Fashion in motion is where raw energy meets technical precision. For Sophia Sühwold, her graduate collection ‘MOVEmen’t’ is a high-octane exploration of the female-presenting athletic body, physical power, and the space we allow ourselves to occupy.
Refined through her studies at IFM in Paris, her Master’s at Weissensee, and hands-on time in New York with Melitta Baumeister, Sophia’s design vocabulary lives at the intersection of performance art and high-concept sportswear. Sourcing vibrant jerseys, Lycra, mesh, and knits directly from Paris, she purposefully broke away from Berlin’s default monochrome black palette. Instead, Sophia unleashed a wave of electric colour, exploring the tension between hyper-expansion and deliberate bodily restriction.
By leveraging multidisciplinary techniques—from advanced knitwork to studio welding—Sophia crafts garments that only truly reveal their soul when set into motion. When her vibrant silhouettes took over the concrete expanse of ZK/U, the kinetic relationship between body, space, and empowerment came alive with undeniable presence.
Smurf Ice Cream & Kinetic Power: Step Into the Universe of Sophia Sühwold
Read on as we talk to Sophia about rejecting trend-chasing, using deadstock for intentional design, and why her bold, playful creative identity translates into a pop of nostalgic Smurf ice cream.
What was your approach to choosing your materials, and how did working with those specific textiles or textures impact your design process?
My material selection was closely connected to the concepts of movement, visibility, and the female-presenting athletic body. I chose jersey, Lycra, mesh, and knit because of their strong connection to sportswear, their tactile qualities, and their ability to express both freedom and restriction.
To find the right materials, I travelled to Paris because I felt I couldn’t find the colours and textures I was looking for in Berlin. The fabrics I discovered there had a significant influence on the collection and encouraged me to work more boldly with colour and material.
Working with these textiles shaped the design process intuitively and experimentally. I often allowed the materials to determine the silhouettes, giving them space to create volume before deliberately constraining or controlling them. This tension between expansion and restriction became a central design element, reflecting my interest in how clothing can support, shape, or limit movement.
How do your personal background, heritage, or the environments you’ve lived in manifest in the details of your designs?
My background is reflected in both my material choices and my approach to design. Through my experience working with performance, I have developed a strong interest in movement and the moving body, which continues to shape my work. My time working with sportswear-inspired materials has also influenced how I build silhouettes and think about functionality. In addition, working at Melitta Baumeister in New York encouraged me to experiment with volume, construction, and bold forms, all of which have become important elements of my design process.
Looking back at your time as a fashion student at Weißensee, what was the most valuable lesson—or perhaps the most unexpected challenge—that shaped your identity as a designer?
One of the most valuable lessons I learned at Weißensee was becoming independent as a designer. Having access to so many different workshops on campus, such as the knit and welding departments, encouraged me to experiment across disciplines and develop my own way of working. Being surrounded by students from different artistic fields was equally inspiring. Everyone supported and challenged one another, creating an open and collaborative environment that pushed me to grow creatively and think beyond the boundaries of fashion.
Berlin has a very distinct subcultural and creative energy. In what ways, if any, did the city’s landscape or community influence your graduate work?
Berlin’s creative community had a strong influence on my graduate work. Being surrounded by artists and designers from different disciplines encouraged me to experiment and work intuitively without being afraid of bold forms, colour, or unconventional ideas. At the same time, Berlin’s often monochrome black-and-white aesthetic inspired me to create contrast with vibrant colours, making visibility and confidence important parts of my collection.
Many collections today engage with contemporary cultural, political, or ecological themes. How do you view your role and responsibility as a designer entering the industry right now?
I think designers have a responsibility to create work that is meaningful and reflects the world we live in. For me, that means designing with intention rather than following trends. I work with deadstock materials whenever possible and value experimentation, craftsmanship, and conscious material choices. My work explores movement, the female-presenting body, and empowerment, and I hope to create thoughtful, long-lasting pieces that encourage dialogue and form an emotional connection with the wearer.
Your collection showcases a balance between conceptual thinking and technical craftsmanship. How did you navigate the space between free experimentation and practical execution?
I approached my collection in a very intuitive way, allowing experimentation with materials, colour, and movement to guide the creative process. At the same time, I relied on the technical skills I developed in my Bachelor in Paris at Ifm and in my Master at Weißensee to translate these ideas into wearable garments. My experience working with different workshops, especially knit and welding, helped me turn experimental concepts into finished pieces while maintaining a balance between creative freedom and functionality.
Seeing your work transition from the studio into the specific architecture and energy of yesterday’s show at ZK/U, how did that moment feel, and did it change how you view your own pieces?
Seeing my collection move from the studio into the space at ZK/U was quite special. Because movement is such an important part of my work, it was exciting to finally see the garments activated by the models instead of existing only on mannequins or in fittings. The venue’s architecture and atmosphere added another layer to the collection, reinforcing the relationship between the body, movement, and space. It made me see the pieces as something that really comes to life when they are worn and performed.
What kind of dialogue or emotional reaction do you hope to trigger in the person viewing or wearing your garments?
I hope my collection encourages people to think about the relationship between clothing, movement, and the female body. For the wearer, I want the garments to create a sense of confidence, strength, and visibility. For the viewer, I hope they spark curiosity and invite a conversation about empowerment, physical presence, and how clothing can shape the way we move and take up space.
Now that the graduate show is behind you, what aspects of your creative practice or design philosophy are you most excited to explore next?
I’m excited to continue combining fashion with performance and exploring the boundaries of the body and movement. I want to keep developing garments that are activated through performance while continuing to refine my craftsmanship. Moving forward, I hope to balance conceptual ideas with technical precision, always keeping both experimentation and craftsmanship at the core of my practice.
If your collection or creative identity could be translated into an ice cream flavour, what would it be and why?
It would be Smurf ice cream. It’s bright, playful, and bold.
@sophialou.shw
Photographer: Anita Schulte-Bunert @nit.sb
Models are Lilly @lilly.ro.se
Henriette @fr.aue
Flora @flora.in.progress
Emma @luredbyemma
Antonia @toya2710
Mona @an_na_mo_na
Devi @devisofiarojo
Deidre @deidreolsen
Dianna @jacksan_manzamussa
CREATIVE & MOVEMENT DIRECTORS
Sarah Ama Duah @sarah_ama_duah
Madlen Schmid
PRODUCTION DIRECTORS
Doreen Schulz
Madeleine Madej
CASTING DIRECTOR
Madlen Schmid
STYLIST
Tabassom Charaf @tabicharaf
MAKE-UP ARTISTS
Head of Make-Up Artists: Feride Uslu @feride_uslu11 für airbeauty.com @ferideairbeauty
Dominika Obacz @dominica_obacz
Mert Kenger @mertkenger
Sarah Elisa Fischer
Sarah Ort
HAIR ARTISTS
Nicole Puzalowski
Béanne Da Costa @hairtouchedby
Jennifer Ohia @mmynd.irl @5.minah
Special thanks to our partners
Bezirksamt Mitte
ZK/U Zentrum für Kunst und Urbanistik @zku.berlin
Objets Trouvés Möbelmanufaktur @objets.trouves.berlin
uns* Model Agency @wirsinduns
VIVA Model Agency @vivamodelsberlin
The event is supported by the Economic Development Office of Berlin’s Mitte District Council in cooperation with PLATTE.Berlin, which is responsible for guest management and PR @platte.berlin
