Could there be a little more self-confidence? Philipp Wolff thinks: Yes, there could! The communications expert, who for many years was responsible for the effective public image of the Hugo Boss brand, and later also of the Hubert Burda Media group, wishes designers in and from Germany more self-confidence.

In an interview with the Fashion Council Germany, Philipp Wolff – a member of the Advisory Board since November 2025 – explains why, even in an industry conditioned to perfection, it is important not only to acknowledge one's strengths but also weaknesses.

Philipp, just a few days before our conversation, BOSS presented its latest collection in Milan. Do you still follow the shows of the brand, for which you were responsible for global communications for more than ten years until 2013?

Of course, I still look at every collection! I follow the development of this brand, which has always been cosmopolitan and democratic: BOSS is characterized not only by its very broad distribution, but also by its continuous engagement with art and culture, film, music, and sports. I always enjoy thinking back to projects we implemented during my time; for example, during the Venice Biennale, where we sponsored the German and US pavilions and brought together the top figures of the international art scene, from Damién Ortega to Ed Ruscha to Liam Gillick. The BOSS brand has always shown a genuine interest in what's happening around it.

The fashion shows that BOSS presented during Berlin Fashion Week were legendary back then. Is there one that you particularly remember?

There were so many fantastic shows, in theaters and churches, in the tropical greenhouse of the Botanical Garden, or in the warehouse of the Berlin Port Authority. I also vividly remember a formal dinner for Hugo at the Opera Workshops, a huge venue on Chausseestraße, which back then—like all of Berlin—was incredibly affordable to rent. We ended up renovating all the restrooms there, which, in retrospect, must have been a wonderful gift for the workshops. And of course, I'll never forget our production at the Brandenburg Gate—the very first fashion show ever held there. Even back then, Berlin had a fantastic energy, with outstanding stylists and journalists working here, and magazines like Achtung and Sleek, which were just launching at the time.

Today we're at a point where Berlin Fashion Week is radiating a unique energy. So, is this a good time for you to get involved again? After all, you've been a member of the Advisory Board of the Fashion Council Germany, which significantly shapes Fashion Week, since November.

The evening before my appointment as a new member of the Advisory Board, I attended the Council's anniversary dinner and had the opportunity to talk with several young designers, including Johann von Haderlump Atelier Berlin and Johannes von Ioannes. These were truly touching and inspiring conversations, during which I realized: these emerging talents deserve our full attention! We must not only discover them but also nurture and support them in the long term. Being able to help these talents with our expertise makes me happy. Moreover, I've known many of the Council's key figures for years, such as Christiane Arp, LouLou Berg, and Dirk Schönberger. So, when I was asked if I'd like to join the Advisory Board, it was a bit like my old school class asking me to attend their reunion – you don't say no to that!

What is the one piece of advice you would give to these young talents you're talking about, from your perspective as a communications expert?

The most important thing is to consistently pursue your idea. And that actually contains two pieces of advice: Firstly, to believe in yourself and not let anything deter you – and secondly, to demonstrate discipline and perseverance in the truly tough fashion business. I would also advise a certain degree of opportunism, meaning recognizing and seizing opportunities, constantly seeking contact with retailers and media, and perhaps also with investors. You have to be able to market yourself well and speak confidently about your own work. Sometimes I get the feeling that this is particularly difficult for creative people in Germany: When the German Film Awards were recently presented, I noticed that the winners almost apologized for their success in their acceptance speeches, thanking everyone and everything, but hardly celebrating their own achievement with any self-confidence.

And is that a specifically German kind of modesty?

I think we're generally a bit too uptight and intellectual. We can't just casually praise anyone to the skies – especially not ourselves. Yet that's crucial in creative industries.

Can such self-confidence be learned or trained?

Yes, absolutely! I think it's worthwhile to practice talking about yourself and especially your own product. At least my generation in Germany didn't really learn that: We were mainly told not to take ourselves so seriously – and if someone else wants to take the cake, please let them go first. I think everyone should practice speaking positively about themselves for two minutes. However, self-confidence shouldn't be confused with overconfidence.

What do you mean?

In terms of communication, it's crucial not to try to be someone or something other than who you actually are. Many consumers today are much more informed and also more skeptical than before – so credibility is becoming increasingly important. I've always found it impressive when, for example, I've asked someone about their skills in a job interview, and they've replied, "No, I'm sorry, I can't do that – but I can do this, this, and that!" Or when a CEO, in an interview, when confronted about a mistake, doesn't try to make excuses. It's much more engaging and relatable when they say, "You've hit a nerve there; we really went down the wrong path – but now I want to explain what we're doing to correct this mistake."

It is therefore about self-confidence in the original sense – being aware of oneself, both of one's own strengths and weaknesses.

It's about developing an awareness of what you are good at and what you are not – and then being able to express that.

A few months ago, during our "METAMORPHOSIS" conference series at Berlin Fashion Week, I moderated a talk on brand communication. The panel included experts from eBay and Karl Lagerfeld, as well as from the agency Silk Relations. All the guests told the audience that they constantly have to tell the same story to ensure that the message really resonates with people. Would you also say that consistency is more important than surprise in communication?

I wouldn't weigh one against the other. It's true that there's a core message that should remain consistent and communicated accordingly. This also creates credibility and a certain clarity. Nevertheless, especially in fashion, it's important to occasionally surprise, perhaps even provoke. These are two levels that only work together. If I may illustrate this with the example of the Fashion Council, I would say: The association's role and status as an advocacy group for the German fashion industry, its raison d'être, values, and statutes should always be clearly reiterated. And then, on top of that, exciting initiatives like the "Echoes of Tomorrow" exhibition, which the Council staged at the Gemäldegalerie and which I saw during Fashion Week, can create surprises. Incidentally, I also think this is important for young designers: that they constantly ask themselves what their core message is and how they can still surprise with their next collection.

Sometimes it takes courage to surprise people. Do you think that many entrepreneurs have become too timid today, especially because social media audiences are so unforgiving when something careless or even just misleading is published? Between 2013 and 2024, you were Communication Director at Hubert Burda Media, and you list "Crisis Communication" as one of your responsibilities on your CV.

If all actions are guided by certain, unshakeable values—for example, that all forms of discrimination are unacceptable, or that freedom, openness, and democracy are fundamental to a functioning society—then theoretically, not much can go wrong. But of course, situations can always arise where something is either communicated incorrectly or misinterpreted. In such a case, the first priority is to remain calm. Only those who possess the necessary composure can truly hear the other side and respond appropriately to any criticism.

So, is it also wise not to be too daring? In recent years, "storytelling" has become a buzzword in fashion – however, sometimes I get the feeling that brands and companies are simply overreaching with the stories they tell.

I think fashion has become really good at self-presentation in recent years. That means it doesn't just talk about the product it wants to sell, but builds a whole world around that product. But yes, I also notice that some brands overdo it – not just in terms of the meticulous attention to detail with which they tell their stories. Sometimes, sheer ubiquity is simply too much. If a brand is always and everywhere present, it can lead to a certain fatigue; it simply becomes uninteresting. Which brings us back to the point I made earlier: there's absolutely no point in trying to make yourself out to be bigger than you actually are – your storytelling should align with who and what you truly are.