A lot has changed. In the beginning, my songs were in English because I didn’t want people to understand what I was writing about or how I felt. That’s changed completely. The songs that are hardest for me emotionally are usually the most important ones. The ones that resonate most with others and mean the most to me. Two years later, when I was around 16, I wrote my first song in German. And in that moment, I decided I’d never write in English again. My English songs were honestly terrible. I’m really glad I never uploaded anything to social media back then and that there are barely any recordings left.

I actually had to be convinced to release it. It took me a while to realize that it’s about finding yourself. But it’s also about the distance of 560 km from Düsseldorf to Berlin. I moved really naively; I thought nothing would change. The first nine months in Berlin, I just pushed through. But somehow, I didn’t feel at home in Berlin, and in Düsseldorf I felt like a guest. Suddenly, there were so many different versions of myself, and I didn’t know which one was the real one or if the version I had in my head was even accurate anymore. That’s how the song came about. A jumble of everything, really.

I’m going on tour in two weeks. I’m not sure what’s coming after that yet. There are still so many songs from the album process that I really love, but that didn’t make it onto the record. But there’s definitely more music coming, and I’ll be playing some great festivals next year.

It’s my first tour, so I think it’s going to be really special. I’m incredibly excited.

Martin Mai: My first real interaction with image-making that went beyond hobby photography happened during a family get-together. I was tasked with documenting the whole thing on Super-8 Film, and it somehow turned out very experimental. I think I was about sixteen at the time. Despite the footage not being very usable as documentation, everyone was fascinated by the result. “You’ve got something there. You have to make something out of it,” is what they told me back then.

So, after graduating from high school, I applied to the University of Essen (Folkwang School). My studies in communication design were actually quite broad, with art history, philosophy, and semantics as theoretical subjects, and painting, drawing, graphic-design and photography in practice. It quickly became clear that my talent lay primarily in photography.

After two years I changed to Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan to finish my studies and started working primarily as a fashion and portrait photographer. However, this desire for classification and categorization of my work always came from outside; I never liked setting those boundaries. Of course, Fashion and Portrait need a different approach and focus, but I’ve always believed that featuring the model’s personality is just as important in fashion photography as a fashion statement is important in portrait photography. But yes, my focus is truly on people – even though architecture and interiors have always played a big role, too. Of course, there are many other reasons why one would choose photography as a career: traveling, meeting people, and seeing places you wouldn’t normally have access to, but my driving force is ultimately the feeling that there are still pictures I have to take.” I think my biggest theme though, which lies at the core of everything – and I don’t want to sound dramatic – is beauty and transience. Perhaps this theme keeps coming up because I lost my sister when I was 16. She was 18. In that moment, I realized how quickly life—even in its most beautiful and vibrant moments—can end. Perhaps that’s why my fascination with beauty is so strong. At the same time, I always feel this sense of impending danger. Beauty is always threatened, be it by time, by fate, or simply by changing circumstances. I’m not just talking about obvious, visual, and certainly not superficial beauty, but beauty in a very comprehensive and, of course, very subjective sense. And there’s this unstoppable urge to document and capture it in my own way. That’s why, for example, I would have difficulty, directing a play.

Exactly, at least no physically tangible one.

Sure. And of course, things and situations that aren’t beautiful also pass away. But then you’re perhaps more willing to accept that.

What you call “after” is actually my “before.” When I want to photograph a person, I spend a lot of time studying their face beforehand, discovering facial features that perhaps haven’t been discovered before, even in people who may have been photographed many times. In this process, my relationship with the person changes, even before I’ve photographed them. Sometimes strangers become familiar to me, or I discover something strange in familiar faces. That’s why, for example, I don’t have a standard light; instead, I always model the light in the moment, trying to figure out what it needs. The challenge then is to capture these aspects on “film”.

I met Armin last year when I photographed him for another design magazine. We immediately sensed a special connection between us. We met a few times, became friends, and the idea of making a film portrait of him was born, which we’re still working on. We were just finishing a day of filming in his studio when Numéro asked me to portray him for the Fight issue. There was no briefing, only that it had to be black and white. So Armin and I decided to simply throw away all boundaries and sense of caution. I think that only worked because we already knew and trusted each other. This trust enabled us to be very radical. The traces of his injuries are, of course, very obvious on Armin. The question is how to deal with them as a photographer. Armin already explained his perspective on this in the interview. For me it was important not to have a voyeuristic view, nor did I want it to appear exhibitionistic. We ended up taking almost 30 pictures, and in the end, we only removed two. One because it was too banal, and the other because there wasn’t enough justification for showing it. I think there are already many intelligent interpretations and classifications of Armin’s work, and I don’t want to join in on that now. What has changed for me though after these days is that I feel I intuitively understood his paintings and driving force much better. What connects us, I think, is a sense of urgency that underlies our work.

