Germany may not be known as a powerhouse for design and fashion, but the country and its people still have their own style. A new book traces the changing face of what it has meant to be "very German" over the years.
Image: Getty Images/Peter Bischoff
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Germany's style icons
Germany may not be the definition of style for many, yet its design influences have been felt worldwide. A new book takes a look at German design - what it means to be "very German" from an aesthetic perspective.
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The Scorpions: Krautrock?
Perhaps one of Germany's most famous exports in the 1980s, the rock band Scorpions represent a time of great change in the country's history. While the band from Hannover adapted the look of western rock bands as they made it big abroad, they sang what is now remembered as the ultimate "tear down this wall" anthem: "Wind of Change," was released shortly before the Berlin Wall came down.
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Heino and the hometrainer
Famous for his trademark sunglasses, schlager star Heino is seen here with his wife Hannelore Kramm on a "home trainer" in Kitzbühel, Austria. The look may be dated but this was the height of fashion at its time - the exercise bike a sign of luxury, the oversized nylon sweatsuit a nod to a colorful trend out of the US.
Image: Getty Images/Peter Bischoff
The German shepherd
Are dogs as pets a "typically German" thing? Can a dog breed be iconic? Photographer Peter Rigaud was sent to Nuremberg to find out. He gained a new respect for German shepherds after meeting Herr Ober (picture) while covering the dog breeding business there. Although there are more cats in German households than dogs, German shepherds are an in-demand breed, fetching thousands of dollars.
Image: Peter Rigaud
The world's top travelers
With around 30 paid days of annual leave, Germans have often claimed the crown of world's top vacationers. Though today far-flung destinations are trendy, at the time of this picture, a road trip to the countryside or the Baltic or North Sea was quite popular. The image captures quintessential middle-class Germany - a free-standing home, Mercedes parked out front. The German dream, if you will.
Image: Leber/Ullstein Bild
Swimming at sunset
One stereotype that seems to hold true: German people love to spend time in nature. With thousands of lakes scattered throughout the countryside, they're easily able to combine their love of the outdoors with a passion for swimming. Bathing nude, or FKK, is part of the culture, along with enjoying the summer sunset while wading in the water with the family. It's a part of life across generations.
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The top models
While Heidi Klum has made a name for herself as a model mogul, Claudia Schiffer was the first German model to become a household name. Karl Lagerfeld called her a "well-oiled money-making machine," due to her business sensibilities. Yet it was fellow model Tatjana Patitz who was the only German included in George Michael's infamous supermodel-filled video for his hit "Freedom" in 1990.
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'Schnittchen' as a symbol of economic growth
In a section devoted to German cooking and eating habits (there's more to German cuisine than currywurst!), Munich-based caterer Ulrich Dahlmann sings the praises of "Schnittchen." While the word used for them in English, canapés, may sound more fashionable, the hearty whole wheat bread used in Germany was seen as a luxury in the country in 1960s and 70s.
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The dream ship
Debuting in 1981, "Das Traumschiff" (literally, "The Dream Ship") was a hit TV series based on the US show "The Love Boat." It won many fans by ticking a number of boxes on the German bucket list of clichés. The series followed the (often romantic) adventures of a changing cast of passengers aboard a cruise ship heading each week to a new exotic destination.
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Party in the basement
Though at turns quite traditional, Germans are also known to enjoy a good party. Following the economic miracle of the 1970s, the dream of home ownership became a reality for many - and the party came home. Many children of the time can recall the slow dances of their parents in the wood-paneled basement party room.
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More than simply sport
Sports writer Florian Haupt looks at the history of sporting in Germany and comes away with the conclusion that sometimes, it really is about more than just the game. He writes about the rigidity of the trainings - sport as a structured plan - and the pride that arose as the national team began a winning streak that took them to the 2014 World Cup.
