STEINROHNER

Photographer: Christine Kreiselmaier

Today we introduce you to Inna and Caroline, the two lovely ladies behind the label STEINROHNER.

Hey Inna and Caroline! Please introduce yourself. Who are you? Where do you come from? What is your field of specialisation?

We are Inna Stein and Caroline Rohner our label is called STEINROHNER. We both graduated from the Art Academy Berlin Weissensee in 2013 with a Master’s Degree in Fashion Design.

Where are you based?

We are based in Berlin.

What inspires you in general?

We are inspired by old photography, movies and architecture, we both are open-minded for everything. All things can be inspiring; especially we are looking for structures in all kind of items.

What place or city do you find inspiring?

Inna: My favourite city is Istanbul, it has so many layers and different parts of the city. There is the contrast between old and new, rich and poor.  

Caroline: For me it is difficult to announce one specific place. I like the feeling of being somewhere new, to get to know a new place and be surprised.

What is it like to be a young designer in your city/country?

In Berlin it's still not too expensive to rent a studio, also you can find a big variation of shops for sewing and nice fabric stores. We have also the possibility to screen print and laser cut in our university.

What attracts you about the FASHIONCLASH platform?

We like the whole concept and also the designers, who are working very experimental and creative. We think it is something very special for the Netherlands.

Your collection is called “Obscure”. What is it trying to convey?

Obscure is the feeling we wanted to create. We are inspired by the black and white movies of Fellini especially the film La Strada. Another inspiration was the circus and its obscure world - short, glamorous moments in front of an audience as product of hard work, hidden behind the stage. An intense life, always on the move. Different arts combine to evoke emotions, amusement, laughter, amazement, dreaming and – finally - the admiration of the spectators.

Caroline Rohner

You are working with a number of different materials. What is the most challenging part of that process?

We like “strange” fabrics like latex and technical fabrics, and we try to use them in an unusual way. We always have to find a balance between them. It takes of course a lot of time to develop a new technique, it's our way to work and create.

Three-dimensionality is something very central to your collection. Why? How?

We found each other by working in a sculptural way. We like to make impossible things possible, and well,  it's a challenge!

Did you always want to work in the field of fashion?

Fashion is a medium to express our selves. We also could imagine to work for the theatre and to do illustrations.

Can you remember the first piece you designed?

Inna: Yes, it was horrible, a dress for a prom.

Caroline: A tailcoat for a little dog. This dog was a circus artist.

Do you have a muse? If yes, who is it and why?

We think it's Björk. She has such an extraordinary style. In general, we are fans of strong women.

What kind of feeling do you want to transfer with your latest collection?

It is the overall intention that our creations not only dress, but also trigger emotions and thereby elevate the wearer into a world beyond casual constraints.

What is on your playlist when you are working?

Inna Stein

Soundtracks from various movies.

What book shaped you?

Inna: The last book I red was written by a friend Seltenheim, it's very surrealistic, like a parallel world, in which we sometimes would like to escape.

Caroline: I am still reading a book called 1912.

Who is your favourite fashion designer?

Juun Tahakashi, Hussein Chalayan and Johij Yamamoto.

What is the latest thing you bought for yourself?

Inna: I bought a bag at the flea market with colourful sequins, which looks like the skyline of Istanbul with mosques, Arabic letters and green palms.

Caroline: I bought a watch from the 50’s, the time is on!

What is your favourite fairy tale and why?

Inna: My favourite is a Russian one. It tells the story about an evildoer, who have to be killed with a stitching needle, which is inside of a chicken egg, which is inside of a jewel case, inside of a duck and the duck is in the stomach of a wild pig.

Caroline: I like the Swiss Alps legends; they’re quaint, mysterious and morbid.

Photographer: Christine Kreiselmaier

What is your definition of style?

Style is something that fits to a person. It should be authentic, not imitated.

What has been the greatest experience in your fashion career so far?

To work for our own label, and to be in our studio.

What can we expect from you in the future?

Staying us and to still continue to work as experimental as the label STEINROHNER.

Check out their website: www.steinrohner.com