6 Fashion Designers From Munich You Need To Know

Though Berlin often steals the spotlight and Munich is better known for lederhosen and Oktoberfest, there’s actually a growing fashion design scene in the city. Whether you’re looking to make a bold style statement or are into a minimalist chic look, Culture Trip tracked down six hot designers who are making their mark in Munich with their quirky and unique designs.

Nina Athanasiou

Though Nina Athanasiou completed a degree in fashion design, she pursued other interests after graduating, including working in a bar and being a freelance illustrator. She decided to return to her true passion after having children and launched her label in 2008. Her fame has not only grown in Germany but also in the USA, where Shaun Ross, a top model with albinism, showcased her work at New York Fashion Week. Nina’s designs are works of contrast with strong silhouettes and tough materials being offset by soft silk. Her jewellery is particularly distinctive, drawing inspiration from the fetish scene.

Aly Shea

If you’re looking to treat yourself to a beautiful new handbag or clutch, Aly Shea is the designer you want. Born into a fashion-focused family with a model mother and photographer father, this Sunshine State expat was born in Miami, but she now splits her time between Florida and Munich. Her designs are simple yet stunning – the kind of bag that goes with almost any outfit. Each bag is handmade with the maker’s initials on the inside. Also, the inside of each bag has a small, sewn-in mirror to make sure you’re always looking good!

Stephanie Kahnau

With loose, flowing tops decorated with unique prints and made from tactile materials, Stephanie’s designs are approachable – the kind of thing you can imagine wearing to dinner with friends and everyone asking where you got it. While her cuts are classic shapes, she plays with screen prints or patterns and textures to give the pieces a unique look. Her work is handmade in Munich, and you’ll currently see it in a pop-up store in Ruffini’s at Rindermarkt 10, a short walk from Marienplatz.

Charlotte Hartig

If the name sounds familiar, it’s because Charlotte’s work has recently been making ripples in the fashion world; as well as exhibiting her work in Paris and Munich, she has also featured in fashion magazines such as Grazia. From a studio and showroom in Haidhausen, she works on her tailored, often monochromatic, pieces, which are handmade in Germany, France and Italy. Open to working with customers to reflect their individual style, Charlotte, who is also a photographer, believes in blurring the boundaries between fashion and art.

Nathalie Laureen

Beautifully tailored pieces that either ignore or create the wearer’s silhouette are Nathalie’s hallmark. Based in Munich, she also brings inspiration from her time in Berlin and Paris to her work. The result is something minimalistic and chic, often playing with delicate colour differences that subtly showcase her attention to detail. A fan of architecture and minimalism, Nathalie takes inspiration from these fields and adds a touch of Art Deco glamour to bring her designs to life.

Theresa Reiter

After graduating from the Munich Academy of Fashion and Design, Theresa created individual collections and also founded the ‘pop-up’ fashion label WE.RE with fellow Munich designer Katharina Weber. Together they’ve mixed bold cuts with soft fabrics to create something that’s androgynous, alternating with simple shapes and block colours. The result is something you could instantly see fitting in with your wardrobe as well as earning you style points at the office and while having after-work drinks.

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