Thomas，服裝設計師，目前在柏林有兩間店Thatchers，分別位於Mitte 以及 Prenzlauer Berg.
Thomas is a fashion designer, who has 2 shops - Thatchers which located in Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg.
為什麼在柏林？
Why did you move to Berlin?
我來自科隆附近的城市，因為唸書的關係來到柏林，然後就在這裡一直住下來了。
I came from a city near Cologne. I moved to Berlin because of study, and then I just stay here since then.
喜歡柏林嗎？
Do you like Berlin?
喜歡啊。我是在80年代來到這裡，當時的柏林和現在完全不同，身為年輕人的那時候，每天晚上就是開心的去迪斯可跳舞，現在年紀比較長了，觀點變了，喜歡柏林的理由也不一樣了，但這是一個不停在發生改變的城市。雖然這個城市現在已經不像之前那麼的便宜，也有許多人不喜歡這些改變，但是比起其他大城市，巴黎等等，這裡的物價雖然提高了，但是還是很不錯的。
Yes, I like it. I came here in the early 80s, the Berlin looked totally different. As a young man at that time, I went to discos almost every night. Now I am getting older, the perspective of this city changes as well, but it is a city that keep changing. Though everything is getting expensive and lots of changes that many people don’t like it. But when you compare Berlin with other capitals like Paris, here is still affordable.
有什麼可以推薦給我們的柏林景點媽？
Do you have any tips for Berlin?
文化方面：我是一個非常喜歡看戲的人，而柏林有很多的劇院，各種大小，各種類型。我個人推薦： Deutsches Theater, Sophiensäle, Schaubühne.
自然方面：柏林有很多的綠地，雖然是個大城市，但是你可以很容易接近大自然，我最喜歡Tiergarten，他是這麼大也這麼美，規劃得很好的一個大公園。
跳蚤市場：柏林也有很多各式各樣的跳蚤市場，可以在那裡挖到各式各樣有的沒的東西。最近又會
有一個夏日市集開始， Nowkoelln Flowmarkt ，在禮拜日。
Culture : I loves theater! and there are many theaters that you can visit, in every size and every kind. I personally recommend Deutsches Theater, Sophiensäle, and Schaubühne.
Nature : Berlin is a metropolis with lots of green. It is easy to reach nature. I like Tiergarten the most, it is such a big, beautiful, well planed park.
Flea market : There are many flea markets in Berlin where you can find all kind of stuff useful or not. The summer market will soon be back: - Nowkoelln Flowmarkt every second Sunday.
你是怎麼開始這個職業的？
How did you start this career?
我來到柏林是因為唸書的緣故。後來發現自己喜歡服裝設計這個領域以後，變轉換了跑道，一開始是在劇院做服裝設計的工作。然後遇到了我的夥伴 Ralf Hensellek，我們一起建立了這個品牌，然後開始一邊劇院的工作，同時也經營自己的品牌。由於在劇院工作需要很多的討論，一旦人很多的時候，這個討論往往會拖得很長，於是後來我們就決定專注在自己的品牌上，做自己的設計。中間我也有一段時間旅居在泰國和一些亞洲國家， 不止開了眼界，也進行了很多實驗性的設計。
I came to Berlin to study. But I realized later that I like fashion Design, so I changed the route and started to work in the theater for costume. Later I met a partner, Ralf Hensellek, we founded this brand - Thatchers. I kept working in the theater and our own brand for a while. Working in theater means you need to have lots of discussions with many people for every detail, and it takes a long time. Therefore, later we decided to focus on our own brand. For this reason, I lived in Thailand and some countries in Asia for a while. It was quite an eye-opener and I made a lot of experimental Design during the time.
你的靈感來源？
What influenced your work?
我很喜歡閱讀/電影/戲劇/舞蹈/音樂。他們全都是我的靈感來源。
音樂的部分我很喜歡聽 Joni Mitchell, Bach, Neneh Cherry, and David Bowie the most.
電影的話:我很喜歡這些導演：Quentin Tarantino, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Pedro Almodóvar 以及拍攝了Pina這部電影的 Wim Wenders。
舞蹈的話，Pina Bausch影響我很多，我還記得我17歲的時候在Wuppertal第一次看到他的表演，我整個被折服。這附近有一個還有舞蹈工作室兼劇場 - DOCK 11 & EDEN，他們也非常的有意思。
I enjoy reading, watching movies, going to theater for drama and dance and listening to music. They are all inspirations for me.
