Pletzinger is the futuristic brand making eco-friendly fits for the people
One man’s ceiling is another man’s floor. One man’s loss is another man’s profit. One man’s trash is another man’s fortune. Are you catching my drift?
Wilfried Pletzinger is literally living by these idioms and not only is this perfect timing for him, but also for the fashion world at large. But
Pletzinger is not your typical fashion designer.
Taking up designing in the mid 90s, Pletzinger’s form of fashion derives from the eco-friendly “upcycling” technique, which was considered a small trend that very few designers in Berlin dabbled in at the time.
His earliest “upcycled creations” pay homage to mid-90s Berlin clubwear scene, which gained worldwide popularity, reunified Germany, and redefined the techno and eurodance genres for a decade.
But for the eco-conscious Pletzinger, his inspirations go beyond the vintage or copycat style, his infatuation with sports, music, sci-fi films, modern architecture, and the art of creation are his strongest motivations.
Fashion upcycling, also known as creative reuse, is the ability to create an object of greater value from a discarded object of lesser value. It is the process of transforming by-products, useless, or unwanted products into new materials of better quality.
This helps create a better environmental system, which can be supported indefinitely in terms of human impact on the environment and social responsibility, which can be seen as an alternative trend against fast fashion.
Pletzinger shows his ability to weave pieces of fabrics in a whole new story, while inviting the owner to add their own personal narrative.
Bringing the integrity of the basic fabrics to life by taking original pieces from 90s sportswear to create wearable fashion, with a refined personality and a futuristic sex appeal. Demonstrating that even sometimes the most monotonous object can be turned into a sophisticated ensemble. It’s a sort of “sporty futurism” if I had to give it a search description.
Pletzinger’s fashion sense has been on the scene for sometime now, after some successful years in Stockholm, he moved back to Berlin in 2011 and opened a studio.
Soon he found himself doing several shows overseas at the Berlin Alternative Fashion Week, Copenhagen Fashion Week, the Alternative Fashion Week in London, and more recently in 2018 during February’s NYFW at the Stewart Hotel.
I was fortunate to catch up with the innovator himself, who was wearing a New York Rangers Jersey while sporting a pair of joggers made from an Adidas sports jersey, to seek some sort of insight as to who he is, what his motivations are, and what will make his brand Pletzinger a staple in the fashion world.
Peltzinger enjoys the thrill of taking an item, breaking it apart and creating something enchanting. While some think upcycling seems fun, according to Pletzinger it’s hard work:
“The point is that people respect my concept and respect my clothes but to upcycle a product is much more work than to sow something new. And most people are not willing to pay the higher cost, so I sell my products at a lower value so yes upcycling is fun but not that satisfying after a long while.”
According to Pletzinger, the inspiration for his latest collection he went diving into the realm of science fiction:
“For my newer collection i was inspired by sport, modern architecture, and futurism, which is reflected in the material the patterns and prints are highly detailed and hopefully not too long I wish to see my clothes on the Red Carpet”
Although Pletzinger is in the business of sustainable fashion, his goal is to stay original and not copy or follow the trends of mainstream fashion. He provides some words for any aspiring fashion designer on the come up:
“Be different, don’t try to copy other designers, and do not copy mainstream fashion, because there is no conquering them they have such a huge system of production and as well the mistreatment of people so it is not wise to follow in their steps.”
Take a look at his latest collection displayed at NYFW, which looks like something straight out of a spaceship.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfHzGb6lMeS/
Pletzinger is a breath of fresh air in the fashion industry.
There will more to come from Pletzinger and his futuristic aesthetic, his work is truly something worth taking a look at. He is providing socially and eco-conscious, highly-detailed designs with the consumer’s wallet in mind.
Surely in the next couple years, more brands will adopt his lead and buck retail in order to deliver their product in a more efficient and consumer-friendly way, all while maintaining an eco-conscious approach.
Watch for more of his collections to hit runways this year.