Per Se, photographed by Chihiro Lia Ottsu
Per Se
Per Se is a question posed to the wearer and the possible answer which is found in the dialogue of the pieces themselves: a message of awareness and serenity in an increasingly polarized society.
This harmonious dynamic evolved out of the patience and friendship between founding designers Yannick Heidemanns and Tim Borchert. Sharing a background in business and sales, both parties were motivated by the same concept of oneness. In 2018 Heidemanns’ design sense and fashion industry experience combined with Borchert’s career in the visual arts compelled and challenged both designers to evolve their own brand: Per Se.
“We learn so much from each other,” Heidemanns said. “We wanted our brand to be a wearable platform to open this cycle of inspiration to others.”
Per Se departs from the reductive progress of modern minimalism into a more genuine sensibility. Marked by local sourcing and high-quality materials, the brand employs the principle of oneness, considering every detail of production and seamlessly integrating these elements into a distilled garment that appears simple but sings with depth of concept. The collection is made in Berlin using high quality Japanese fabrics.
As a brand, Per Se is committed to supporting the same longevity in their manufacturing relationships as they do in the fundaments of their garments. The mindset is one of a beautiful sustainability, not just in the product but also in the relationship with both suppliers and stockists.
“Per Se was born out of our deep trust,” Borchert noted. “We craft our garments with expert care and careful consideration in order to inspire that same trust in those who wear them.”
The brand promotes a new frugality, utilizing techniques that allow their garments to be long- wearing and also to unfold over time, revealing new facets of aesthetic. From design to concept to production to sales, Per Se poses questions to inspire self retrospection and to engage in open dialogue—no single aspect is the answer, but rather the composite of the questions themselves.
https://www.perse.clothing
Interview by Hella Schneider
Hella Schneider is a fashion critic and journalist, known for her in-depth observation on contemporary culture beyond style and clothing. She works as Contributing Editor for Vogue Germany, where she has previously held the position of Features Editor for more than five years, and as Fashion Columnist for Swiss newspaper NZZ. She also teaches Fashion and Digital Journalism at German fashion and design school AMD.
