“We believe in buying less, therefor more intelligent,“– says unisex brand Studio Gampe designer Melanie and invites to Gampe‘s studio where geometrics, avant-garde, multifunctionality and extravagancy play the main role. Two creatives met each other and started to brainstorm about the future projects related with different fields till finally discovered transformable outfits concept and dove deep into the ocean of design and exploration. “Some dresses can be worn from mini to maxi, a pair of pants that can be worn as a dress or jumpsuit or a jacket that turns into a jacket-skirt combination,” – explains Melanie and immediately asks to try Studio Gampe clothes and feel the love that the couple puts into every single design. Let’s celebrate the triumph of multi-functionality with Studio Gampe!
Studio Gampe: could you please share the story behind the name.What are the main key features of the design that distinguish your brand from other?
The style of our fashion brand could be easily described by deshifrating the letters of the brand name. Gampe stands for:
G – Geometrical
A – Avant-garde
M – Multifunctional
P – Plain
E – Extravagant / Elegant
However, the most distinguishing feature among other brands is certainly our multifunctional pieces. We love things that are transformable and offer surprising possibilities. For example, some dresses that can be worn from mini to maxi, a pair of pants that can be worn as a dress or jumpsuit or a jacket that turns into a jacket-skirt combination, if necessary.
We are excited in what is new, what does not yet exist. This is precisely the (a)vanguard for us.
I (Melanie), as a designer, am more interested in figuring out a clever new solution with an exciting silhouette or harmonic proportion than following or quoting a certain trend or zeitgeist.
Furthermore, these multifunctional pieces are our tribute to a new thinking of longevity, sustainability and ecology. We believe in buying less, therefor more intelligent and to cheer and cherish it longer instead. Sensing and appreciating the value of good, timeless design again, beside the marketing fireworks of turbo-capitalism-driven multi-million dollar corporations.
Let’s come back to the past. I wonder about your career. Have you always been interested in fashion, design and aesthetics or it developed through the time?
We are total newcomers in the fashion industry. Wolfgang comes from the economy and managed namable firms before he confidently left the system, I wrote plays and won several prizes for my writings.
When we met, we immediately wanted to share our creativity and tried several art forms before we stumbled into fashion more accidentally.
But we soon found out, with fabric we found a material, in which we can express our aesthetics, emotions and visions in a sensual and very concrete way at the same time.
It probably helps that we totally agree about what we like and do not like and that I am technically quite talented and good with my hands.
But in everything that we do, we first want to remain true to ourselves and not to striving for what is selling a lot or could be conventionally successful. For thiswe put too much love in every single design.
How would you characterize your target market? Could you shortly describe the customers you are willing to reach?
Actually our customers still surprise us regularly, again. For example, a pair of pants that we designed for woman turned into a bestseller for men.
But so far, we would say that our target markets / consumer groups are creative or aesthetic oriented and want to represent a certain look – elegant, respectable and nonconformist-remarkable at the same time.
Who are some of your favorite fashion designers?
There are so many fascinating designers, but from fashion design I definitely want to name Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto but also Stéphane Rolland. Pierre Cardin and Cristobal Balenciaga, but I mean the designer, not the brand.
We get also inspired by other design sectors, for example the shoe design of Jan Jansen or the jewelry from Gijs Bakker.
