THE FLAME WILL FIND IT’S OWN WAY BY – OTTOLINGER’S CHRISTA BÖSCH & COSIMA GADIENT BY LOTTE THOR
PHOTOGRAPHER: Lottie Thor
WORDS: Divya Bala
There’s a universe of otherworldly sources that fuel Ottolinger’s creativity. From urban imagery to mythical undertones, theirs is a space in which disparate elements find communion. At the collection presentation, for example, models exited from the bloodied jaws of a behemoth beached shark. Garments have been fashioned from influences spanning cyborgs and Chinese sci-fi to club culture and the classical world of Greek mythology. Utilitarian references, like wetsuits and motocross gear, live alongside organic forms and the raw power of the natural world.
“Once we burned a collection. It was about the natural way things are formed by nature,” explains Cosima Gadient, one half of the Berlin-based fashion brand. “We said, ‘let’s burn this stuff’, because the flame would find its own way.” Even the name, Ottolinger, was pilfered from a neighbour’s doorbell.
“We’re naturally very thirsty people, like sponges. Whatever we see, we soak in and then run it through our filters,” explains Gadient. Adds her co-founder, Christa Bösch, “The moment we go outside and have time to think, we get inspired.”
The signatures that have made the duo successful span from the social underground to the lofty heights of fashion: straps and knots – haphaz- ard, yet carefully crafted – undone elements like unfinished edges and ex- posed seams, harnesses, Cyberpunk flourishes, openwork and a recon- structive elegance come together to create a raw, unsettling beauty. Even seemingly unfinished elements, like open seams, serve a purpose, contribut- ing to the overall design and sometimes enhancing comfort. Practical details, such as hidden ties in extra-long trousers for adjustable length, demonstrate Ottolinger’s attention to functionality alongside a distinct aesthetic.
Ottolinger’s designs often prioritise comfort and wearability in ways that aren’t immediately apparent. Despite the sometimes ‘crazy’ aesthetic and unconventional details, the garments are designed to be comfortable. “I mean, sometimes you get feedback like, ‘It’s surprisingly comfortable!’,” Bösch notes.
Ottolinger’s forward-thinking vision often presents a unique challenge: translating their innovative ideas into tangible garments. As Gadient notes, their designs combine seemingly disparate elements, resulting in pieces that feel both futuristic and grounded, familiar yet en- tirely new. This pursuit of the avant-garde can make the production pro- cess complex. Collaborating with craftspeople requires significant ef- fort, with Bösch explaining, “Like some, you have to push a lot, and then some just punish us with high prices.” The difficulty in finding artisans capable of executing their unconventional designs, coupled with the fi- nancial constraints, means that a considerable portion of their work in- volves “negotiating ideas and process,” as Gadient describes. Otto- linger’s ambition to create original pieces often necessitates a balancing act between creative vision and practical execution.
CHRISTA BÖSCH AND COSIMA GADIENT
The design pair met in Basel while studying at the Institute for Fashion Design at the FHNW Academy. Their creative process is remark- ably personal, beginning with simple conversations around wardrobe gaps and wants. “When we create a new collection, it’s always the same questions that come up. It’s like, ‘who is the future self we want to be? How can we stay free? How can we make a statement towards this liberated persona’?” explains Gadient. “Everything is such a uniform, and we try to do something very individual.”
This starting point evolves into hands-on experimentation — draping, material research and print development — often with artists such as Swiss-born Tobias Spichtig, Vietnamese-American painter Julien Nguyen or Bronx-based artist Cheyenne Julien. In tandem, the brand’s trajectory has been bolstered by wearers such as Gigi Hadid, Kylier Jenner, Cardi B, and artist Anne Imhof, collaborations with Puma – even a custom piece de- signed for Beyoncé’s On the Run II World Tour which went from request to on-stage in under two hours.
“I think we have started to create quite a strong universe,” says Bösch. There’s a very specific Ottolinger way of how we dress and style, and what this universe looks like is a mix between extremely normal, ex- tremely undone, but also extremely free.” Adds Gadient, “We also realise that because we’re a smaller company, we have a very short decision-mak- ing process. I think that’s why big companies like Puma approach us, be- cause we have this free spirit that we can inject. It’s like, cute while girly.
Limitations, it seems, are a catalyst for Ottolinger’s creativity. Faced with the financial realities of working with premium raw materials, they in- novate, turning restrictions into opportunities for exploration, such as their ceramic-effect bag made with a seed pearl, which they innovated when leather was out of reach – and quickly became a crowd favourite. They tem- per their resourcefulness with a touch of wit, which the designers see as an essential tool. “We’re very serious,” Gadient explains, “but we also think humour is a way to show that you have a certain level of understanding of something, without being too aggressive.”
Ultimately, Ottolinger’s approach to fashion mirrors their philoso- phy of life: disruption as a path to freedom. “It’s important to disrupt the nor- mal structure,” Gadient emphasises. “To not follow a pattern in order to be free again – and to be able to receive these ideas about new ways of think- ing.” By challenging conventional aesthetics and embracing the unconven- tional, Ottolinger creates a space for self-discovery. Much like the liberat- ing atmosphere of a Berlin nightclub, they aim to offer a “safe space” where individuals can explore different facets of themselves and express their unique identities without constraint. “You go in and you can be totally free and you can discover different sides of you,” says Gadient. “And I think that’s what we try to offer.”
OTTOLINGER SIGNATURE CERAMIC-EFFECT BAG