Right – and if that’s the case, then every image, every photo has its justification. Whether you say you like it or not. Because if that’s your motivation, if it comes from you, then you’re in a sense unassailable. That doesn’t mean you’re incorrigible. But you can stand by what you do, no matter what others say.

Yes, but honesty not in the sense of being fact-based; that would be too much of a limit in creating art. I would perhaps rather speak of truthfulness regarding one’s own concerns and intentions.

Fantastic. I never felt the need to add color to these photos.

Taking a picture is always about that “magical moment.” Everything comes together in that one moment, regardless of whether it’s “caught” or staged.

At some point, I felt the need to tell my stories in a different way. But film, of course, requires a completely different approach. You can photograph alone or in a small team if necessary. But in filmmaking, I had to learn to redistribute tasks. I had to learn to trust others.

Yes, it starts with an idea that becomes a script. At some point, the actress or actor reads the script aloud, and it comes to life. On set, lighting, costumes, location, acting, and staging come together; in the postproduction the music and editing—it’s an incredibly beautiful process, how things come together, how the individual layers create something amazing, to which so many people contribute.

In 2021, I shot my first feature film in Ireland—not as a director, but as a DOP. I had no experience with the processes on such a large film set. But the director just told me, “Don’t worry. On set, I actually had complete freedom to do it my way, and the director ultimately got the images he wanted. The film, by the way, won many awards at international festivals.

I would describe it more as a vague feeling. It’s not like I have a stack of images I’m working through. Nevertheless, there are of course specific topics that interest me and that I’m working on. A long-term project of mine is photographing crying women. In a moment of fragility, a face has so many facets, it’s very fascinating. It’s not that I am striving to create a documentation of women in distress—quite the opposite. I think allowing and showing vulnerability is a great strength. And for me, it’s also about showing this incredible strength. The process often exhausts me as much as it exhausts them. But it holds the potential of creating very iconic Portraits.

Mechatok: Honestly, I think I spent most of my time on my laptop speaking to people on Facebook and SoundCloud. There were a few things quite sporadically that really mattered. For example my friend Alberto Troia, a visual artist, was throwing sort of like after-parties for gallery openings at “Kunstverein” and always brought out really interesting artists. That had a big impact on me in Munich. And then there was a club called “Kong” that closed I think six or seven years ago, that place was really good. And I really like the Public Possession guys, we did a record in 2015. I think that was what Munich really did for me. But it was a lot of just being in your bedroom and being on the laptop, honestly.

The album wasn’t so much about purely being trapped in some online loop, it was more about the contrast of doing that while existing in this now very imperfect and stressful reality. I mean at least that’s my personal experience, you know, like living in some shoebox apartment in London, having very stressful commutes and things just being very hectic and imperfect. And then you look at these glossy things on your phone that look sparkly and perfect. 

So you probably hear it with these very crystalline and almost clinical synth sounds and then all these samples and quite rough voice notes and stuff. That’s kind of the picture I was trying to paint I think. 

It was super formative when I was a young teenager but it’s funny because in the recent couple of years music has become a lot more real life based. I think going to London really changed that because making music there is a lot more of a social thing, because there’s a studio culture where everyone’s in the same basement meeting each other. Whereas in Berlin for me the social aspect of music was always very much going out and partying. That’s where you meet people, but making music was something everyone does at home on their own. So the internet stopped being the main place to exchange everything, which is cool. I’m glad it became a bit more physical in a way.

Honestly, it feels really good because I think the numbers thing can make you really insecure. Because there’s so many factors that affect how these numbers look, you know? It might be like the time of day that you post something or whatever, so what’s really good about real-life shows is that people pulled up and they clearly have a very immediate reaction to the music so it’s definitely reassuring.

Probably around like 16, 17 or something. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy doing that, it was more that the reality of how that would look is so different. It’s not like violin where you can just be in a big orchestra. Classical guitar is a quite particular thing and that world felt very conservative. It almost reminded me of sports, where people train 10 hours a day and then the rest of their interest is actually super basic. It’s almost like they’re not into art. It just doesn’t feel like there’s a larger interest in culture. It’s more, just sort of athletic, getting really good at doing this one thing.

Fernanda Blasco: It’s about elevating the brand through premiumness and materials. This season we’re launching our first dedicated leather line – jackets, pants, shoes, and bags – with special washed leathers that are truly unique. Beyond leather, we’re introducing fabrics we’ve never worked with before: 100% silk, cashmere, mohair, wool, and new knitwear. For us, the message is clear – we want to communicate premiumness. The goal is to bring together quality, craftsmanship, and design at the right price point, so customers feel they’re getting something exceptional. We study the competition carefully, but our vision is distinct. We’re not mass market, and while we’re not luxury either, we’re carving out a confident mid-market position and beginning to build in that direction.

