DON'T MISS A THING

As a visionary creator, Paula Votteler incorporates unconventional materials such as plastic, seashells, and recycled fabric into her stunning designs. Her background in packaging technology and sustainability has guided her journey in the world of couture and her resourceful, personal approach to handmade fashion.

A lifelong love of sewing, crocheting, and knitting crafts blossomed during the Covid-19 pandemic when Paula created her eponymous Atelier. Her ability to see the potential in unloved, discarded materials is the key to the unique beauty of her designs. The thoughtful, carefully crafted vests and handbags are each one-of-a-kind—the product of hours on end of dedicated work and attention.

Read on for our interview with Paula Votteler as she shares her creative journey, what inspires her to see the beauty in everyday items that are so often overlooked, what she’s working on next, and more.

The Woman Behind Atelier Paula Votteler

Love Happens Mag: As our name denotes, at Love Happens, we are firm believers that you cannot achieve any level of success without love. When did your love affair with fashion begin? How did it make you feel?

Paula Votteler: My mum taught me how to crochet and sew when I was 5, and I have loved to be creative and express myself with handmade clothes ever since. One of my earliest memories is of being in Paris with my parents and seeing a beautiful flower girl dress in a bridal shop. To this day, the memory of that dress fills me with pure joy, and it was likely at that moment that my deep love for fashion and the desire to create clothing began.

We’re fascinated by your unique path to starting the Paula Votteler brand and your choice to focus on embroidering, crocheting, and weaving in your creations. Could you share a bit about this journey and what led you to this distinctive approach?

I learned to sew and crochet from my mother when I was a little child. Throughout my youth, I took sewing classes at the community college and have always expressed myself creatively. During the pandemic, I taught myself to weave and embroider, and I love combining the different techniques. Since last year I study fashion design at Kunsthochschule Berlin Weissensee and I can’t wait to learn even more techniques like working with a knitting machine and so on. 

You use many unconventional materials in your designs, such as handbags made from plastic bottles or a blouse with vegetable netting. How do you find inspiration in these materials to create such beautiful pieces? 

After school I studied packaging technology because I wasn’t brave enough to apply at the art school for fashion design. I don’t regret that I earned a master’s degree in engineering because I learned so much about recycling and sustainability. In general, I just get the most inspired by things that are already there and that I want to include in my designs. I’m often asked where my ideas come from, but I can’t pinpoint the source. They simply appear in my mind, and I ponder them until every detail is clear. Once I have a complete vision, I begin the process of bringing them to life.

What was the most important lesson you learned when creating your label?

To learn that I can’t live without expressing myself creatively, and to believe everything will somehow work out as long as I don’t lose my joy, and only pursue projects that truly come from within me.

We admire your commitment to sustainability. Could you share what ‘sustainability’ means to you and how you believe it can be better applied in the fashion world?

Sustainability is a very controversial topic, and no matter what you do, there will always be someone who finds fault with it. For me, my biggest goal at the moment is to buy as few new materials as possible. I make a conscious effort to use existing items for my projects, including plastic waste. I also enjoy buying fabrics or beads at flea markets, using old textiles from friends or family, and so on.

Additionally, I only create unique pieces, which, in my eyes, are already sustainable. My biggest criticism of the fashion industry is the overproduction of clothes, with new collections and trends every two weeks and such poor quality that items are unusable after only a few wears.

A lot of your designs are very intricate. What has been the most challenging or time-consuming project you’ve taken on so far?

In 2022, I made a bead-embroidered vest that took more than four months to make. Most of my projects take more than 80 hours, so I am very patient and don’t mind time-consuming projects. 

Who or what makes you feel empowered?

My mom. She has always been my greatest role model and my biggest support.

Do you have any mottos or favorite quotes that inspire you?

My current motto is: “I don’t know where I am going, but I am on my way.”

What’s next for Paula Votteler?

Next, I am looking forward to the coming years in my fashion design studies and all that I will learn and create. Additionally, I absolutely need to finish setting up my online shop. Shame on me, haha.

See Paula Votteler making her creations & more of her fabulous designs at @paulasprojects_!

Feature Image by Toby Jud

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