Fenja Ludwig

My fashion line is called Couture de Cologne. The name expresses what it is: sewing art from Cologne. In 2003 I have started with a ready-to-wear collection. But over time it became clear that I am rather made for creating couture. That also makes sense against the background of my education: I have studied fashion design and am a master tailor too. From the beginning I had a distinct style, my own signature. It has become more elaborate and manifest over the years but the style itself is a constant. I was and still am inspired by the chique of the disco era of the late seventies. For me, fashion is applied art. As a fashion designer you have to work in a market-oriented way which bores me more and more. As a couturière I am free. It is important to me that my fashion is wearable. But one has to be aware that it is not for grey mice: in my creations one will be seen. One has to enjoy that attention and be ready to abide it.
My studio — Modemanufaktur — is a symbiosis of workshop and show room and my second home. Modemanufaktur is very centrally located in the city center of Cologne. Official opening hours are Tuesday till Saturday 12 to 7pm. Moreover, I am regularly offering sewing courses, mostly outside opening hours. It is my wish to pass on the knowledge and skills around tailoring so this beautiful craft won’t become extinct.
A giant sewing table is placed in the center of the shop window of Modemanufaktur, so passers-by can always watch me and my tailor apprentices (that’s how I call my course participants) at work. But the table is not only a work place, it has the character of a stage as well. We use this stage for performances. Together with my artists collective I am regularly hosting cabaret events. We have a visual focus and present a mix of music, dance, fashion and poetry in an intimate atmosphere. I consider this a new and timely way of presenting fashion.
Apart from that I am attending many opening receptions in the numerous galleries of the city. Right now, the exhibition Fast Fashion — the downside of fashion is running at the Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum. The show elucidates the production pro­cesses of the fashion industry which are amongst the dirtiest ever. Very much worth seeing!