styleproofed GmbH is a creative think tank focused on fashion, styling, and shopping.

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Julia Freitag entered the field of digital publishing in 2009 with the blogzine “ styleproofed.com - the guide to good fashion” together with her colleague Silke Wichert and a team of friendly fashion & lifestyle journalists.

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With the aim of presenting, testing, and reviewing the best products in the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle sectors. A modern-day version of Stiftung Warentest on the web…

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Since 2014, styleproofed GmbH's portfolio has expanded to include brand consulting & styling as well as content creation.

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She has always been passionate about staging fashion and lifestyle content in a way that is tailored to specific target groups, and with styleproofedTV she has ventured into a new, dynamic content adventure this year!

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FCG: Could you briefly explain what StyleproofedTV is all about and what new services you are now offering with the agency?

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Julia Freitag : With styleproofed.tv we want to give new brands, local design stars and sustainable products more digital attention and explain and present the “story behind the brand” and the hero products including functional and production details together with the brand creators in our live shows.

In our LIVES, we combine the often impersonal e-commerce with personal interviews and entertainment to create a new social shopping format.

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FCG: You originally come from journalism and were a fashion editor for many years, and later fashion director at magazines like Vanity Fair, Glamour, etc. How has the industry changed from your perspective over the last 20 years?

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JF: Trend cycles have become so much faster-paced, and consumers' attention span for products has shifted significantly towards "see now" and "buy now." For journalists and stylists like myself, this has changed a lot, because traditional fashion magazines also have to manage all digital formats and social media accounts.

Unfortunately, it's almost impossible to finance a great, elaborate photoshoot like the ones I used to be able to produce during my time at Condé Nast, and the pressure to easily produce a perfect fashion video and good social media posts on the side, in addition to the photos, has become the norm.

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Therefore, for me, social media work means more of a loving everyday life, where the visual language works realistically and in a way that reflects real life, and the fashion shoots and fashion shows are my very special excursions into the industry.

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FCG: From your perspective, which (German) fashion brands have managed to achieve success both nationally and internationally? What were the reasons for this?

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JF: What I find exciting is that some very escapist labels from the early days of the Berlin Salon have made it into international awareness - Horror Vacui and Rianna+Nina come to mind spontaneously.

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And then there are also very authentic brands where the founders have consistently communicated their design taste and brand identity with great consistency and quality over the years. For me, examples of these are Jörg and Otto from Odeeh, Johnny and Adrian from Talbot Runhof, or Leyla from Lala Berlin.

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FCG: You worked for a long time not only as a fashion and trend expert and consultant, but also as a stylist. Do you have any tips you'd like to give to young (German) labels?

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JF: I would advise every young label to focus on one or two hero products in terms of design and communication. Because the total look concept isn't a reality for either buyers or consumers.

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FCG: What makes Germany an attractive location for you, and how would you rate Berlin as a fashion metropolis?

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JF: I'm a true Berliner and, of course, I love my imperfectly chaotic and fashionably indifferent city for its free-spirited attitude, its openness to other cultures, and the opportunity to constantly reinvent oneself. The only problem is that in Berlin, status isn't defined by fashion, and therefore too little money is spent on good fashion.

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I hope that upcycling, vintage, made-to-order, and sustainable fashion will allow Berlin to reposition itself strongly in the fashion world. This fits well with the city's lifestyle and is hopefully the future.

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We thank Julia Freitag for the interview.