The secret of good craftsmanship and beautiful design

Doreen Thierfelder

A large, light-flooded room with large windows - this is the new home of Thierfelder Manufaktur. Fashion designer Doreen Thierfelder has had her company in the Schönherrfabrik since 2011. This year, she fulfilled her dream of an open-plan studio and moved into new premises. "It's a modern approach between open manufactory, studio and showroom," says Doreen Thierfelder and is delighted that her customers can experience the production process of her fashion. From the sketch to the cutting table, from the sewing machine to the ironing station to the finished model. Design and craftsmanship can be experienced here.

Have you always wanted to have your own fashion company?
Doreen Thierfelder: In 2003, I successfully completed my studies in fashion design at the AKS in Schneeberg. And then the big question arose: What do I do afterwards? Do I go into the industry and work there as a fashion designer? But then I quickly realised that I didn't want to work in the industry. It's almost exclusively about sales figures, optimisation and rationalisation. That simply doesn't match my aspirations. While I was working in Paris, I was able to learn how to combine exceptional design with quality craftsmanship in the haute couture sector. That's exactly how I wanted to work.

What is your ambition?
Above all, I want to work with fashion. My aim is not just to realise fast-moving trends, but to create high-quality fashion. I have fulfilled this dream here: I have been self-employed for ten years now. I started as a one-person company in 2006, and now there are five of us.

Is that also the philosophy behind Thierfelder?
That's right. One requires the other. Precision craftsmanship is the basis for our collections.

Which products can be found in your collections?
In the beginning, I focussed exclusively on the design and manufacture of men's shirts. That's where I started and that's what I still do today. In addition to classic shirts or stand-up collar shirts, our collections also include shirt jackets, polo shirts and pullover-style shirts. There is also a women's collection, which includes silk blouses, blouse dresses and jacket blouses.

At the Thierfelder Manufaktur, customers can really follow every step of the production of their product. From the first pencil strokes on white paper to the finished product on the hanger, everything is created in the new premises in the Schönherrfabrik. "The customer can see here which hands have made their shirt," says Doreen Thierfelder, pointing to the Pfaff sewing machine where one of her employees is currently sewing a new shirt.

How does your men's shirt differ from an off-the-peg shirt?
Design and quality. Firstly, we work with very high-quality materials. Always from Europe, mostly from Austria. Unfortunately, shirt fabrics are no longer woven in Germany. That's why the shortest route is Austria. All other ingredients come from Germany. In addition to the quality of the materials, fashionably reduced silhouettes, unusual colour nuances and intelligent detailed solutions are typical of Thierfelder.

Why did you decide to give your fashion label the name Thierfelder?
I had been thinking about the name of my label for a long time. I needed a name that authentically embodied my ideas. Nothing was more obvious than my own name. After ten years of Thierfelder Manufaktur, the time has really come: I can really associate the "Thierfelder" brand with Thierfelder.

How far does the Thierfelder brand extend?
Every year I travel to over 20 exhibitions, events and trade fairs in the design and manufacturing sectors. I travel all over Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Denmark. This year I will also be travelling to France. Customer contact is established at these trade fairs. We sell everything directly to the end customer. Of course, this direct customer contact also gives us direct feedback. After all, our aim is to inspire our customers. We know immediately whether the cut fits, the colour is just right and the collar fits. This has enabled me to develop a perfect product range together with our customers over the past few years.

Doreen Thierfelder works with classic ready-to-wear sizes, which the customer tries on. If necessary, the size is then adjusted to the customer. The collar width is determined and the sleeve length adjusted. "People don't have standard measurements. Everyone is different and has their own preferences. One person likes it tight, another airy. We cater to every customer request and create a product that fits and pleases the customer. People are as individual as our clothing is individual." This is why it is particularly important for Thierfelder to work together with the customer.

Who buys from Thierfelder?
That's an exciting question. It's definitely not the typical banker that you might think of first. Men who come to us don't wear their shirts exclusively as business shirts. The Thierfeld customer cannot be categorised by age or profession; he is the modern man who values good style.
We get our customers hooked: if the shirt fits perfectly, they will definitely come back and want a second, a third and so on. Our customers are repeat offenders. The first event at which the Thierfelder fashion label presented itself was the Blickfang international design fair in Stuttgart. I still have customers from there today. And they are always happy when I come back. It's especially nice when customers come to visit us not only at trade fairs, but also in our studio in Chemnitz.

How are the people of Chemnitz dressed?
I don't think you can make a generalised assessment. You can walk through any city and see both well-dressed people and poorly dressed people. That's certainly not due to the city itself. It is of course difficult to find good shops in Chemnitz where you can shop well. The issue is currently more publicised than ever. But that doesn't mean that the people of Chemnitz are badly dressed. They can also shop elsewhere. Of course, we hope that people will soon be able to do this again in Chemnitz. We are an example of this.

Would your business even work in the city centre?
It probably wouldn't work at the moment. But maybe that's not what you want. Perhaps you want to be discovered by potential customers first, precisely because you offer different products. Of course, that doesn't mean that we are hiding here. But we have made a conscious decision not to be located next to the big clothing brands in the city centre.

How do you feel about your location here in the Schönherrfabrik?
I feel very much at home in the Schönherrfabrik and the Thierfelder fashion label is in particularly good hands here. There is a very creative environment here. Incidentally, the Schönherrfabrik is an excellent example of how the successive establishment of smaller companies under the roof of an extremely large factory space can succeed. But that's just a side note. What is important for us is the contact with other companies, which has already resulted from the odd lunch together in the Schönherrfabrik canteen. Of course, the creative people here are not all fashion designers - but that goes without saying. Chemnitz is not a fashion metropolis.

So why are you here anyway?
There are several reasons for this. The greatest happiness in life is undoubtedly a partnership. I have found that happiness here. My private life is simply perfect in Chemnitz. I know where to go to eat really well. I can go out well here. I can live out my love of nature here. When I look out over the Küchwald forest from my studio, it makes my heart beat faster. It's simply a wonderful sight. This nature inspires me just as much as my many journeys.

The Erzgebirger has been in Chemnitz for 12 years. And although she travels a lot and has already seen many European metropolises, such as Paris, Berlin and Copenhagen, she is always happy to come back home - to Chemnitz. "I have a great location here, where I can work really well. The conditions are just right! I lived in Paris, but I certainly wouldn't have had the opportunity there to develop the way I have here."

Do you have to encourage the people of Chemnitz?
I can't really judge that. I think we all have our lives and our happiness in our own hands. My tip: live what you feel! Buy regionally and support local businesses. We should be role models of what we want and do ourselves.