The indieberlin Nico Sutor interview – “Loose silhouettes and fluid pieces”

by | Fashion

This week indieberlin presents “The indieberlin Nico Sutor interview”. Founded in 2011, Nico Sutor is a Berlin-based fashion label for both women’s and menswear. Mixing minimalistic and androgynous styles, she creates unique and comfortable pieces of advanced handcrafting and draping techniques. indieberlin is happy to present her new impressive collection inspired by people and human skins. 

indieberlin: Tell us a little bit about yourself 

Nico Sutor: My name is Nicole. When I was little I watched “The Bold and the Beautiful” (a soap opera about designers with a lot of drama) with my grandma, which taught me all kinds of needlework. My Barbie was the most stylish bitch in town. From that point on, I wanted to be like the Forresters (the fashion design family from The Bold and the Beautiful) and design clothes for a living, so I studied fashion in Berlin and after some internships I decided to work for myself. Working for free feels better if you are your own boss, so I founded my label “Nico Sutor”.
As a designer you should never forget that you design for people, not only editorials in magazines…
indieberlin:  What are your sources for inspiration generally, and/or for your new collection specifically?

Nico Sutor: My friends are a big source for my inspiration, because they tell you what’s missing in their wardrobe, free from trends, and that’s what really important. As a designer you should never forget that you design for people, not only editorials in magazines (even though that’s more fun ;­) ).

Of course the best city in the universe, Berlin, is my muse. All the different buildings from different eras, all the different styles of architecture, all these opposites that make the city what it is, and all of its fabulous people. The subways in Berlin are amazing. It’s not only the interior of every station that give you the impression of traveling to another world, it’s a melting pot of styles and people; all these unique Berliners you would never find on Pinterest.

indieberlin: How would you describe your unique style? 

Nico Sutor: I love to work with Jersey fabric as it’s very versatile, easy to manipulate and comfortable to wear. I’d like to thank my grandmother again who taught me how to knit, as I now incorporate this skill into the jersey fabric to give the surface an interesting new touch. I integrate that style in different ways and on different areas of the pieces in all my collections. And I love black; it’s easy to handle, it fits on everyone and it’s never out of fashion! I mean, black, who doesn’t love it?
I want to lay the focus on people and the human skin, not a trend
indieberlin: How would you describe your new collection? 

Nico Sutor: The theme of the new collection is HMN ­Human. I want to lay the focus on people and the human skin, not a trend. I want to play with the range of skin tone stereotypes we have in our mind when we think about skin. There will be form fitted dresses, for women, but in general my designs aren’t about the gender of a person, it’s about giving people what they like and love to wear. I want them to feel good in what they’re wearing. This collection is all about loose silhouettes and fluid pieces and I’m very into wrapping right now; wrap dresses and wrapped pants.

indieberlin: Which would you say is the best piece in your current collection? 

Nico Sutor: Like a mother would say, “I love all of my children”. But if there would be a fire, I would run for the jackets, especially the trenchcoat!

indieberlin: Do you work nationally or internationally? And if internationally, what difficulties do you find exist for doing that?

Nico Sutor: For the moment, I try to focus on the national market, just because it’s easier to handle as a one-­woman­business, but I have some international private customers. I think the taste and the styling of people on this planet are more similar than we like to admit. The internet doesn’t care about borders.
You’re still able to afford to live a dream most cities would kill to have in a heartbeat
indieberlin: How do you find the experience of working as a fashion designer in Berlin ­ in terms of it being a centre of creativity, in terms of the emerging artists and fashion designers?

Nico Sutor: I really love living and working in Berlin. You always find someone who’s hungry to work with you and you’re still able to afford to live a dream most cities would kill to have in a heartbeat. I mean it’s also hard, because every day comes a younger and better version of you in this town, but it’s what keeps us running.

indieberlin: What advice would you give for fashion lovers? 

Nico Sutor: Never let anyone tell you what you should wear! If you don’t feel good, you don’t look good.

indieberlin: What projects do you have planned for the future? 

Nico Sutor: Currently I’m working on my new collection and I’m trying not to have so many plans for the future. I learned whatever plan I make ends up working out totally differently. The really cool stuff happens unplanned when someone calls you and says, “Hey are you interested in making a fashion video? I’m a filmmaker.” And now I’m waiting for the finished fashion short film that I didn’t even know about two weeks ago!
The really cool stuff happens unplanned
indieberlin: Do you have any upcoming shows, or is there anything you’d like to let people know about?

Nico Sutor: During the next fashion week in June I’m going to show my new SS17 collection at the Rath Factory together with Perlensäue and two other young designers organised by KALTBLUT Magazine. And Projekt Galerie; The fantastic designer sample sale at Gormannstrasse 23 from 27.6 till 3.7.2016 which no real fashion lover, or designer bargain hunter should miss… But only buy Sutor!

indieberlin: How can people find you ­ online and in the real world? 

Nico Sutor: Website Facebook Instagram
You can find me everywhere in the internet, except Snapchat. I don’t get Snapchat. I’ll be all over Facebook and Instagram during fashion week Projekt Galerie

indieberlin: Anything else you’d like to share with us? 

Nico Sutor: Have fun and stop thinking about fashion too much!

Interview by Gloria De Grossi | Edited by Noel Maurice

Photos by Natalia Kandula

Shoes: Special thanks to Adidas

Hair&Make up by Kristina Neuhause

Models: Marthje Sagewitz and Karl Schneegans from Modelfabrik Berlin

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