her granddaughter use her old sewing machine with these insane fabrics. She was a real seamstress - the old way! - and a great pattern maker too. I think if she could see me now, she would shake her head in amused disbelief but also enjoy seeing what I’m creating.
What I find interesting about having two grandmothers who were seamstresses is that I follow their legacy in a very different way. They both must think I’m crazy - I feel like I’m testing their beliefs with my methods. They were both such strong and independent women, and I feel immense pride in following their footsteps. Like them, I am my own boss and I have the ability to create something that is functioning with my own hands. And, to be honest, I never expected to be able to live off this craft just like they did.
My sewing machine, which belonged to my grandmother. She used this very same sewing machine to build her own fashion studio when she was around my age. She gave it to me when she could no longer sew. I sometimes think about how she must be laughing somewhere in the clouds, watching her granddaughter use her old sewing machine with these insane fabrics. She was a real seamstress - the old way! - and a great pattern maker too. I think if she could see me now, she would shake her head in amused disbelief but also enjoy seeing what I’m creating.
What I find interesting about having two grandmothers who were seamstresses is that I follow their legacy in a very different way. They both must think I’m crazy - I feel like I’m testing their beliefs with my methods. They were both such strong and independent women, and I feel immense pride in following their footsteps. Like them, I am my own boss and I have the ability to create something that is functioning with my own hands. And, to be honest, I never expected to be able to live off this craft just like they did.