Sustainable fashion

Daniel Thiel caught Wiesbaden’s shoppers by surprise when he decided to open a second multi-brand store in the heart of the city, located between Wilhelmstrasse and the market square and not far from his first concept store.
Shoppers are perhaps in for an even bigger surprise when they step inside the new location, which has none of the luxuriously tailored atmosphere of the first store. Daniel Thiel himself explained this decision with an analogy from the world of catering. «My aim was to create two different concept stores. If Daniel Thiel Wiesbaden is a Michelin-starred restaurant offering classic, luxury products and timeless atmospheres, Thiel’s by Daniel Thiel is a modern bistro. Chic, young, trendy and more focused on current and seasonal fashion trends, it is aimed at a different target group, the fashionista, the informed and discerning woman in search of affordable trends.» In both cases, Thiel continues, «I want my customers to feel at home and at ease, and to enjoy an all-round experience in an oasis of well-being.»
The challenge was therefore to create a very different ambience while maintaining a consistent brand image. With the help of architect Rabea Haag-Melachrinos, Daniel Thiel fully achieved this goal by creating a space with a distinctly metropolitan and modern character where industrial-style elements are juxtaposed with the vintage furnishings and the textural patterns of the floors and walls.
The essential, lightweight anthracite metal supports for shelves, clothes and lighting fixtures contrast effectively with the warm, natural wood of the existing floors and the reclaimed furniture, which was salvaged from demolition and restored. This vivid contrast of materials is further enhanced by the products chosen for the ceramic wall tiling.
Some of the walls display the distinctive texture of Ceppo di Gré stone reproduced in the dark grey colour of the Frammenta collection by Fioranese, which accentuates both the black metal textures and the warm grain of the wood. Others feature a 3D effect in the blue shade of the Passepartout collection, also from Fioranese, in perfect contrast to the anthracite tones of the spiral staircase leading to the upper floor. This dazzling play of opposites creates an atmosphere of muscular minimalism, softened by the delicate white flowers skilfully positioned at strategic points throughout the store.
The palette of wood tones, Ceppo di Gré stone and metal is disrupted by coloured cement tiles, also from Fioranese, which perhaps surprisingly are used for a display of brightly coloured clothes with a vaguely oriental feel.
In response to the request to design «something unique», architect Rabea Haag-Melachrinos created «something that perhaps even I wouldn’t have thought of», explains Thiel. «The contrasts of materials and colours, for example.»
The choice of salvaging existing elements as part of a sustainable design approach reflects the importance that Thiel attaches to sustainability and ethics. «I want to know where and how production is carried out,» he explains. «This also applies to the choice of fabrics. I pay a lot of attention to materials and details, which is something my customers really appreciate. I don’t make purchases based on brands or the latest trends, but on quality and good value for money. This enables me to support small and lesser-known labels that often outperform the big brands, especially when it comes to quality.»