Made in Berlin: Markos and Esther "You have to work hard to bright, but that makes you stronger''

A couple of weeks ago, I spent a very interesting time talking with Markos and Esther, two creative expats originally from Chile and Spain, sharing their experience and creativity in Berlin. Some mails and questions later, they are my newest heroes of Made in Berlin, a project featuring awesome expat Berliners.

Markos spent his life in the design world and has experience with different work teams, especially in the domain of product and graphic design. Esther has a technical background, but she moved from the engineer to product design world, ending up in the challenging world of graphic design. One of their mottoes is: ''Anybody knows which direction will take the way, but everybody has to be ready to develop and recycle himself, if the situation request it". This goes also in the case of the personal life. Markos came from Chile to Spain looking for new sights and ideas on the old continent. "We meet each other and after a few time we realised that our time there was over. It wasn't difficult to take the decision: let´s try new experiences. The weather, the language, the customs, people personality, all is (still) so new that has all time a sweet and sour taste, but anyway it is delicious to taste it", explains Esther their history and impressions as expats in Berlin.

You can have a look at their website or get in touch with them instantly on Twitter at: @markosesther

Berlin, a place with opportunities

- Why did you decide to relocate to Berlin?

After a depressive and dark time in Spain, we needed some place that gives us opportunities and shows us new perspectives. German culture was not unknown for us and we decided to begin again in Berlin. Our plans weren't to stay here, but we are here more than two years.

Inspiration everywhere

- What opportunities do you think the city has for young designers and architects as you?

Here is possible to learn and to find inspiration only walking around the city. There are a lot of co-working spaces where you can meet and share ideas with different professionals, and there is a high quantity of courses, seminars and events where you can continuously grow. And of course there are also a lot of agencies where you can find work opportunities, learning and acquiring great experiences for your professional career.

- What are, in your opinion, the main challenges for working as a freelancer in Berlin?

The main challenge is the tight competition. It is harder when someone is new in the city, without contacts. Berlin is full of great professionals in this domain and the most used way to work here is through contacts and networks, that bring you from an opportunity to another. You have to work hard to bright, but that makes you stronger.

- I've read on your website about the arithmetic concept. It looks very interesting. How do you apply it as part of the package of services offered to your customers?

This concept is for us a nice mirror of our work philosophy. We use a method, like maths do it. We follow some steps in the same order to find our solution. The only accepted solution for the problem is to have happy clients. During the design process we also involve the client who is permanently a part of the project´s evolution.

- What are the projects you are most proud of?

We love Sorbisch/Serbsky Modern Branding, a project for social development, where we used a traditional symbol in a new interpretation. The design of our own Brand is for us really important, we love it. And also the last project, a Logo for a Russian-Chilean composer and the graphic communication of his last work, where we mix musical waves with South-American native symbols.

- What are your plans for the next months?

Our plans for every month are to find new and interesting projects, to improve our German and something new, to open a new market in Chile.

'Keep calm and learn German'

- What are your recommendations to an architect moving to Berlin for the first time?

Keep calm and work hard, like in every new beginning. Especially here in Germany, learn German, because it makes things easier.

Made in Berlin: Lillika Eden, an eco-design clothes and jewellery concept

Berlin is often branded as a creative city, where startups are mushrooming at every corner and hipsters are the standard of success. I don't like stereotypes - at all - and I am always trying to find out things that are not necessarily obvious, and this goes both with ideas and people. Thus, I launched my own research, Made in Berlin, looking for different success stories of the city. 

For this week, read the story of Julia Muthig, the creative mind of Lillika Eden, an interesting design concept. 

She was born near Frankfurt, in Hofheim am Taunus, and started her love story with drawing as a kid. With 17 years, she spent one year in Japan as an exchange student, where she got to know the language and the culture. Back home, Julia decided to pursue her dream and studied Fashion Design in Zurich. 'Since it always was my dream to have my own Fashion Label, I founded Lillika Eden and was able to start last year working full time at it and realizing my first collection called Pure for autumn/winter 2014/15', she said.

Here is a short interview following a discussion and an overview of the collection I made a couple of weeks ago:

What is the main concept of your business?

We unite sustainability and elegance with premium quality and a fair and local production and are located in Berlin, Germany. With “Pure”, our first collection, we offer clothes for women made of organic materials with simple and clear shapes and lines in sizes 32 – 46. In this way, we as a young label are responding to the needs of wearers rather than those of the fashion industry. For us, beauty is not a matter of clothes size. 

Why did you choose Berlin?

I always was connected somehow to Berlin, because my whole family is coming from here. Only I was born and raised near Frankfurt am Main, as my parents and grandparents moved away from Berlin before I was born. But a big part of my family is still living here.

But Berlin is also known for its creativity and has become the fashion design capital of Germany, so I thought Berlin would be perfect to start my fashion label.

What do you think Berlin can offer as a business center for young designers and creatives?

Berlin offers a lot of big events throughout the whole year, with a lot media attention. For me as a fashion designer the most important is the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week that takes place 2 times a year. Berlin has a lot of interesting people and companies that make it possible for me to realize my collections. This city has everything you need for private as well as business life and is especially beautiful during the summer months when the sun is shining and everything is green and in full bloom. 

What are your business plans for 2014?

In January we started the year with the Fashion Week in Berlin and presented our first collection in the Green Showroom. Further we are now working on an online shop for our label as well as our new collaboration partner that produces eco-friendly detergent and goes really well together with our sustainable clothes.

Of course we are planning also the next collection and to attend the Fashion Week again in summer. 

Photos provided by Lillika Eden

Potsdamer Platz