Wunderkind (Berlin, Germany)

I know I haven't been posting as regularly as I could and it's not about to get better, because I'm leaving for yet another destination tomorrow and this time it's a real vacation, i.e. posting will be very light (I have no idea if I'm getting Internet access). The good thing is that Haute World will finally be taking you to a country outside Europe. Until then, I thought I'd present at least one store I visited while I was in Berlin (there are still plenty to come).

The thing that always irritated me a little about Germany was the fact that it's the third largest economy in the world (following the U.S. and Japan), yet when it comes to global acclaim in fashion design, they always seemed a little behind... at least compared to other nations - such as the two I just mentioned as well as the UK, Italy, France or even Belgium. Germany has given us everything from luxury cars to cool sports brands to Helmut Newton or Marlene Dietrich, so it's not like there's a lack of creativity there. And with many talented German indie designers popping up, there's thankfully a new movement of fashion innovators streaming from the country. But it's still not necessarily the country you think of when it comes to big-name designers. There are three exceptions, the two biggest being Karl Lagerfeld and Jil Sander, both hailing from the beautiful (and my favorite) city of Hamburg. The third is Wolfang Joop, a designer who is pretty much as legendary as the other two in his home country, but slightly overshadowed by them in an international context.

Wunderkind's SS09 campaign.

Joop, a native of Potsam (a city neighboring Berlin), first rose to fame when he created his namesake label JOOP! which specialized in women's and men's ready-to-wear. Later on, when the name became available for licensing, it was primarily associated with fragrances, as well as jewelry and other accessories. Selling all his own shares of the company between 1998-2001, Joop removed himself from the brand he conceived and created a new label called Wunderkind in 1997. The brand name, which means 'child prodigy', was deliberately chosen by Joop, because it's one of the few German words that's understood universally without translation (much like 'Schadenfreude', which is probably less suitable as a label name). While JOOP! featured mainly sophisticated, minimalist and very grown-up looks, he wanted Wunderkind to have a more youthful, fun and playful edge, but at the same time retained a mix of tailored, fluid feminine and luxurious elements. First unveiled during NY Fashion Week in 2004, the collections have now moved to the Paris shows, where they are presented each season.

The first artworks I sighted near the entrance.

Even though the label has become fairly successful and popular, Wunderkind might still be hard to find in retail spaces around the world, which makes visiting the main flagship in Berlin a real treat (and a must, if you love beautifully crafted clothes). The first thing that came to mind, when I stepped into the sleek boutique, was 'art gallery', and unlike other stores, which remind me of one as well, it wasn't just the clean interiors and simple decor, but the fact that entire walls featured nothing but framed pieces of art. The current FW09 collection is primarily inspired by the colorful shapes of Russian abstract artist Kazimir Malevich's pieces, as well as the black and white nature photography of Gregor Törzs. Prints of these works (most of them by Törzs) hang alongside the clothes, highlighting the source of Joop's inspiration and in some cases the framed prints are available for sale as well.

Part of the window display at the entrance (left) and a range of skincare products (right).

The other thing I couldn't help noticing when I entered, was the huge range of beauty products in a corner towards the entrance. Wunderkind also creates a large number of luxury skincare items, all of which were available in-store. Accessories, such as bags and shoes were laid out as well, most of which reflect the same artworks that also inspired the clothes.

Part of the store as seen from the entrance, incl. some photographs by Törzs (left) and a selection of bags on display (right).

Because I don't often get to see the Wunderkind collection in person, I immediately started perusing the clothes and was not disappointed. Even if you're not into the colorful patterns or the nature-inspired prints, the draping, tailoring and other details such as ruching or pleating of the garments is impeccable. Of course you'll also find a large number of classic items, such as sharp-shouldered black coats and dresses featuring the more masculine look that made Joop famous. The store was completely empty on a Saturday, which isn't uncommon in German luxury stores (some may remember I had a similar experience when I visited the Jil Sander boutique), but there were only two SAs present and because upbeat music was playing, the atmosphere didn't seem as chilly as one might think.

Clothes on display...

A few more photographs that inspired the collection (left).

Despite the futuristic touches, such as the small wall lamps, there were also a few cosy elements: the seating area near the changing rooms with it's soft light contained cosy circular couches and was decorated with reproductions of ancient statues.

A few cool wall lamps (left) and the cosy seating area (right).

Besides the clothes and artworks, there's also plenty more to look at. The most obvious prop is the large table in the center that stretches through the entire store. Its glass surface contains sketches, swatches, notes and photos, giving you a glimpse of how the current collection was created from scratch and any other tidbits Joop has decided to share with the consumer. The designer himself is an avid painter, illustrator and writer (his own artworks are currently featured and sold in Lumas), so some of the sketches were pretty impressive.

Overview of the store from the back (left) and the inspirational collage on display (right).

More inspiration...

Currently there are only four Wunderkind boutiques in the world, three of which are in Germany (the fourth can be found in London), giving you the best excuse to drop by if you're ever in Berlin. There are plans of opening up more this year, mainly in the U.S. and Europe. What I loved most about the boutique, was the fact that it gave so much insight as to what inspired the collection, which is rare for a store and something a designer usually reserves for an exhibit. For further inspiration, I would definitely recommend checking out some of Joop's illustrations and paintings as well.

FW09 RTW collection (images: style.com).

A selection of W. Joop's illustrations, including sketches for Wunderkind and color paintings (images: Lumas).

Address: Gendarmenpalais, Markgrafenstraße 42, 10117 Berlin
Opening Hrs: Mon-Fri: 10:00-19:00, Sat: 10:00-18:00
Wunderkind Homepage