Treffpunkt is the Berlin-based, lifestyle company founded by unstoppable duo Deniz Krauß and Alex Bogenschütz in 2017. Their ‘clothing’ is not always wearable. Their collections are not seasonal. Their production methods are not always familiar. And they are never predictable.
Let us tell you the story of Treffpunkt. None of that, ‘once upon a time in a magical land…’ stuff. Just the core facts — the inspiration, the influences, and the innovation.
Deniz’s creative vision started young, while he was still in school, he told us at TNC. Like many young, talented artists he was struck with a certain “disappointment” at the system and “an urge for expression.” And, like many, he decided against formal education, deciding to pursue “a natural development” of his creativity.
Courtesy of Treffpunkt
Now, by this time, he had met Alex. Alex saw something in Deniz. He understood his vision and was willing to support his ideas. Fueled by a mutually-understood necessity of the project, the pair were able to immediately start developing their vision.
I know we promised this wouldn’t be a magical fairytale, but there’s something quite magical about the meeting of completely compatible minds, isn’t there?
And for those of you who aren’t fluent in German, the literal translation of ‘Treffpunkt’ is actually ‘meeting point.’ There is an inevitability, Deniz told us, in coming together — in contrasting and exchanging ideas. And this what Treffpunkt, as a brand, stands for.
Source: Treffpunkt
The notion of ‘coming together’ seems to run through both Treffpunkt’s pieces and their production processes. The pair’s “co-working” dynamic and integrated influences from various, diverse artists are integral to their innovation.
Due to the nature of their process, Treffpunkt has moved away from the typical seasonal cycle of collections and, instead, operates in ‘themes’. These ‘themes’ seem like a more natural exploration of an idea and can be inspired by basically anything. A painting, an invention or, in the case of the latest theme, SNZZFV, even some words found in a diary (don’t worry, all will be explained).
Once a theme begins to take shape, it almost becomes an obsession for Deniz. Playing on his mind all the time. Suddenly being applied to every situation. With themes, the time period is uncertain and the creative expressions unrestricted. “The whole process happens by natural behaviour,” he explains. It makes you wonder why every label doesn’t operate in themes.
The current theme, SNZZFV, stands for ‘SPUREN NICHT ZUM ZIEL FÜHRENDER VERHALTENSWEISEN.’ Again, do not worry if you’re not a German speaker. In an interview with Sabukaru, the co-founder gave his interpretation of a translation — “traces of misleading behaviour.” The quote, found in an old diary of photographer Martine Franck, stood out to Deniz when he saw it in an exhibition in Paris. It went like this — he saw the quote, it became stuck in his head, he thought about it non-stop and then, voila, he translated it to moods, images and products.
Courtesy of Treffpunkt
The first expression in the SNZZFV theme was a selection of hand-picked vintage, bleach-printed T-shirts. Deniz told us that printing with bleach “has no benefits, quite the contrary – it’s actually exhausting and self-destroying.” The point was to see how the bleach imprinted on the previous designs — the results varied in intensity and colour as the bleach competed with the existing designs on each shirt.
Since then the label has seen boundless interpretations of the theme. Their products range from hand-crafted ash-trays and 100% woolen pillows to ready-to-wear pieces like their signature, colourful, hooded scarves. Treffpunkt is a one-stop-shop for upgrading your house and wardrobe. Like clothing, the SNZZFV homewares become part of your inventory as they “integrate into your behaviour and habitat.” Treffpunkt has you asking yourself, ‘why should clothing be limited to things you can wear?’.
In addition to all that, Treffpunkt created an installation for Reference Festival at Berlin Fashion Week earlier this year (is there anything that this brand can’t do!?). The audiovisual installation was based on human interaction and inspired by the work of artist Joseph Beuys. As well as encouraging you to reflect on human consciousness, the installation might just help you to envision your dream Treffpunkt bedroom. You get the feeling that your dreams might just be a little more vivid when you sleep under the SNZZFV blanket.
As for the future, it looks like Treffpunkt will continue to challenge our expectations of ‘clothing’ and push boundaries with their themes. Deniz kept it brief when we asked about future plans — “perfecting and extending by continuing.” There is no ‘end’ to this story, we warned you it wasn’t a fairytale. So you probably wanna stick around and see how it pans out…
