Clear lines, playful details: these attributes are the trademark of the label tsatsas from Frankfurt/Main – which are perceived far beyond. His handbags are small works of art that you hang around your shoulder or carry in your hand. It is all the more astonishing that Esther and Dimitrios Tsatsas are actually career changers. But after the architect and the industrial designer had made handbags for themselves and their friends for a few years, they decided in 2012 to take over the leather workshop from Dimitrio’s father, who had his own workshop as a fine bag maker, and to turn their hobby into a profession. On the occasion of the company’s tenth anniversary, the German Leather Museum in Offenbach is now honoring the design talent of the two. From April 1, more than 30 models from previous years will be on display: the bags will be presented to visitors in an endless loop on a conveyor belt (ledermuseum.de).
Now Dries Van Noten also makes beauty, such as lipsticks in elaborate bodies.
(Photo: manufacturer)
For a long time, the Belgian designer Dries Van Noten was not only characterized by cool, wonderfully wearable fashion, but also by everything he did not made. No advertising, no intermediate collections, only a few accessories and – no beauty. However, the continued success ensured that the still independent company boss had more than enough to do. The Spanish fashion entrepreneur Puig is now on board as an investor and keeps a lot of things at bay. What, apparently so liberated Dries thought, could he do with the time he had gained? For example, how about . . . a beauty line? Dries Van Noten Beauty was launched on March 2nd, he himself demonstrated the components to interested visitors at the Paris Fashion Week: ten fragrances with such exquisite names as “Cannabis Patchouli”, “Fleur du Mal” or “Rock the Myrrh”, filled in flacons, which reflect the Dries look appropriately with their bright color spectrum and wild mix of patterns (100 ml between 220 and 240 euros). There is also an equally beautifully packaged palette of four lipsticks for 34 euros ( driesvannoten.com and from April 22nd in the Berlin concept store by Andreas Murkudis).
By women for women: the new mountain sports brand La Munt. Here “Samuela”, the lined cashmere jacket.
(Photo: manufacturer)
Conquering walls, adrenaline-pumping adventures and conquering “virgin” peaks: For centuries, alpinism was dominated by men. Accordingly, the outfit of mountaineers often looks martial. However, women tend to have a different approach to the mountains. Ruth Oberrauch, manager of the South Tyrolean Oberalp Group (Salewa, Dynafit, Wild Country, Pomoca), has questioned in detail to what extent mountain sports brands are also committed to male history. The result of their considerations: a new mountaineering brand, “by women for women”. La Munt, Ladin for mountain, combines functionality with finesse. The collection includes waterproof and lined jackets, ponchos, leggings, hoodies and trousers, as well as accessories such as headbands and fanny packs. The founder designed her first collection in such a way that the feminine functional clothes appear “feminine and strong” at the same time (lamunt.com).
Vegan, organic, plastic-free, reduced sugar: Easter bunny from Nu Company.
(Photo: manufacturer)
Brightly colored plastic on the outside, cheap cocoa on the inside: This is what most of the 220 million Easter bunnies look like that will soon be enthusiastically pulled out of Germany’s hedges again. The expensive alternatives from the patisserie are usually less well received, children just love sweet melt in the mouth. The chocolate bar start-up provides it Nu Company now with coconut blossoms and tiger nut flour instead of milk powder and industrial sugar. “Bunny” is organic, vegan, low-sugar, plastic-free and made from at least 51 percent fair-trade cocoa from Peru. After all, it’s supposed to be for children – not by children. The chocolate figure comes in a box, the back of which is designed to be cut out and colored in if the green and yellow box is not colorful enough (set of 5 for 19.95 euros, the-nu-company.com).
The “New Kreuterbuch” by the Bavarian scholar Leonhart Fuchs from 1543 is considered a milestone in botany.
(Photo: manufacturer)
Germans have always been interested in herbs, always more about health than taste. True to the motto: A herb is a good herb if it can be historically proven beyond any doubt that Hildegard von Bingen used it to alleviate some kind of suffering. There is nothing to be said against this at first, as the importance of herbal medicine is undisputed. Slightly less well-known than Hildegard von Bingen, but just as influential was the Bavarian physician, botanist and polymath Leonhart Fuchs, who was born in 1501 as the son of the mayor of Wemdingen near Donauwörth. Fuchs studied medicine in Ingolstadt, became the personal physician of the Ansbach margrave and later rector of the University of Tübingen, where he also planted a garden with medicinal plants. Fuchs’ reputation as “one of the fathers of botany” is also based on his New Kreuterbuch, which was published in 1543 and in which more than 500 plant species were described and elaborately illustrated with just as many woodcuts. Fuchs even included new plants that had only been discovered in America, such as corn and tobacco. When Taschen-Verlag is re-launching the book 480 years after its publication, it should primarily appeal to aesthetes and historically interested herbal lovers. The reprint (4.8 kilos) looks good on any coffee table and is based on Fuchs’ personal, hand-colored original edition. If you have then indulged enough in noble fracture heels and wonderful illustrations, you can briefly remember that ginger, fennel and elderberry are not only suitable as kidney or frontal sinus compresses, but also taste good.(125 euros, bags.com).