Berlin-based textile designer Nadine Goepfert skillfully experiments with fashionable conventions - Friends of Friends / Freunde von Freunden (FvF)

Berlin-based textile designer Nadine Goepfert skillfully experiments with fashionable conventions

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Nadine Goepfert has always been interested in textiles. A career has grown from this fascination. Today she develops fashionable collections, wearable studies in daily life—garments that could and should be considered as works of art.

A sweet fragrance of oriental spices fills the large, bright Berlin studio and the light sounds of Frank Ocean’s song, Ivy can be faintly heard in the background. Textile designer Nadine Goepfert has temporarily swapped her scissors and fabric for cooking utensils to prepare lunch in the common kitchen of her studio. “We don’t do this every day but every now and then we cook, eat, listen to some music together. That makes for a nice break from the work!”

“I’m less concerned with the aesthetic and temporal aspect of fashion and more with the sociological-material connections.”

Together with her boyfriend, graphic designer Till Wiedeck and founder of the studio, HelloMe, his team and some other creative freelancers, the 30-year-old moved into the gallery-like workspace at the quiet end of the Kurfürstenstraße some time ago. At one time, street hustling above all else boomed in this multicultural Schöneberg neighborhood. Today, restaurants, galleries, artists, designers and fashion boutiques have all taken up residence in the area. Here Nadine can concentrate completely on her work with textiles.

The first sample pieces from Nadine’s new collection ‘Manners’.
Stretch Dress, part of the collection ‘Matters of Habit’, 2015.

“I’m interested in body language, gestures and how clothing influences them.”

Most of Nadine’s conceptual designs could be considered works of art—many are in fact, shown in museums (e.g. the Museum of Mataró, Barcelona or Liljevalchs Museum, Stockholm) and not on catwalks. However, some of them can also be worn in everyday life. Nadine invented a transformative coat where the pattern changes with every movement. “I’m less concerned with the aesthetic and temporal aspect of fashion and more with the sociological-material connections that I’ve used as the conceptual jumping off point for my work,” she explains. “Generally, I’m interested in habits and aspects of daily life; body language, gestures and how clothing influences them.”

A Perfectly Designed Playlist

Listen to Nadine’s curated tracks featuring some of her favorite songs

“Solange has a great sense of fashion and art. The video clip is aesthetically staged in a wonderful way, so it’s a real honor for my clothing to be part of it.”

Her work has attracted international acclaim: Solange Knowles wore a cocoon-like foam sweater from her ‘Garments May Vary’ collection in the music video for her single, Cranes in the Sky. “It really was a special moment when that request arrived,” she says. “Solange has a great sense of fashion and art. The video clip is aesthetically staged in a wonderful way, so it’s a real honor for my clothing to be part of it. Aside from the fact that I greatly appreciate the artist musically.”

One of Nadine’s most important tools: the sewing machine.
First sketch of the Macrame piece from her new collection ‘Manners’.

“Music is something my boyfriend and I never really have to argue about.”

Music plays a big role for Nadine. Particularly when she’s entered the creative stage, she needs—as a rather calm and attentive person—a little bit of sound. “Growing up all my girlfriends were very into music. In my hometown of Würzburg, there’s a small record store where we spent many of our afternoons.” She shares her passion for good sounds with her boyfriend Till. He’s not just an art director but also a DJ—and he always plays the songs that she loves to dance to. “Music is something we really never have to argue about,” she says with a laugh.

“Just recently, there was a podcast interview with the editor-in-chief of the independent fashion magazine Vestoj,” she says. ”That of course doesn’t just play in the background but somehow also indirectly affects my work.” Nadine is currently tinkering with her new collection. Frequently, her work is more involved than simply creating a new pattern as Nadine designs complex structures and material solutions. “It’ll be a tablecloth line,” she says playing with conventions once again. “I like to question things. Tables are particularly steeped in a set of rituals.”

Nadine Goepfert’s Experimental World

Fashion as art and not only for the runway

  • Distort and Transform © Alina Asmus
  • Stretch Dress (“Matters of Habit”) © Alina Asmus
  • Memory Foam Pullover © Sanna Helena Berger
  • Wire Sweater (“Matters of Habit”) © Alina Asmus
  • Metal Jacket and Hook (“Everyday Essentials”) © Alina Asmus
  • Anti Slip Hangers w/ Michael Bernard (“Everyday Essentials”) © Alina Asmus
  • Neckline Scarf (Scarf series “Breaks in Continuity”) © Ina Niehoff
  • Neckline Scarf (Scarf series “Breaks in Continuity”) © Ina Niehoff

In addition to creating her own collections, Nadine also regularly collaborates with renowned Berlin fashion designers like Vladimir Karaleev and Kostas Murkudis. In recent years, she has successfully made a name for herself with her individual projects in the German capital—she tinkers with them at her base in the Kurfürstenstraße. Separated from the hustle and bustle of the main space, she’s lovingly curated a work environment that belies her creative talent. Shapely vases and pretty little bowls with pins or buttons; Abstract prints and artistic macramé work on the walls and a soft woven rug on the floor.

Studio Building in Schöneberg: Nadine shares the studio on the first floor with the graphic design studio HelloMe, whose founder is her boyfriend Till Wiedeck.
Nadine discusses the first samples of the laser cut with her assistant Aleksandra.
Nadine prepares fabric for laser cut.

“I think I need both the connection to the others and the times of silence as well.”

Nadine’s realm is, incidentally, the only place in the common studios “where you can close a door behind you! I think I need both the connection to the others and the times of silence as well,” she explains. Particularly when she’s doing research. Studies in fashion theory make up an important part of her work. Her studio is therefore also a combination of a craft room and library. Her ideas are often born through literary research.

Nadine and Aleksandra visiting carpet producer Mareike Lienau to talk about their upcoming collaboration.

Nadine muses that it’s actually also quite exciting for her work to absorb the sounds of clothing. Even the production of textiles produces its very own sounds; From the rapid chattering of the sewing machine to the loud clattering of a loom and the shallow strumming of sewing needles. However, once set in motion, the materials themselves also produce exciting sounds. “There have been times when I’ve ended up not buying a pair of pants because I didn’t like the sound of the material while walking,” she says with a grin. She much prefers the sound of a rain jacket. “Or that of a windbreaker. It rustles and whistles so beautifully when you run your hand across it. Almost like the wind itself.”

 

For years we have glimpsed into the work and home lives of creatives worldwide. With each visit we have discovered something new, but what we’ve found everywhere is music. The collaboration with our friends at Sonos is special, together we have asked the people around us what the role of music plays in their life—what tunes they grew up with, and what their favorites are now.

With advances in technology, the way that we listen to music changes. Independent of personal taste, Sonos is the home sound system. Learn more here.

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