For example, the denim you see there. It has all the elements, it’s our DNA, because we are casual. And I want to communicate that we are casual. Denim, for us, is mandatory. Think about the very first jacket for Desigual from 1984. Thomas Meyer, the owner, made it by upcycling a jacket.. It’s a very unique statement piece you’ll love to wear. This was also key in creating this part of the collection: every piece has some handmade element. For example, this leather piece, it goes through four processes: first the leather is painted, then fur is added, then treated, then removed. It’s spectacular. It costs around five hundred something, but honestly, it could easily be two thousand. This is exactly what we want to provoke: We’re more expensive with this line, but still accessible.

We’re not producing on a massive scale. This collection is curated. It’s only going into around ten stores. It will be online for every market, but we carefully chose the stores where we want to position it. The idea is that the uniqueness of the piece means you’ll have to search for it, try to find it. We didn’t want too many pieces. We wanted to start small, stay exclusive. And it’s also super important for us – the connection with the producer. We really want consumers to feel there is somebody behind the garment, dedicating a lot of love and time to each piece.

What I’ve learned from other experiences was key. When I started in January I knew it was mandatory to go to the archive. To spend time there, study the details, the shapes, what we used to be, and bring that into the contemporary era. To build it into the next level of what we’ll be in 2030. Bringing the archive into the contemporary world and the future. That was essential. So: details, shapes, prints. All the things you see talk about the sea, Barcelona, the inspiration. So it’s really full of love and meaning, even in just one dress. That’s a very important piece for me.

The most important thing! We are a brand from Barcelona. Talking about Barcelona is absolutely mandatory. So when I initiated the line, I asked myself: why do I like Barcelona? Why stay here? And I realized – it’s the sea and the mountain. So the collection reflects that. You have the rustiness of leather, denim with a coated finish – that’s the mountain. And then the other part, for us, is the sea: softness, mohair, cashmere, silk – the opposites. We play with this duality. That’s part of the collection’s inspiration. But beyond that, Barcelona is also about understanding where we come from, what kind of brand we are. It’s really back to the roots. Barcelona is from the street. It’s streetwear, but also by the sea. All these components shaped the line.

Absolutely. Vintage, when Thomas started the line, was spectacular. And I think it’s the heart and soul of the brand. So yes, we went to our archive and other archives, to compose and make it new. More trendy, more fashionable.

The surprising part – in the best way – was the team. The spirit of Desigual really touched me, because everybody was so happy to initiate this new phase. Everyone put in their heart and soul. What you see is a lot of dedication. That was fantastic. The challenge was whether the vision could become reality with our suppliers. Whether we had the real capacity to achieve this level of premium. And today, I can say very happily: yes, we can. Normally, a runway collection takes one year. We did it in four months. So the team and the suppliers are the most important part of this collection.

I think she would say: wow. She would be very proud of the road that brought me to this beautiful stage. Because I’m in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I’m happy to be here. And I think this happiness translates into the collection.

The finale. Because you know how it is: when you are creating a line, you’re composing, you’re always 360. The designers, the people in charge – it’s always 360. And the finale is the moment when you see the whole line at once. That will be very rewarding, I think – for me and for the team. We’ll all be there, and everybody’s so happy.

Luis: No, my parents have nothing to do with fashion. They’re not involved in the creative industry at all. I’ve been interested in creative things since I was about 10, 11, 12. It all really started through skating. Because when I was 12, I went to a skate camp and learned how to do screen printing there. Then I went home, bought myself a screen-printing machine, and started screen printing every day. I sold the shirts at the skatepark and at school, and that’s kind of how I got into making my own clothes. Even though my parents have nothing to do with the fashion industry and didn’t really understand any of it, they supported me from the very beginning.

Luis: When I finished school, I had about a year to test whether it would work out. If not, I would have gone to university. I was kind of lucky that it worked somehow. Though I have to say, the first drops weren’t really successful at all. I couldn’t even afford the production. But eventually, I had my first pair of pants that did well. With that money, everything really started to take off, and since then I’ve been working with production and built up a team. But it took a few years. I finished school at 18, and it took about two years until someone bought my pants and not just my T-shirts.

Luis: Yes, that was always in my head. And if I have something in my head, I’m going to follow through with it. Even when I didn’t sell anything at the beginning, it was always Plan A. And it still is to this day. I’ve never thought about anything else.

