Interview: Olivia Lottersberger

My name is Olivia Lottersberger, I am 23 years old and recently graduated from ArtEZ, University of the Arts, in Arnhem, the Netherlands. For the past four years I have studied Fashion Design, abroad. Looking at my home country, Austria, from a new perspective, made me rethink, cherish, question, and criticise our culture and society. Working in the field of fashion and art, I think I must contribute to a better future, develop sustainable techniques, and change the fashion industry together with like-minded peers.

In my work, I focus on making one-on-one pieces, which I repurpose from second-hand garments and deadstock materials, as well as things that were thrown away, and I want to give them a new life. By putting a lot of love, spontaneity, and detailed handwork into the pieces, I can make this happen. I think what I love the most about my work is that in the end, the garments tell a story, where they come from, where they have been, and what they will be when someone wears them. What I am still trying to cope with throughout my profession is the weight on my shoulders of being part of a system that is so polluting, consumerism-oriented, and exploiting. No matter what you create or what/where you shop, you are contributing to the yet morally wrong fashion system. However, we have to try and find new ways in order to have a future.

I think a fashionable person is not the same as a person with good taste! Personally, fashionable people put their heart and soul, a lot of charisma into their clothing style. This can also mean that it is not my taste, however, everyone who stays true to themselves, explores the boundaries of their own style and uses fashion to express their personality and uniqueness is a fashionable person to me! You can have good taste and yet put absolutely no character into your style.

What will never be out of fashion? I love this question because I think it really cannot be answered! There are so many subcultures and styles going on simultaneously and fashion constantly rotates throughout time in strange rhythms and items jump in and out of style constantly. Today, standing out of the crowd is fashionable, so you can literally pull off anything as long as you wear it with confidence. So actually, I think confidence will never be out of fashion. And underwear, underwear will never be out of style!

Mistakes, flaws, and spontaneity put the fun in fashion. Actually, everything that is the total opposite of perfectionism, because then fashion just becomes so stiff, boring and forced. I want to see the journey of the garment, how stories are told, stories you can laugh about. Exploring, experimenting, and trying out new things is the best part about living and I can have so much fun dressing up, trying to portray various moods and strange characteristics of myself in the way I dress, as well as in the pieces I make, even if that means making mistakes or having “happy accidents”.

I use clothing as a literal portrayal of myself, what I believe in, and what I am feeling at the moment. I do this when I pick out which clothes I want to wear for the day and which garments I want to make for the next collection. Throughout my studies, I explored my relationship with Austria. Reflecting on the social structures we have here, conservatism and patriotism, that rubbed off on me while growing up. Trying to break free from the culture I come from, love and cherish but also despise in many ways. My clothes tell a story of me, appreciating, questioning, and reimagining traditions and culture, and how we express ourselves in the way we dress.

I really hate fashion’s polluting side, fast fashion, and consumerism that is destroying our planet in unimaginable ways, with consequences that we do not even feel here in Europe. Bombarding the global south with tons and tons of fabric and unworn clothes cannot be something we should be accepting as “normal”. As well as the fact, that the fashion system is just existing upon a mountain of exploitation work and modern-day slavery. Starting at a range from factory workers to unpaid interns at every brand and fashion house. What bothers me the most is that once you sort out all the greenwashing, you are left with a handful of designers and brands that actually want to make a difference. The rest just seems to be accepting the system, taking advantage of it, and passing on an attitude of ignorance and arrogance in a vicious circle to the next generation.

I wish I had known earlier that being kind in the fashion world is the key to not selling your soul to the devil! Support one another, don’t be competitive, and stop trying to be perfect and the best, it will only backfire.