Melitta Baumeister is a German fashion designer based in New York City. After a thorough training as a tailor, she earned an MFA in Fashion Design at Parsons School of Design before launching her own brand.

In 2014, Melitta's debut collection was shown at New York Fashion Week. This led to her being featured in Vogue Magazine, The New York Times, i.D., Numeró and Self Service, among others, which gave her career a huge boost and enabled her to show her work at prestigious events in London and Paris.

Melitta Baumeister is interested in the sculptural nature of clothing. She exaggerates volumes and remodels silhouettes, often using unusual materials and experimental techniques. This distinctive approach has been met with great acclaim from international boutiques and museums alike.

1. You moved to New York City to study - what prompted you to take such a big step and how did you initially manage to get a foothold?

Studying in New York was never planned and was out of the question for various reasons, mostly financial. The fact that it happened despite all this is thanks to Shelley Fox, the founder and then director of the Master's program in Fashion Design and Society. In search of talent for the new degree program, Shelley toured the design schools and that's how she became aware of my graduation collection. Her energy and the idealism inherent in the degree program, as well as a full scholarship, convinced me to take the step. I have not regretted this decision.

2. What do you think distinguishes German fashion from American fashion? What do you think designers based in Germany can still learn from American brands?

Although the brand has been based in the USA since it was founded, I find it difficult to classify our design in the American tradition. The landscape here has a distinctly commercial interpretation and innovative design is usually subordinate to innovative business strategy. Our design remains European at heart due to the uncompromising nature of design, which is largely due to my education. (Even the professors at Parsons were European)

I would recommend that German designers focus primarily on their authentic, honest and contemporary design. America is a role model for the fact that almost any idea can be marketed, but the question is whether we really need such products in a world that faces major challenges in the future. Technological innovation, efficiency and a certain clarity and sobriety are clichés, but for me they hold a lot of future potential. The advantage and also a major challenge is the fact that the fashion industry does not have a clear position in the world; this must now emerge from within, I am convinced of that.

3. Your collections combine many elements from art and fashion - how do you see this in relation to this and what particularly inspires your designs?

It's always a huge compliment for me when this connection is made, even though we see our work primarily as fashion! For me, art is the place where creativity can unfold without limits, always in discussion between the artist, the viewer and society. The more honest and free of filters, the more successful, that's what I find exciting. Thanks to my partner, an artist with a background in car design who became part of the brand as an art director 8 years ago, our design meetings have increasingly adapted to an artistic perspective in terms of tone, goal and references, which is incredibly important, especially as a contrast to the Excel spreadsheets and sale-through that are a big part of every brand.

4. Last year you won the CFDA/VOGUE Fashion Fund. How did this win help your label and what would you say to the finalists of the FCG/VOGUE Fashion Fund, the German equivalent?

I would recommend that the finalists see the award as confirmation and reinforcement of their own vision. Every brand has its own process and speed. The award is important feedback that this work is seen and valued. This appreciation is precisely what made our win so important to us. We also received a year of mentoring with an expert of our choice from the large pool of CFDA members. These professional insights, which would otherwise not be possible due to time or financial constraints, are one of the most important results of our win.

5. In recent seasons, Berlin Fashion Week has undergone a transformation and is now increasingly focusing on innovative formats, young designers and sustainable concepts. How do you assess this positive change for Berlin Fashion Week in an international comparison and where do you see room for improvement?

Keep it up! A platform, especially for young positions in fashion, is incredibly important for the industry. The potential lies in adding a new tone to the Fashion Week landscape with Berlin. The only question is how much courage and radicalness can be mustered and what that tone ultimately is. The fact that this is not yet so clear to me speaks for the time such an undertaking requires. I am watching this development with great interest.