LIZZY LIZZY the new fashion label by Californian born – Berlin-based – Lizzy Sell, is everything that your sustainable, girl boss, streetwear loving self wants this summer.
The designer is part of fashion design studio, Obst und Gemüse, located at bubblin’ Weserstraße in Neukölln.
Earlier this year I caught up with Lizzy and her friend musician and model, Astan KA, to capture the most sexy denim jacket that my eyes had seen in recent orbits around the sun.
“The jacket is made from ripped denim that a thrift store on the Weserstraße gave to our studio because they couldn’t sell any of it. Basically it was a bag of ripped crotches, and I cut off the legs to create upcycled patchwork denim jackets. Each jacket is definitely unique in terms of the arrangement of denim squares.”
Photo by Marijana Jocic
How long have you been making clothes for and what inspires you the most when it comes to fashion? (ie. what you see people wearing on the street – or are you really inspired by other designers etc. and if so who?)
The first thing I ever made was a skirt fashioned from a blue and white striped pillowcase from Ikea. It wasn’t anything fancy, just put together with some safety pins. That was about age 13, so I guess more or less since then. I’ve always altered my thrifted clothing, and eventually I started making my own designs about 5 years ago.
It’s hard not to be inspired by the zeitgeist of Berlin, but lately I get most excited by the history of fashion and dress. It’s cool to understand where a modern look came from, and the stories that a specific item tell about an era. A women’s suit from the 40s says a lot about women’s liberation at the time, and I can’t help but get excited about that.
What’s your favorite article of clothing that you own?
I’m pretty obsessed with coats and jackets of all kinds. My favorite from the last few years is a type of Chinese jacket called tangzhuang, in bright blue. It has such a rich color, and the attention to detail at the closures is really beautiful—plus it basically feels like you’re wearing a sleeping bag, and who doesn’t love that?
Photo by Marijana Jocic
What are your favorite things to do that are for free?
Cycling aimlessly, reading, and if I’ve collected enough onion or avocado skins, using them to make a natural dye.
Photo by Marijana Jocic
What’s something that you love that everyone else doesn’t?
Doing laundry… I know, I know. Cliche that a fashion designer would love everything to do with clothing.
Photo by Marijana Jocic
What’s one of the most common myths about fashion designers?
Before I seriously got into the industry, I thought everyone working in fashion had to be this quintessentially chic and hip, put-together person. I’m so happy and relieved I was wrong.
