Meet Wibke Deertz | Menswear Designer, Brand owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Wibke Deertz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Wibke, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
push it but don´t sweat it . I make the products or take the decisions for my buisness that don´t try to make the impossible happen or have people produce my product, or meet other business needs if they are not ready or have not done it before.
I try to do the things that are actually possible right now and not dream about the what if if all conditions would be perfect or act as if i can create magic. This way i can concentrate my energy on moving ahead step by step , it s a marathon after all , not a sprint.
2nd one – keep moving. That means going other places to work to keep a clear perspective on how things work in another setting, another country, another culture. It permits myself to see my brand and business and myself from a fresh perspective.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Working in fashion means that the tasks are numerous and and the work never ends. I like the productivity of designing making garments, however from the beginning on didn´t see myself hiding in my studio 24/7 . I decided to work i different counties from time to time to enrichen my personal experience and get to know a place by finding collaborators and setting up a workflow in Vietnam, Thailand, Argentina and currently in Senegal . This comes with a lot of ups and downs and one has to push oneself beyond many challenges one couldn´t have anticipated. The reward though is priceless. The work becomes very personal and each design that was made has a lot of stories attached to it. Even if they remain invisible and untold, there is a lot of energy in each item and i do think many of my customers can feel that.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Currently I ´m in Saint Lous Senegal. this is the city that i feel most connected to besides my home, Berlin . Here one can just walk and see magic. Walking in the old town and Guet Ndar, the fishing quarters of the neighboring Island is an experience like no other. Have a coffee or some camel milk afterwards at Ndar Ndar music café and find some live music.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I set up my small enterprise in a way that i can be truely independant, That means that , if needed, i can manage all tasks by myself, not depend on others. Yet ,I actually love to work others and my brand wouldn t exist without all the help and support i got from the actual makers of the garments. As a small brand it is difficult to find workshops who are willing to produce small series and in a superior quality. I had my workshop set up in Hanoi , Bangkok , Buenos Aires, Saint Louis, Senegal and work with polish and portuguese producers and always found amazing people who gave me a chance to work with them. I value every connection and all the difficulties we have overcome together. It strenghtend the personal and relationships, cultural exchange and gave me valuable lessons and appreciation for the work of tailors. The workshop in Poland is my longest partner of 18 years and I probably wouldn´t be in business without their dedication, expertise and positive attitude.

Website: https://addeertz.com/

Instagram: @addeertz

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/addeertz

Image Credits
Angelo van de Wiel , Pierre Laborde, Anna Psaroudakis