Today in Interview Monday – Princess Elsa, a new label from Germany.
Would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Elke Stellbrink, I am 43 years old. After some years in Frankurt and Berlin my home is now in Cologne. I live with my husband, our now almost six year old daughter Greta and our family dog.
Tell us a little about your background? How did you become to be a children’s fashion designer?
My professional background is rather extraordinary because I am a veterinarian and therefore are pretty new in the fashion world. However my mother was a dressmaker by profession and when I was a child she sewed a lot of very nice clothes for both of us. So here I got my very first inspirations for fashion. My interest in fashion and fashionable items grow over the years and my idea and the wish to create something on my own became big and bigger over the years. Then it was finally my daughter and her dedication for dresses that inspired me to start with my own label „Princess Elsa“ that I founded last year.
Your very first collection! How exciting! What inspires your work, and what do you want to inspire in others through your work?
Yes it is really great when a dream becomes true! Intially the idea for the first collection started in my mind after the daily discussions with my daughter in the morning about what to wear. She just loves to wear dresses and so do I but often the pieces that we have in our closets do not really fit with our daily life. So the idea was born to design clothes for all-day-long princesses that despite of being fashionable are comfortable to wear as well and that simply make you feel good. As the icon of my label „Princess Elsa“ I choose the adorable bird flamingo because it reflects for me all I feel about fashion. With the pieces of my first collection and hopefully futher to come I would like to make others to feel comfortable and happy with. I would like them to be flamingorized!
What is your favorite piece from the AW14 collection?
I just love the dress with the „Puschel“ flamingo!
Do you have children? How does that influence your work?
My daughter Greta inspires me every day with her curiosity and her enthusiasm about anything new. This simply is inspiring.
What are the most rewarding and most challenging aspects of your job?
The positive feedback that I got so far on my first collection from all the girls out there, that is so amazing! One mother told me that her little daughter just does not want to take of her Flamingodress again, because she loves it so much! So cute! On the other hand it is very challenging for me as someone who does not have a fashion business background to find my way to establish „Princess Elsa“ as label. But that is what life is all about, to try and to find your own way.
If one of our readers is only in Cologne for 24 hours what one thing would you recomment they do?
Definitely to visit the Cologne cathedrale, it is just amazing! To walk up the 533 stairs of the south tower and to enjoy the great view over the city and the Rhine river. Futher more to explore the newly build up area of „Rheinauhafen“ with its amazing architecture and to make a boat trip on the rhine river.
Website : www.princesselsa.de
Facebook : www.facebook.com/princesselsaclothing
