Sometimes girls have more fun after all. Richter Switala's new look and exclusive designer interview with Kamilla Richter

Ever heard of Richter Switala? No, well it's about time. And if you answered yes, well, then welcome to the illustrious circle. The fashion label is as fresh as a country girl with rosy cheeks, but far from being as naive. The collections come with names such as 'Kaleidoscope' or 'Body as Landscape' and keep their promises.

The designs are characterised by an unspoken love for form, the cuts are detailed and tight, but are rendered soft due to their textures. The colouring balances between bright and dark tones, as well as flashy colours, but never fails to hold its equilibrium. Richter Switala is something special, yet wearable at the same time.

The masterminds behind the label are Kamilla Richter and Katrin Switala. The designers met during their fashion studies in 2003 and have been working on collaborative projects ever since. They have worked for labels including Windsor and Joop!, C.Neeon, Kaviar Gauche, Mexx and Esprit.

We had the pleasure of asking Kamilla Richter a couple of questions:

Why Fashion?
OMG, I grew up with fashion, it excited me from early on and I hit the sewing machine when I was very young. Somehow it has always been a given. Then, I started doing business studies and at one point, I told myself you just have to go for it or else I would be stuck thinking about if for the rest of my life. Now I know, fashion is my thing.

Your biggest influence?
I am really interested in identity, being a woman, with all the sociological implications. Käthe (Katrin Switala) is a very visual person. We question why that is so and how we can approach things from a different angle.

What has been your best experience so far?
The first successes after graduating. We were relieved and happy that all the hard work was beginning to pay off. We had good feedback and much support from everyone… Beck's Fashion experience. And we made the 1st place at Design am Rhein (Igedo). We were on cloud nine. What followed was even more support and affirmation. We are looking forward to the next collection.


www.richterswitala.com