Katja Schweitzberger
editor-in-chief of LesMads, fashion blogger & music lover – Berlin
Katja Schweitzberger may be an expert when it comes to fashion but she is also a music lover – we share our love for the “good tunes” of the 60s and 80s, our passion for bands like The Rolling Stones, The Cure, The Smiths and all the other indie bands that followed decades later but were obviously inspired by these idols. Katja, who studied English as well as German language and literature, is also editor-in-chief of one of Germany’s most renowned blogs, LesMads, where she took over the reins from its founders Julia Knolle and Jessica Weiß in late 2011. Always in search of the latest news in fashion, the loveable Berliner-by-choice keeps us up to date on topics that turn LesMads into a daily must-read.
Combining her two passions, Katja Schweitzberger found her own aesthetic language that reveals different influences: her love of indie music and films as well as her interest in new designers, collections, textile experiments and fashion treasures. The result is a very clean but always individual style that is half sporty, half chic. We appreciate all the more the fact that we saw Katja wearing our logo T-shirt earlier this year, wishing you sun from Hamburg’s music festival Dockville, and it’s obvious she is well aware of the impact of images, of sight and visual impressions! Now Katja has finally popped in for an interview and we are happy to share it with you. A very warm welcome!
What is more important to you, the sense of taste or sight?
Why?
The sense of sight. Though I love to eat – and of course taste – seeing is far more important for me. It is the only way to fully enjoy the things I love the most: fashion, movies, photography.
You are a creative person. What is your vision for your personal work?
I won’t say that I have a concrete vision for my personal work. A vision can also limit you. I just want to experience and learn as much as possible. And of course make our readers happy.
Your work mainly focuses on the visual side of life. But how does your life sound like?
That’s a tough question. I am not sure if anyone else but me would enjoy that soundtrack. Let’s say it’s a mix of The Cure, Gesaffelstein, Billy Idol, M.I.A., Fleetwood Mac and Die Antwoord.
We share our passion for music, especially bands of the 1960s and 1980s. Do you think the world was a better one back then?
I don’t think that the world in general was better back then but the music certainly was. Today music – especially pop music – doesn’t have the same value anymore. People just search for entertainment and want to have a good time. They don’t really care about what kind of music is playing when they are going out for example. And this reflects on the music. It’s not made to last. A lot of it is boring and disposable. You usually forget about the latest hit within a week. Or hear more about the performer’s (see Miley Cyrus, Rihanna or Madonna) private life than about their music.
Your personal evergreen?
I have so many evergreens. Today I pick Rod Stewart’s “Young Turks.”
What is your sound for IWISHUSUN?
I don’t quite know why but I was just thinking about something warm and soft and then the sound of Feist came to my mind. I haven’t heard her music for quite some time but somehow I think she fits.
Blind people and those who can see surely experience the world in different ways. How would you describe the world to someone who suffers from an irreversible loss of the ability to see in one sentence?
The world is a crazy beautiful place and if you can’t see it with your own eyes, experience it with the help of your loved ones.
What is the most beautiful thing you ever saw?
Peta Loudhes, the valley of the butterflies in Rhodes.
What would you like to see more often?
The sea.
What is your tactic for making the world a better place?
Listening to people.
When was the last time you gave back and what did you do?
I donated clothes to the Skyy swap market. The proceeds of the event went to Berlin Aids-Hilfe e.V.
Who is your personal hero?
Grace Coddington.
In the past weeks we counted ourselves lucky for a lot of support: We released our new bag but still offer our classic logo T-shirts as well as our warming, ultra light down jackets and the press showed great support. Below you find a selection of press features:
ECOSTYLE: “Going Green” (print)
“Brother-and-sister team Patrick Andrist and Cathy Boom launched IWISHUSUN as a platform for cool products (such as an ultralight down jacket) just over a year ago. All their profits go to the ORBIS non-profit organisation, which funds sight-re- storing eye operations at the Ispahani Islamia Eye Hospital in Bangladesh. And every patient helped is documented on their website.”
LES MADS: “Outfit Option: Die Ledertasche von IWISHUSUN” (only in German)
“Die heutige Outfit Option besteht eigentlich komplett aus Lieblingsteilen. Die Collegejacke ist mir schon vor einigen Tagen mit ihrem zeitlosen Schnitt ins Auge gefallen, das Sweatshirt begeistert mit dezentem Karomuster, den Schal besitze ich bereits in Schwarz und die Tasche von IWISHUSUN – ein New Arrival im hauseigenen Onlineshop - ist das i-Tüpfelchen der Kombination. Klassisches Design, hochwertiges Leder und eine praktische Größe; was will man mehr? Obendrauf werden 100 Prozent des Profits gespendet. Nach dem Klick geht es zu allen Einzelteilen (read more…)”
DAILY SOCIAL DIARY: “Fashion for Charity: IWISHUSUN” (only in German)
“Der Herbst steht vor der Tür und wir sind dabei unseren Kleiderschrank auf Nässe und Kälte vorzubereiten. Im Zuge dessen haben wir die wunderbaren Daunenjacken von IWISHUSUN entdeckt und freuten uns sehr zu hören, dass wir mit dem shoppen auch noch Gutes für andere Menschen tun können und nicht nur für unseren stilsicheren Auftritt und um uns zu wärmen (read more…)”
UNITED NETWORKER: “Charity meets Style” (only in German)
“Die Berliner Charity ist erfolgreich mit ihrem ganz eigenen Ansatz
GOOD FOR YOU AND GOOD FOR OTHERS! – „Gut für Dich und gut für Andere“ – die Idee hinter IWISHUSUN bringt den Charity Gedanken mitten hinein in die Modewelt. Charity als fester Bestandteil der Kleidungsauswahl: die Entscheidung wird leicht gemacht durch zeitgemäße, die Modebewusstsein ebenso reflektieren wie bewusstes Konsumieren (read more…)”
Thank you!!
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Katja Schweitzberger of LesMads, one of Germany’s most popular fashion blogs, wearing our IWISHUSUN logo T-shirts.
Get your own IWISHUSUN tee here and finance a pair of glasses for a school child in Bangladesh through the National Childhood Blindness Project (NCBP) from ORBIS, true to the motto “Buy a T-Shirt, improve a child’s sight”.
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