Music : I like Joni Mitchell, Bach, Neneh Cherry, and David Bowie the most.
Film : Here are some directors that I like, such as Quentin Tarantino, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Pedro Almodóvar Caballero and Wim Wenders, who shoot the film, Pina.
Dance : Pina Bausch has a great effect on me. I still can recalled the first time I saw her performance in Wuppertal, I was so impressed and into her dance. DOCK 11 & EDEN is a dance studio and theater near here, they are also very interesting.
這個工作有什麼喜歡的地方和不喜歡的地方媽？
Is there anything that you like or dislike while working?
很喜歡在挑選布料，還有進行組合的時候。那一個上衣適合哪一件褲子，這個裙子配哪一個飾品比較好，我很喜歡進行這個工作。不喜歡的大概就是跟錢有相關的吧，擔心不夠的收入和處理稅的問題。
I like choosing the new fabrics and match different items, I enjoy making the combinations, like this pants can go well with the shirt, and that top can match the accessory. What I don’t like is probably all about money, not enough income or tax, haha.
設計的時候，什麼是你最在意的或者是挑戰呢？
What is most important or even a challenge for you when designing?
其實主題性強的衣服反而比較容易設計，舞台或是劇場的衣服因為主題性很明顯，所以相對比較容易。對我來說比較大的挑戰在於設計出適合日常生活中穿的，簡單，卻又不會無聊的衣服。讓人看到時候會想，阿，這件很好看，我平常就可以穿。
To be honest, the clothes with strong topics are easier to design, such as the costume for stage or theater. For me, the challenge is to design something that customers can and will wear in daily life, which are simple but not boring. It would be great when people see the clothes and think : ah, this one looks good, and I can imagine wearing this in normal case.
這點我覺得你做得很好啊，因為我看了一下店裡的衣服幾乎都是單色的，簡單的剪裁就會有特別的布料或是特別的裝飾，每一件都只有一個重點。
I think you did a good job about this. Because I have looked around the shop and many of them are only color. When the style is simple, you use special fabric or decoration with it, vice versa. Each piece has one highlight.
這點也是我很在意的，我希望每一件衣服都只有一個主題，因為衣服還是要能夠帶出穿的人的個人特色才行。
This is also what I care. I want every cloth has only one highlight, because the most important thing is to show the personal character.
店裡面也有一些不同設計師的設計品，你是怎麼挑選這些東西的？
You also sell different design from other designers, is there any principle while choosing?
大前提當然是要適合這間店的風格。我很喜歡手工的東西，也喜歡有趣的東西，我會去尋找有趣的主題，或是有趣的手法。在我的店裡面販售的設計品，大部分也都不容易在其他店裡找到。
Of course it must match the style of my shop, objects to complement Thatchers fashion, give an idea of the Thatchers philosophy of fun in life. There are many handmade design and interesting things here. I look for design that has an interesting topic or is made in an unusual way. Most of the products I sell in my shop are not easy to be found in other shops.
你投入這個工作已經超過20年了，我相信一定有好的時間也有壞的時間，是什麼動力讓你能夠一直堅持這個工作，一直努力下去？
You have worked in this job for over 20 years. I believe you must have some good time and hard time. So, what keeps you moving forward and sticking it out？
我想要讓生活更美麗一點。我想我可以幫上一點忙。當我每天看著新聞的時候，世界上各種問題，例如近期的俄羅斯啊，烏克蘭等等，真的會讓人覺得這個世界很絕望，也很傷心。我希望我設計的，可以為這個世界帶來一點美麗。
I want to make the life more beautiful. I think I can help about this part. When I watch the news everyday, there are all sorts of problems in the world, such as the conflict in Ukraine and Russia. It does make me feel despair and sad. I hope what I design can bring a little bit more beauty for this world.
你有什麼建議可以給決定要自己創業的人嗎？
Do you have any suggestion for people who want to start their own career?
知道自己想要做什麼以後，就要看看現在已經有什麼，沒有什麼，然後嘗試去從中間做出一些什麼，有趣的，可以吸引人的，這聽起來很像市場規劃，但我認為這的確是如此。
If you already know what you want to do, then you need to find out what has existed or not in the market. And try to create something new, interesting and attractive. I know it sounds like a theory for marketing plan, but it is so.
Thatchers
thatchers shop
Kastanienallee 21, Prenzlauer Berg
and
Hackesche höfe, Rosenthaler str 40/4, Mitte
