Fashion wants fun
Fashion wants fun. Fashion should be chic, wearable, comfortable and most importantly inspiring. And not only for the person who puts the clothes on, but alsofor the one who creates them. Says Margrit Edelhoff. A woman who designs what she herself likes. A woman who is an inspiration herself through her personal appearance and convinces with her profound knowledge of design, haute couture and fabrics. In the eponymous studio Margrit Edelhoff in Fleischhauerstraße I meet a self-made woman today.
The courage to go your own way
In front of me sits a graceful person with the charisma of a woman who knows what suits her and who has found her inner peace. Fashion designer and sculptor Margrit Edelhoff radiates self-confidence. And the serenity of a woman pursuing a task she loves.
She has been sewing for herself since she was 14 years old. She wanted to be dressed individually. At first, not everything succeeded as desired. She lacked patience, she says. Margrit learned to work more carefully and was increasingly pleased with successful results. She acquired all the techniques and knowledge independently. More and more often, she was now tailoring for friends, creating her pieces from all kinds of possible and impossible materials, even from chamois leather, which she painted herself. Over the next few years, she added sculpting as an element of her creative expression. When her two sons were old enough, she separated from her husband and had to stand on her own two feet. She ventured into self-employment as a fashion designer and leader of sculpting classes in her own studio.
Lady in black
Margrit Edelhoff loves fabrics. According to her own statement, she is almost addicted to fabrics. When she sees fabrics she likes, she just has to buy them. In her atelier she has an extensive collection of the finest materials such as cashmere, silk and high quality modern fibers and keeps selected fabrics from Japan or Italy. In the past, she often purchased her own fabrics there. Today, dealers from Italy and Switzerland come to see her and demonstrate the fine materials, some of which they get from Armani, Versace and Dolce & Gabbana.
She herself wears almost exclusively her own pieces and prefers black – the colour that radiates the most clarity for her and with which her own femininity can be subtly emphasized through the use of refined details: through a pair of red pumps or with the help of an expressive piece of jewelry. The little black dress – it seems to have been invented for a woman like Margrit Edelhoff.
Fashion with own signature
The fashion designer makes elegant pieces of the finest workmanship with her collaborator Fouad from Syria, whose skills and dexterity she is completely enthusiastic about. She creates fashion that fits superbly and is of the highest quality. Her motivation is to create timeless clothing that stays current for far more than one season. Creations that the clientele appreciates. In doing so, Margrit Edelhoff always keeps her finger on the pulse. The trends of international fashion design and haute couture can be felt in the unique pieces that Margrit Edelhoff offers her predominantly female clientele. Many customers have been loyal to her for decades and come from all over Germany for measurements and fittings until they can take the exquisite garment home. In her own workshop, the current collection is made and presented in the store: Jersey dresses, skirts, jackets, coats and more – even wedding dresses. Margrit Edelhoff also has a soft spot for expressive jewelry; she presents, for example, earrings and collíers from Konplott, Niki Boden, Monies and from her own collection.
For me there is simply nothing to wear!
The designer often hears this sigh; she knows from many years of experience that many women are overly critical of themselves. So far, she has always managed to advise each customer with a trained eye and in the end put a smile on their face. Some customers initially have very clear ideas about which colours and cuts definitely don’t suit them. Often, however, these convictions are mere beliefs. Besides colours and cuts, there are many other aspects to consider, according to the fashion designer. She allows all facets of the customer, with whom she is in dialogue, to take effect on her. From this, she makes suggestions for the material to be used and the lines of the tailored piece – this is how she succeeds in optimally emphasizing the customer’s silhouette and accentuating their assets.
Studio in the monument
After moving from Fischergrube to Hüxstrasse, the designer now resides in a beautiful, landmarked house at Fleischhauerstrasse 85, typical of Lübeck. It has been lavishly and lovingly restored.
The hallway with its restrained and clear look serves as a showroom. I was surprised how excitingly her fashion collection is staged there together with the works she carved in stone. In the heads, torsos and wings she creates, the designer shows another exciting aspect of her personality.
The studio is open Thursday and Friday 14:00 to 18:00; Saturday 12:00 to 16:00. It’s possible to make an individual appointment with Mrs. Edelhoff.
