FCG: How are you?

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Stiebich and Rieth: We're doing well, we're handling the situation calmly. Detlef has the advantage of having his apartment above the studio. Julia is working from home. We're able to continue working largely as normal, since we produce everything locally and our leather also comes from Germany. And we have to admit: we're currently drawing strength from this quiet period.

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FCG: What are you currently finding difficult to deal with?

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Stiebich and Rieth: With uncertainty. How do you plan for an uncertain future? How long will it take for things to return to normal? Will they ever be normal again? Which of our customers will ultimately be able to reopen their businesses? We also believe that there won't be any opportunity to hold trade fairs this fall. So where will we be seen—and are new forms of presentation possible? Therein lies an opportunity!

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FCG: How can we support you now?

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Stiebich and Rieth: The fear that we believe many smaller labels currently have is that they will disappear in this chaos. What is needed to counter this is very concrete economic support and financial relief.

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FCG: What long-term impact will Corona have on the fashion industry?

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Stiebich and Rieth: For manufacturing: The world has definitely become smaller! We are all painfully realizing how dependent we are on globalization. Perhaps it's worth taking a look at local businesses again. For retail: For a long time, there was fear of the gradual disappearance of brick-and-mortar stores. Now that we see what it would be like without them, we long for their return. We hope for a kind of renaissance and a renewed appreciation for beautiful, unique shops with a personal touch and a conscious product selection. For us as consumers: Hopefully, a shift in values.

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FCG: What is the purpose of fashion in times of Corona?

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Stiebich and Rieth: Fashion is optimism, that's why we need it now!