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The Germans: A Nation's Style and Icons
Released in German on May 15, 2017, the TeNeues book "The Germans: A Nation's Style and Icons" is a comprehensive look at German style and design throughout recent decades. The images of Boris Becker and Claudia Schiffer provide a glimpse into German celebrity and influence, while sections on the hobbies and interior lives of Germans offer a unique perspective on the people.
Image: teNeues/Silke Wichert/Nina Zywietz
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If you were asked to define German style, what would you say?
That was the question that authors Silke Wichert and Nina Zywietz found themselves having to answer frequently both while at home in Germany abroad. During their research for the book "The Germans: A Nation's Style and Icons," the two influential stylists uncovered a range of answers.
Jokes about Lederhosen and Dirndl aside, Germany's citizens have a very unique style and sensibility when it comes to fashion and their approach to life.
"Of course Germany, as in every nation, has its own unique way of going about things," write the authors in the foreword. It's simply that, lost in the jokes, people don't necessarily recognize it for what it is. Even Germans themselves.
"We had to discover for ourselves that even we are more frequently typically German than we'd like to admit. And that not only because one of us is still bringing whole wheat bread with spread to parties in Spain, confusing even our own children," they write.
'Typisch Deutsch'
So what is "typically German"?
The anthology collects photographs and personal anecdotes from contributors like fashion designer Ayzit Bostan and design journalist Christoph Amend in response to that question. Filled with photographs, the book is divided into 10 short chapters that explore subjects ranging from the Germans' approach to sports, their clothing and fashion sensibilities, home interiors and the art of travel. Bauhaus gets its due, as do a range of German-born models and celebrities.
The authors ask celebrities like Til Schweiger to define Germanness and come away with interesting, if not clichéd responses. Schweiger notes punctuality and precision as two character traits often associated with Germans. But, he says, the country really could do away with the need for making dinner dates two months in advance. "People in other countries would have long since forgotten."
German fashion in the eyes of the beholder
While it may be easy to pinpoint Parisian chic, it seems harder to pin down what it means to be "so German" in terms of style and fashion. Each of the contributors and interviewees has a different idea. A scarf? Cropped haircuts? "Guardian" correspondent Kate Connolly notes men at high-level conferences show a fondness for fake tans.
Asked to define German fashion sensibilities, Melissa Drier from the US fashion bible "Women's Wear Daily" replied with the famous German idiom: "Ist mir wurscht," or in English, "It doesn't matter what I wear." It's a biting statement on the average German's lack of interest in what they're wearing, especially considering the numerous top designers born and raised in Germany, including Karl Lagerfeld and Jil Sander.
The book "The Germans - Stil und Ikonen einer Nation" is available in GermanImage: teNeues/Silke Wichert/Nina Zywietz
So it may not be all Lederhosen and Dirndl in the country. Still, the German influence on the fashion industry might best be pinpointed when looking not at what the nation is wearing but rather at the nation's contributions behind the scene. Claudia Schiffer and Heidi Klum are cited, as are photographers Juergen Teller and Peter Lindbergh - both of whom continue to play a major role in fashion's trendsetting sphere.
Inside the German psyche
But it's not all about appearances and aesthetics. The book explores in-depth the way music helped shape the nation - from the Berlin nightclub Tresor, which helped launch electronic music following the dark industrial days of the 1980s, to the rock group The Scorpions, which bridged the Atlantic gap in rock 'n' roll. While some of the photographs feel dated, they capture a moment in time that was highly influential to most Germans today. The Scorpions' "Wind of Change" song memorably captured the mood in Europe in 1989.
Writers Silke Wichert and Nina Zywietz also look at the fashion choices of politicians to give readers an impression of the ways things have changed over the last century. From Joschka Fischer's white Nike tennis shoes at his swearing-in ceremony to a debate over French President Sarkozy's Dior suit, the authors explore what has gotten German tongues wagging in order to create a picture of what drives the country style-wise.
Although some of the images might cause readers to wrinkle their nose - what do German shepherds have to do with style? - the writers have created a book that better explains "The Germans" than most citizens themselves could do. It might even leave German readers wondering just how typically German they themselves are.