Luis: Usually it actually works pretty well. Of course, there are moments when we don’t agree, but at the end of the day I’m glad the team is very small and really just my brother and my best friend. Especially when it comes to trust, I’m really grateful that they’re involved. It’s not always easy, but generally we get along really well.

Luis: The creative part mostly happens in our studio in Paris. I’m there all the time with my best friend and one more person. So in the creative area, it’s really just three of us. But most of it actually happens more in the evenings. During the day it’s always tricky – you’re dealing with all the other things that still need to get done. But in the evening, that’s when the creativity kicks in, and we listen to a lot of music. Sade is definitely right at the top. But yeah, I’d definitely say we’re more creative at night.

Luis: I have to say, Paris is of course super professional and very stylish. That’s also a big difference compared to Berlin. In Paris, everything feels a bit more timeless. And that’s what we want to translate into our clothes too – that everything becomes a bit timeless, so you can combine pieces season after season. And that it’s not just loud and aggressive. I think Paris has definitely shown us that. Although I have to say, I don’t really go out much myself. I’m basically only in the studio, working on my stuff, and I don’t really experience that much of the city. I’m locked in the studio, so honestly I don’t feel a big difference whether I’m in Paris or in the Eifel. 

Luis: Anyone can wear it if they feel like it. If you think it’s cool or you vibe with it, then it doesn’t matter. 

Leon: And it’s not even a political statement you’re trying to make. It’s just common sense.

Luis: We definitely don’t exclude anyone. We’re here, we’re open to everyone. You can also see that at our pop-ups – there’s always a very mixed crowd, and that’s something I really like about it. Everyone is welcome.

Luis: Of course, it’s not always easy. Sometimes you sit here for a few days without coming up with the greatest idea. I think the pressure is naturally high because we’re such a small team, and I handle the creative part completely together with my best friend. And sometimes you realize: how are we supposed to put together a collection of 50 pieces again in just two or three months? I think the pressure comes from the whole picture, not just the creative process. Because we also manage all the production ourselves. Any other brand would have already hired like 20 people, but we’re still doing it on our own. And I think the best ideas usually come when you least expect them.

Leon: Two years ago, we just got in touch with PUMA, and during that time we actually talked to a lot of different people. We had a call with PUMA, and then we drove to Herzogenaurach to see everything, and I think the vibe there was just the best. We realized that we had by far the most creative freedom with them. They basically told us to do whatever we feel like doing. And the brand’s aesthetic just matched. PUMA has done a lot of things right over the past two or three years. We also definitely wanted to stay with a German brand, and with them it just felt the best.

Luis: There you really had a big opportunity to do your own thing. And you don’t get that with other brands. Plus, for me PUMA has always been kind of the underdog and I always liked that. So PUMA definitely felt the best. It’s a great team, very family-like. And that’s the most important thing for us.

Leon: We’re also a small, young team, and I think working with us isn’t always the easiest. But they were super understanding, like if you forget to send an email, but then just sort it out quickly over WhatsApp, they were totally fine with that.

The only restriction was that we couldn’t change the sole. But otherwise, we were really allowed to do anything. We could pick the color, and we could completely redesign the upper. To be able to reconstruct everything in a first collab is usually not possible. Many people didn’t even recognize the original shoe. It’s a model PUMA had already released in the early 2000s. Back then, it came more in neon colors like neon yellow or neon orange, and since our target group prefers more of an all-black look, it was immediately clear to us what color we had to go with. Even with all the campaign images and the video, we were allowed to do whatever we wanted. I think with other brands, it would have been a totally different story.

Leon: On our webstore it sold out in just two minutes. That’s pretty crazy.

Luis: Yeah, that’s just an amazing feeling, really crazy. When you think about it – back then we used to fight to get sneakers, and now we have our own collab with such a big partner, and it sells out right away. That’s of course also a great sign for PUMA. And there’s still something in the pipeline for next year.

Leon: I also find it kind of special because with all these brand collabs nowadays, you don’t really see that kind of hype anymore. You can basically buy almost any shoe months later in stores. So I expected the shoe to be sold out on our website – even if maybe I didn’t expect it to be in just two minutes – but the fact that every wholesaler sold out on the first day, that’s something that basically doesn’t happen anymore. And now you already see StockX prices around 400 dollars, and on Goat they’re asking a thousand euros for immediate shipping. In our niche, unless there’s some huge celebrity behind it, that’s really not common anymore.

Luis: Well, I think when I’m older, I’ll definitely be here in the Eifel. Maybe also in Cologne. I really like Cologne. I don’t need the big, big city. I want to be where my friends and my family are. So in the long run, I definitely see myself in the Eifel or in Cologne. It’s cool to have my studio in Paris and to go there regularly. But I definitely don’t want to spend my whole life there.