The Tagesspiegel calls him ‘child prodigy’ and the Berliner Zeitung calls him ‘Lagerfeld’s darling’. We’re talking about Lucas Meyer-Leclère, the designer who has been shaking up Berlin Fashion Week with art and dance performances for several seasons. FashionUnited spoke to him about the origins of his label, his plans to channel the buzz generated into a commercially successful clothing line, and his experiences with Berlin Fashion Week and the Fashion Council Germany.
What is the history of your label?
LML: My dream has been to work with Karl Lagerfeld since I was 10 years old. At the age of 17 I moved to London and began my studies at St Martins. In 2006, Chanel had a show there called Paris-London. I contacted them and persisted with them until they accepted me as an intern.
I spent a wonderful time there designing fabrics. It was the first time that the management of the textile department hired a creative assistant. I hand painted on tweed and a lot of my inspiration and artwork ended up in the collection. And it was amazing to meet all the artisans and suppliers, and then we had these gigantic shows. It was really, really nice. So I was hired and stayed there for about three or four years. But eventually I went back to finish my studies.
Then, at 24, I got a job in Italy, at the Isa fabric factory, which in my opinion was Chanel’s best supplier. It was in the middle of nowhere near Como. I traveled around Europe and met with the people responsible for textiles from all the big brands, like Dior, Burberry, Raf Simons and so on. I learned Italian, which is really fun and useful for the fashion business. And through her I met Sandra Choi, the creative director of Jimmy Choo, and we worked together on her accessories line in London.
But I missed expressing my own vision, not just designing for other brands. So I moved to Berlin, did some art and dance collaborations and eventually found my way back into fashion. And then the suggestion came to hold my first show at Berlin Fashion Week. And that’s how it started.
What are you currently working on?
I have completed the designs for the coming season and am developing environmentally friendly fabrics and high-quality garments and dresses in Italy. I also have a new business partner, Gianandrea Cataneo from Milan, and we have restructured the company to grow. Gianandrea built the Alessandro Dell’Acqua brand in the 1990s and it is wonderful to be able to benefit from his experience and support. So far we have attracted a lot of attention with our shows and we are channeling this into a viable trade with a focus on tailoring.
Are you looking for wholesale partnerships?
We are in discussions. On the one hand, I offer what I call “Couture-à-Porter” with a limited number of unique, hand-made individual pieces. And then there should be a ready-to-wear line, which of course always has to be sustainable and should be available to a wider audience. I’m also working on a few collaborations, which is exciting because it’s always beneficial to work with other creatives and other brands and share our strengths, hopes and visions.
How would you describe your style or your fashion philosophy?
Well, those are two different things. My style emphasizes tailoring with a twist. And it is cross-gender.
As for my philosophy, I believe in fashion as a tool for positive change. Even if luxury is reserved for only a few, it can convey tolerance and inclusivity through the co-creation of universes and inspiration. For me it’s always a cycle: everyone inspires everyone. We all do this together, whether through differences or through similarities.
What about sustainability?
Sustainability is very important to me. It’s not just a trend. I think it’s the only way you can be creative if you still want to face yourself. And the beauty of it is that it creates new challenges. It forces us to think outside the box. Of course, the industry needs a lot of time to change, but there are already many positive changes. I’m really excited about the possibilities that this will open up in the future.
How do you source your materials?
I work in different ways. One is re-tailoring existing pieces. And then I like to work with leftovers, which I really enjoy because of my previous experience with textiles. I know how to play with different finishes or washes to get a really unique feel and look and that’s what makes it really special.
However, these products are only suitable for wholesale to a limited extent. That’s why I make my own fabrics in Italy from sustainable yarn and recycled polyester. I’m always looking for interesting partnerships for this and it was wonderful to work with Art Design last season, who reproduced my drawings with environmentally friendly metallization layers. They do a lot of hand painting and are really great. Half of the customizations on the Paris runway are theirs and almost no one knows it. It’s wonderful to see Italy really pushing the sustainable discourse forward.
When I was designing fabrics fifteen years ago, only Stella McCartney had access to textiles made from bamboo. Now they are everywhere. Working with sustainable delivery companies is a way forward for us.
Who would be your dream customer?
I don’t have a dream customer in retail. Rather, they are partnerships that grow over time and we are on the right track with them. However, I’m curious to see what a new version of Colette might look like. And I would love to dress the next David Bowie, whoever that may be. As for reality, it would be fun to think of stage and everyday clothes for Lil-Nas X or Willow Smith. I also think Sam Smith is fantastic.
You chose two examples that no longer exist. Is your ideal fashion store a thing of the past?
No, absolutely not. Because fashion is, by its very nature, something that moves forward. For example, I am very interested in the future of digital fashion. We are considering this aspect because I think it is relevant to a wider audience. Back when I was 15, you could get a clip bracelet from Dior for 15 euros. And so John Galliano reached more people and democratized fashion. People realized that they could save money and buy a bag, for example. And I feel like the metaverse does this for people who dress their avatar.
I see it this way: the invention of the escalator did not abolish stairs. So two things can exist at the same time and promote the same thing, in digital and analog form, they are two sides of the same coin that can push each other and grow together.
Will you be taking part in Berlin Fashion Week again in February?
Yes, the show is confirmed for February.
What will we see?
A completely different approach than what we have done before. The focus is on a complete Made in Italy wardrobe from morning to evening. And lots of clothes. It’s about defining what the tailoring of the brand is all about. The fit. The portability. The processing. And of course the material. What it means to wear clothes made by us. Why it makes a difference.
What do you think of the impact of Berlin Fashion Week and the work of the Fashion Council?
I think the last show was great thanks to the support of the Council. I had a lot of fun. It was great to work creatively with Claudia Hoffman again. She pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and implement my spoken words on stage. It was also fun for me to choreograph some of my friends from the State Ballet. It felt good, as a whole. Everything really came together.
The Fashion Council is doing a lot in Berlin to create a whole week around the shows and I’m really grateful to be a part of it. With so much support from the Senate for Fashion Week, there is a lot of opportunity for a bright future in Berlin.
I would be very happy if a program like NewGen were created in London, which has produced and supported so many interesting designers. Long-term support that would really make a difference to anchor people here and create trust so that it reflects on the quality of Berlin Fashion Week. Christiane Arp works a lot there, so we are in good hands.