How did you get started ?
We both started our path in the industry very differently. Otto at first studied design in Vienna the university of applied arts under the mentorship of Karl Lagerfeld and Jil sander. Joerg collected his first experiences as a men’s tailor in Frankfurt, before studying design. We both met, when working at Escada in Munich during the early nineties. After several steps and working for different companies such as Chloe, Rena Lange and René Lezard, we started our own project, Odeeh in 2009.
Where do you find your inspiration? and how has this changed over time since you began to design ?
As our colleague and friend Paul smith always says: u can find inspiration in everything! that’s our mantra and principle. the more unexpected the moment of inspiration is, the better. The longer we are experiencing our work, the more we search in unexpected fields in order to find new an surprising moments for us.
Where did you learn your craft?
We both have different talents and methods in order to come to a specific point and result in our creative processes. While Otto is the illustrator, the creative visualizer in the team of us, Joerg is more serving the technical aspects and cares more about the fabric side.
What is your hope for the future of your industry ?
We think it’s important, that we all work in a serious direction towards more responsibility. Sustainable aspects, in the same moment human facts are key for the future. A certain velocity is guaranteeing a good dynamic and speed, but in the same moment, we all should always take the time in order to think product deeply until the end. The faster the better, the more the merrier is not the main focus anymore. In the same moment: Reduction is not always the right thing. Sometimes you need a wider perspective of possibilities in order to come to a precise result.
What is your main source of calm/distraction during these strange times?
Our garden, our life in the countryside. The balance of urbanity on the one hand and rather calm moments on the other are getting more and more important, the older we get. And especially in these strange moments we are all in: Having a great team behind us is so precious. People you can trust, who understand us and share the same values. Meanwhile we try to work only with those who we really like to cooperate with. Using our energy as much as possible for the good instead of wasting time for things, that are not essential . That’s probably a positive result and resume of this actual situation.