eco-chic design: About Me

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Biography

Originally from Germany, I’ve spent most of my career in New York where I currently work as a freelance creative director/art director in advertising. Some of my clients are more eco-friendly than others.

My professional background is mostly in print/television/online, but I’ve always loved product design, architecture, interior design and fashion. I’m a Manhattanite by choice and my interest in space saving design and sustainability grew even stronger since I moved here due to the daily lack of space.

As a designer I’m trained to look for the most simple, iconographic way to express complicated business ideas that quite often result in simple, bold colors or shapes.

My interest in eco-chic products started a few years ago while I worked on a branding project for the launch of a new organic vodka called Square One. I was really impressed by the founder’s clear vision. She was able to use her existing background as a marketing manager at Chandon to start a new venture on her own while doing something good for the environment. But not only did she create a truly unique organic vodka that tastes great but it also looks amazing. This is especially important to me since I’m a designer and packaging is as important to me as content. And I believe that great modern design and eco-friendliness don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

A year later I was on vacation in Mallorca, Spain and discovered many companies that were founded by Germans like myself that were based around the natural resources of the Island yet were very urban-chic by design. Most of their founders were able to use their knowledge of their first careers for their later business adventure in their lives. Like the pharmacist who produces organic wines called Castell Miquel or the trained lawyer and contractor who started a product line all around olive trees called Oliveda. It’s something I envy and hope to be able to do myself one day.

In the meantime I’ll be reporting and writing about anything related to a stylish green life style with more emphasis on design than green. I love every type of product or design that brings us closer to nature either by design like some of the modern pre-fab homes that bring the outdoors in or organic products that are as good for our planet as for ourselves.

A nice little side-effect happened since I started this blog: I used to shop a lot to satisfy my hunting instincts and curiosity for great design, which is now being replaced by vicariously living through the products I post on my blog. That’s one way of reducing waste.

Ethical/publicist guidelines:
Even that I occasionally accept products for review if they align with my editorial content, this acceptance does not guarantee a positive review or a mention on my site at all. And of course I don’t receive nor accept monetary compensation for any endorsements. It is also my prerogative to mention in my review how the product was obtained.