Photos: starecasers.com
“Blogging is where our personalities, which are shockingly similar, merge together.” – says Devid and Thibaud, the founders of one of the most influential menswear blogs in Germany. Starecasers, Berlin based lifestyle and menswear bloggers, started their exclusive online diary 5 years ago and had no clues that one day it will be more than a hobby. An emphasis on a visual storytelling in combination with the vivid pictures and sleek aesthetic brought them not only huge number of followers, but also creative cooperations with the worldwide known companies such as Neil Barrett, Armani, Vans, COS, American Apparel, Samsung and etc. Moreover, the ultimately distinctive perspective on style, original approach and business knowledge allows them to seek for the international recognition which is already promised.
Dear Devid and Thibaud, how would you introduce yourself to the people that do not know you? What are your key personal features which broad you to blogging?
Hi! We are two twenty-something transplants from France and Italy and based in Berlin since 2010. We are the minds and faces behind the menswear blog STARECASERS, which acts as our creative outlet aimed to explore our relationship with fashion, lifestyle and photography. Our blog is pretty much a traveling storyteller through curated mixed media and a distinctive perspective on style. Blogging is where our personalities, which are shockingly similar, merge together. We are both creative in different ways, have a clean aesthetic style and are always on the hunt for inspiration. We are also very supportive of each other’s ideas, which is undoubtedly the most important quality for the job.
Can you take me a little bit through your day? Who works with you on a regular basis or differs it from project to project?
The important decision of whether we hit the gym or not dictates pretty much what time we get out of bed. It’s rarely before 9am. With a big cup of coffee in hand, we catch up on emails and plan the day ahead. On weekdays Thibaud works as a junior buyer at the concept store Voo store, while Devid edits pictures and sketches projects between home-office and university. Meetings with brands & showroom visits happen occasionally, too. Weekends are for making ideas happen, with shootings and brainstorming between Aperol Spritz. It’s always good mixing fun and work, and there’s never a dull day. A few labels have been with us for quite some time now, from Samsung to Neil Barrett, Ace & Tate and Skagen, while others jump in for one-time projects only or during Fashion Week. Every story we create is different but always very exciting and challenging.
Neil Barrett, Armani, Vans, COS, American Apparel are just few of bunch of brands you have already cooperated with. What is the engine of your motivation? Where do you draw creative inspiration from?
Passion and fear of missing out perhaps. We always have to plan our weeks ahead and jump into new projects, be it Fashion Week or a new cool editorial. Oh, and stubbornness too. You know, sometimes we question the worth of what we are doing, but there’s always a part of us that strongly believes in what we create and that feeling, luckily, always prevails.
We think of blogging as a combination of creative producing and inspiration absorption. Much of what we are doing is inspired by magazines, music videos, and we also find interesting bits and pieces online. Berlin inspires us as well, in its own way – it is what keeps the wheel turning.
Could you distinguish the key features of your personal style?
On STARECASERS it’s very much about simple lines and clean cuts with a touch of color and a sporty vibe. On the one hand, our style is very Berlin, functional and laid-back. On the other hand, it is also elegant and classy, strongly influenced by our roots. It’s a good mix of affordable designs and more established, premium ones, but always very modern and approachable.
How did you manage to turn your hobby into profession? Could you provide some tips?
When we started blogging, 5 years ago, we did not expect it to go this far. Passion and time is pretty much all we had and needed, but that’s just half of it. The turning point for us was finding our (marketable) aesthetic in early 2014. From that moment on things evolved on a pretty good speed. Basic marketing and website programming knowledge, and good partners & connections to start with, helped us getting this far. It was not without its hurdles, of course: there was always, and still is, new (business) stuff to learn and relationships to build.
First of all, the key to get started is by starting. Content and layout is everything, but it’s important to let go sometimes and improve things as you go on. Keep it simple and genuine, find people that motivate and inspire you and build relationships with partners you like and support. Remember to draw a line somewhere, and earn your audience; and of course, always be kind – it pays off in the long run.
Share your exploration advises: what is your favorite place to relax in Berlin and what do you lack the most in this city?
We rarely leave our neighborhood Mitte, so our favorite place to relax and unwind got to be Monbijou Park, right across Museum Island. It’s not really a quiet and secluded spot, but it’s so perfect to chill out on weekends. Berlin pretty much reflects the point of state that our lives are at right now. We can do much bigger things here, more creative and more risky perhaps. It’s a city unlike any other in Europe: young people can experiment with literally everything here, from fashion to music, art and culture. However, Berlin lacks the cheerfulness and friendly vibe of southern countries, of France and Italy for example. We grew up in very easy-going atmospheres, with everyone around always welcoming and people coming and go as they pleased. We haven’t really experienced this atmosphere here. Sometimes Berlin feels like an alienating place; don’t get us wrong – we love the city – but there’s always a sense of loneliness around, one that we never felt in our hometowns.
