5 questions for Working Title founder Bjoern Kubeja

Fashion inspired by art and architecture - this is how high fashion can be sustainable

Interview with Bjoern Kubeja, Co-Founder Working Title

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Source and Copyright by working title

Author: House of Eden

Fashion inspired by art and architecture. Founded by the fashion designer Antonia Goy and the architect Bjoern Kubeja, the designs of the Berlin fashion label Working Title are bold, minimalist, with striking details. The design duo relies on seasonal and timeless styles that are intended to build up a wardrobe and accompany the wearer for a long time.

Made-to-order, fine natural materials, no mineral oil-based substances and production in Europe are just some of the sustainable and ethical aspects that the company pursues. The designers' approach to sustainability is based on the precise construction of a garment, taking into account the entire life cycle. In an interview with co-founder Bjoern, we learn more about the vision of the sustainable high fashion brand.

Founder working title

Founder Working Title Antonia Goy & Bjoern Kubeja

"The constant creation of new collections destroys many designers physically and mentally, it's a real burn-out system. In order to become really sustainable, we urgently need a new definition of growth and consumption in the fashion industry."

1. What made you decide to found Working Title?

It is important to us that we protect what we love. We love the sea, like swimming and sailing and have a very close relationship with water. Accordingly, it is particularly important to us to protect the seas from pollution by plastic waste. At the same time, we are also aesthetes. Consequently, we attach just as much importance to high-quality products and materials, whose quality also lies in design and prestige. Unfortunately, many of the brands that we love ourselves are not sustainable. After all, three years ago there were (almost) no brands with a contemporary design that actually worked completely sustainably. We didn't find the so-called eco-fashion particularly interesting, mainly for aesthetic reasons.

Working title Collectionj

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Consequently, with working title we simply created a new position that combines our minimalist and timeless aesthetics with sustainability. The brand name stands for movement and flux. Because our environment is always in motion and so are we. That means: we don't rest, but remain curious and constantly try out new things. Our collections are therefore bold and individual. In addition, our products are made-to-order, so only as much is produced as is needed. We work with high quality materials like wool, organic cotton and silk. At the same time, our products and packaging are plastic-free and therefore completely degradable.

2. An architect and a fashion designer, what are the benefits of this combo?

The advantage of our cooperation lies in the different perspectives on certain things. We have different training and a different approach to our work together. However, we are not in competition as two designers, but complement and challenge each other. Because the conception of a collection, the choice of material and the subsequent processing are elementary components of our cooperation. Mutual feedback is another important element. In this way we get our high quality and a unique design in the end. At the same time, we have a clear division of labor, which accounts for the majority of our work, because design is only a small part of our everyday life.

3. How do you describe the current central problem in the fashion industry?

The constant pressure to grow and produce new collections creates many problems. Pollution and resource consumption are only part of the problem. Rather, the inhumane situations in many production facilities are a constant conflict. But the constant creation of new collections also destroys many designers physically and mentally, it's a real burn-out system. Social media also play their part. Because in order to get attention, the brands have to constantly generate new content, which costs a lot of resources. In order to become truly sustainable, we in the fashion industry urgently need a new definition of growth and consumption.

Working title collection

Source & Copyright by Working Title

4. Is sustainability still a separate topic and when will it become a matter of course?

It just has to be done. As a designer, you have to deal with the matter and start. There are now many examples of young designers creating collections that are both aesthetic and sustainable. After all, it's simply part of it for young designers these days. This is more difficult with larger brands because the processes and structures are much more complex here. It is important that there is no Greenwashing there is more, because a t-shirt made of organic cotton, which was manufactured in a developing country under bad working conditions, is not sustainable. Rather, however, customers must be informed about the actual price of a product, because everyone knows the price but hardly anyone knows the value of a product.

5. What is your secret of success?

A decisive moment was the personal invitation to the Vogue Salon by editor-in-chief Christiane Arp. But it was also good timing, because at that time there simply weren’t any high fashion brands that were starting with our approach. The principles of Working Title are: Stay true to yourself! We are constantly evolving. We are currently working on a menswear and unisex collection, for example, but also on accessories. It is also our vision to develop an interdisciplinary design studio.

Thank you for the interview Björn.

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