Since 2015, Damur Shih-Shun Huang has been making fashion for free spirits with his label #Damur GmbH from Berlin. He combines classic clothing techniques with new methods of textile science - and with politically provocative statements, for example for more gender equality or against racism. For the Taiwanese-born designer, fashion is always an invitation to dialogue. He was therefore happy to talk to Fashion Council Germany about his label, the Berlin creative scene, fashion messages and the fashion world in times of Corona.

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FCG: You studied fashion design at the Belgian fashion school La Cambre in Brussels. Why did you move from there to Berlin in 2012 and not to Paris?

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Damur: To be honest, I was a bit tired of the Francophone (laughs). I actually only spent a week's vacation in Berlin, but I had already sent out provisional applications in advance and actually found a job at a Berlin fashion label straight away.

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FCG: What do you like about the city?

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Damur: Every day is different in Berlin, no one has to lead a life like everyone else. I love the creative vibe, the craziness - you can always find someone on the street with whom you can have an absurd conversation, that inspires me a lot. Nevertheless, it took me quite a long time to settle in. Life in Berlin's creative scene is precarious, making ends meet was often difficult. Let alone finding an apartment, especially without any knowledge of German! I have really felt like I have settled in for about two years, probably also because I have created a solid foundation with my fashion label and am more independent this way.

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FCG: Your label #Damur GmbH has been around since 2015...

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Damur: ... And I think it could only work like that here. My fashion is often provocative, I also make political statements. Berlin and the people who live here are more open and liberated than in London, Paris or Taipei, where I grew up. I was able to break out of fashion here. And of course, unlike many other big cities, Berlin is still cheaper, which is good for the creative industry.

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FCG: Provocative and political is a good description - your collections have titles like #iamslut or #youaarenotblackenough.

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Damur: And another one was called #thisistrans. The #iamslut collection fell right into the #metoo debate, which we basically wanted to support; of course we discussed the collection title a lot, including with our customers. On social media we asked our followers what they thought of it. I now make men's and women's wear, and the title was to be printed as a slogan on shirts, for both genders.

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FCG: What were the reactions?

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Damur: Our customers thought that was good for menswear, but a heated debate sparked for womenswear - precisely because slut is a swear word only used for women. Unfortunately, to this day they cannot deal with their sexuality as freely as men, they are either seen as "easy" or "frigid" - we want to fight against gender inequality, for us everyone is equal. With our shirts we wanted to give women the chance to adopt the term. Many customers found that liberating, which was the best thing for me. That's exactly why I make my fashion.

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FCG: Should fashion always be political?

Damur: In general, I can only speak for myself: For me, fashion is a powerful means of expressing one's own identity and a language with which one can convey messages and feelings. In this respect, fashion is a platform for dialogue. However, one where statements can sometimes be conveyed with more humor or in a softer way.

FCG: In what way?

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Damur: Everyone knows it, you sit down with friends or family for dinner, at some point it becomes political, the conversation heats up until someone goes home angry. My fashion is more like a catchphrase or a stimulus for a conversation, for which there doesn't necessarily have to be an answer.

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FCG: Is that why you use hashtags, like in your collection titles or label names?

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Damur: If you want to make a statement today, you use a hashtag - in my opinion it's quick, precise and democratic as a medium. I've always been curious about social media. At the beginning of the millennium, when it was still very new, I already knew that it would fundamentally change the way we live and communicate.

FCG: You showed your current collection under the hashtag #BerlinerRepublik during Berlin Fashion Week in the Griessmühle club - deliberately outside the framework of the Mercedes-Benz events. Why?

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Damur: If I am offered a sponsored slot again in the future, I would show again as part of the Mercedes-Benz calendar. Without support, however, such a show is quite expensive for my small label. My own show did cost money, but I was much freer, could invite people from other industries more flexibly and choose the evening time freely - fewer people would have come to a slot at 10 in the morning, not everyone can take time off for something like that.

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FCG: As a young label, what do you want in terms of funding?

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Damur: First of all, I would like more transparency. Fashion Week is the best example: the state of Berlin gives selected young brands free show slots, apparently at the last minute. Firstly, I don't understand how, when and according to which criteria these brands are selected - I myself have tried unsuccessfully to get this kind of support in the past - and secondly, I don't understand which brand is able to put on a show just two weeks before Fashion Week. I think that's unprofessional on the part of everyone involved. In Taiwan, the government supports young designers equally, which would be a perspective for Germany too. In relation to Berlin, I think that Fashion Week generally lacks a vision.

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FCG: Is that why you are a member of the Fashion Council Germany?

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Damur: Probably because I see Damur as a German fashion brand based in Berlin. I find the local fashion industry to be rather fragmented, not very connected, which is certainly also due to demographic reasons. The Fashion Council Germany helps to bring many strands together here. Ultimately, however, it is always about creating sustainable business models, and we are lagging behind in that regard.

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FCG: Speaking of business, Damur is also part of the so-called McKinsey Experience Studio. What is that all about?

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Damur: This is a lab initiated by the consulting agency McKinsey, which brings talent and technology together and ideally advances them. A playground for innovation, if you will. For us as a young label, it was great that they advised us pro bono. How do you actually build a brand properly, how do you get a business up and running, how can processes, organization and production be improved? Things that you don't necessarily know as a designer, but which are essential.

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FCG: Have you also learned how to get local clients excited about your fashion? The average German customer is considered to be not very open to young brands.‍

Damur: To be honest, Germany is not our strongest market. Although I try to set the prices at a reasonable level, the young people who are enthusiastic about our fashion cannot afford the collections. The older ones, on the other hand, prefer to invest in classics. Our main markets are the USA and Asia. But we see that we are growing here too, it just takes time.

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FCG: Before founding your own label, you worked for Dawid Tomaszewski. How important was it to gain experience?

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Damur: Working for someone else is important in that you can see what others are doing or doing wrong, and what you would like to do differently yourself. In general, however, I think that as an entrepreneur you should always retain a certain innocence. And let's be honest: I always wanted to start my own label, but in Berlin you hardly have any other choice if you want to work in the fashion industry here — there are no paid jobs with other labels anyway.

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FCG: Something current: With the coronavirus, we are currently experiencing an absolute state of emergency, which of course also affects the fashion industry. What effect is the pandemic having on Damur?

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Damur: This is now a time of meditation for everyone. For us as a small label, the effects are fortunately not so serious for now, but for larger Berlin brands it may be different.

Some people with Asian roots report racist attacks.

Fortunately, I have not had this experience myself. Coming from Taiwan, however, I have to say that I find the consistent non-wearing of face masks strange. Here it is exactly the other way round. I just had chickenpox for the first time in my life, and on the way to the doctor I wore a mask - people look at you strangely everywhere. It seems as if everyone thinks you are sick if you protect yourself, that's crazy. The doctor then told me that I could take the mask off, it would certainly be uncomfortable (laughs).

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FCG: As if you had a premonition, you were the first Berlin designer to send models down the catwalk in January wearing medical masks - but to speak of a "fashion trend" at the moment would probably be rather cynical.

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Damur: You can see in Berlin that wearing masks is not catching on even in such an extreme situation, whether as a fashion accessory or medical protection. Changing the mentality is certainly difficult. And apart from times of crisis, it is probably not as necessary as in many Asian cities, which have to contend with much higher levels of air pollution - and where air conditioning and overcrowded subways pose a completely different health risk. At least in Berlin, as we know, there is still plenty of space. And air to breathe on many levels.