Blümchen-Design

Text by Blümchen (Jasmin Wagner)

Deep Dekolletés, short skirts--this is how we know Blümchen. Almost no one knows: Her glamour look is a self-creation.

Blue Jeans, red blouse, multicolored cowboy boots: Casually, comfortably, unorthodox -- this is how I love to dress myself privately. My friends often call me "white mousse with raspberry sauce". Why? Because I am so sweet and my skin has a white alabaster touch. The "raspberry" allusion probably comes from the red outfits which I wear gladly.

On stage, of course, I had to offer more than just white mousse with raspberry sauce. It is essential that the color accents of the clothes are set in such a way that the outfits look well in spotlight beams. It is difficult to stage oneself optimally with strainable rigs. Either the dresses look rather pretty but the material is unpractical -- or the other way around.

From the first idea to the last stitch: The whole design of her stage outfits is within Blümchen's grasp.

Silk materials and light materials are simply not suited for stage. When having to change clothes fast, they will get broken very easy. Flowing and heavy materials are ideal. My absolute favorite is a sweet little dress with spaghetti straps. It is made of heavy paillette material and simply ravishing, however in a color unusual for me: Lilac.

I didn't commit myself to a particular style but I like to look sexy, for example by courageously necklined parts. And to be honest: I like my long legs, therefore I gladly wear short things. What matters is they should be a little crazy and colourful. Unfortunately I can rarely find such things in fashion shops. Probably this is because of the fact that I am a little difficult: I have simply a special taste which I cannot describe correctly at all. Perhaps now one can understand why I like to sketch the outfits myself and let them tailor.

In this respect, Helene, my cutter in Hamburg, and I understand each other without many words. She is a large stroke of luck for me. Because even if you find a good designer, the fashionable conceptions can drift far apart--I know what I'm talking about. Helene deals with my modish moods skillfully. And creates thereby real pieces of splendor--for example a tomato-red skirt from heavy, flowing taffeta which I wore at the last tour. I get inspirations for my outfits with journeys abroad. Last year I returned with crazy jeans from Tokyo: hipster trousers with golden frayings. Helene titivated it--in no time--with paillettes over paillettes...

Normally the design of a new outfit takes much longer than just one day. Never more than four weeks, however. As soon as I have an idea, I'll scrawl it on paper--or just whatever is handy: Beer mats, receipts, napkins... With the sketch I go to Helene's studio, an old factory building in the station quarter, fully stuffed with dress dolls, color charts and material rolls. Three days later I come back for the first fitting.

Helene has heaps of patterns which are accurately adapted to my figure. If I come to her with a new sketch, we first discuss form, length and material. In laborious detailed work, Helene adapts her prefabricated cut sections to my body with hundreds of needles. She is very patient with it, I am not so. Often it cannot be fast enough for me. But once the paper designs are fixed to exact millimeters, we have the roughest part behind us.

All told, I come four times for fitting--usually at intervals of one week. And I get more curious each time because the result is showing better and better. I am always full of pleasurable anticipation and can hardly wait for the fitting date. I know that Helene gets the best out of my ideas. Before she sets the final stitch, something is always modified briefly at the end: Either we notice that the zippers are too bulky, or that the vents for freedom of movement are missing...

It is clear to me that Helene has much work with me. Not only because I have own ideas, also my proportions cause difficulties for her. Because they are in a constant change. Sometimes size 38 is too large at the hips, then again too small at the bosom. Perhaps I should go in for sport regularly, but unfortunately I don't have the time for it...

Sports to, proportions fro; when I think of my private outfit--my cuddly jeans, the red blouse and my cowboy boots--I am able to relax again. Because these rigs always fit, they are just wonderfully uncomplicated and real cosy in addition.