With superstar fashion designer, stylist and streetstyle photographer, Yolanda Ng, at the helm, we took to the streets of Munich to seek out fashionable people – and talk to them about their clothes, lives and slow fashion.
“I lived in Hong Kong for three months. It’s completely different to Germany but I loved it. It’s this big city but then, when you drive ten minutes or so, there are no people. Just animals and beaches. And it looks a bit like Thailand. I like this contrast,” Fernande, a Sports and Media Management Masters student, who we’d chased down the street near Munich’s Siegestor, tells us.
“And the people there,” she continues, her eyes picking up energy. “It’s really fashionable. Everybody wears fancy clothes, but also really comfortable things. Many people wear athleisure because of the hot weather – yoga pants and sportswear with colourful tops. I really liked it, so I tried to pick that style up; especially with my shirts and hoodies.”
Fernande is dressed in a dusty lilac tracksuit, an oversized black blazer, black cap and trainers. She looks like she could run a marathon or walk into one of the chic local cafes without attracting a single quizzical glance.
She is petite, but strong. “I don’t look like it, but I do lift my weights,” she tells us with a smile. “And I’m a big runner. I love it. It clears my mind. You’re outside and it’s a lot of fun. Sport has always been a part of my life and athleisure fits into that. It’s so easy to wear, always comfortable and you can make it look chic. For example, by putting a blazer on top or wearing heels. I like the mix. So, yeah, that’s my style – comfort with a fashionable spin.”
“I take a lot of my clothes from my dad’s wardrobe. But he’s okay with it,” she laughs, telling us about some of the other staples in her sporty-chic collection. “I have a really old denim jacket from him. It’s over 40 years old, from Wrangler. It’s awesome quality and still looks great, so I like to wear that a lot.”
“I also take his oversized colourful t-shirts from back then. And since my wardrobe isn’t that broad, I try to combine them in different ways. I have this one shirt in a pastel pink colour, which I sometimes wear with a black belt bag and chunky boots. Other times, I wear it with a neon yellow backpack and fancy sneakers. I’m definitely inspired by this type of fashion. It’s super comfortable, you feel good, but you’re also dressed up nicely, when you mix in cool items or accessories. And you can go from the gym to the office and still look cool, so I guess that’s great! It’s how I try to keep my looks timeless.”
“There’s a saying in German, “Kleider machen Leute” (clothes make the person). It means you can change who you are by what you’re wearing – and I think that’s pretty cool. I love that you can always try new things and express yourself differently. When I go to the club and wear a dress and heels – which is really rare – I’m a totally different person. I stand more straight, head up…” she trails off, smirking.
She tells us that she often tries things she sees on Instagram …but that it doesn’t always work.“There’s this style with tennis skirts, crop tops and tennis socks. I tried that, because I think it looks great on other people, but it’s not my thing, I guess. Maybe if I’d tried in different colours it might have worked, but I tried white and, for me, it was a no,” she laughs.
“It was still worth it. I like searching for a look I saw on the internet to see if it fits or not. When I shop without a plan, I stick to comfort items – black pants or a hoodie or something like that – but I avoid going to fast fashion stores. The quality is not that good, and the pieces don’t hold up. My clothes are special to me, so I try to take care of them and hold onto them for a long time. ”
- Mix and match – Combine colourful items with neutral staples to keep your wardrobe timeless
- Accessorise – You can transform a look by switching up a hat, shoes, belt, bag or accessories
- Experiment – unexpected combinations like tracksuits and heels can look really nice together
- Get inspired – look at other people’s style and see what you can borrow or recreate
- Care for your clothes – try not to get them dirty, be careful when putting them on or putting them away, reduce how often you wash, and try not to wash too hot, to avoid colour loss
- Look for quality – well-made things can last a long time!
Image credits:
Header image: ©Yolanda Ng
Image of Yolanda and Fernande: ©Markus Burke
Image of Fernande: ©Yolanda Ng
Image of Yolanda and Fernande: ©Markus Burke
Image of Yolanda Ng and Fernande: ©Markus Burke