Sam Frenzel

I was born and partly raised in the GDR of east Berlin, on the 13th of April 1980, under the Communist Regime and behind the Wall, or so they called the “antifascist bulwark,” My mother was one of the few cases who successfully escaped the GDR, with me and my older brother under her arm, jumping off a train in Bulgaria running of to the west german Embassy. With a classic men’s tailor as father, it was a natural choice to me, to do a master in Fashion design. Worth mentioning is also a very early training and program I was allowed to attend for young talented children in fine arts ( water colouring, study of human body, oil-/ Acrylic painting and ceramics ). Which is still today a crucial foundation for my understandings of shapes, silhouettes, movement, colour, materials, art- & design- history. I pursued my studies at University of Applied Sciences in Berlin, and obtained my master degree in fashion Design. I began my career early, in the middle of my studies and bachelors. After a Successful stage in 2006 at Chloé under Yvan Milaspierre, as intern to Adrian Appiolaza. I have been called to return to Chloé in end of 2007, to start as a seasonal support as junior and freelancer while still finishing my studies. And little I knew back than, that Chloė would become my longest station in my career till today, and an crucial influence in my education and understanding in luxury women RTW. But before I took a junior position at Chloė, I had the luck entering the house of Christian Lacroix haute Couture. Being the assistant to Bertrand Guyon and Monsieur Lacroix himself , Learning all about the fittings, sorting the wall of haute couture fabrics and doing hand embroidery used for the HC automne défilé 2008, while I was improving my french speaking. From there I got referred by Monsieur Guyon, to the design studio of Christian Dior under John Galliano, were I had similar duties for a couple of month before I had to return to berlin to start my master year. I finished my master in the following year (2009), and was advised by my professor to enter with my master collection the biggest design competition in Germany, which is presented at the Mercedes Benz Fashion week by usually Mark Jacobs and Stella McCartney. The collection included a full capsule of handmade RTW by me , from silk to leather ( exotic to nappa ), Xxl hand-crochet & -embroidery, maroquinerie accessories and hand made jewellery. The collection gave me the chance to show my expertise I been lucky to collect by incredible people in the years before in paris in the atelier’s and creative directors I was able to work under. And with this collection I was able to win the award “ designer for tomorrow 2009 “ . The following press of the award featured from WWD to italian vogue etc. gave me the possibility to be financed, to create another full collection for the following season which I showed on Mercedes Benz Fashion week, and I could make a name enough for myself, to start consultant in leading and senior positions for different brands. Still supporting Chloé over the years and in change under different Creative directors like Paulo Melim Andersson Hannah McGibbon. In the end of 2012 I was Called back to return as a full time senior designer for the tailoring and RTW and right hand for Adrian Appiolaza , who returned after years at Mui Mui and Louis Vuitton to Chloė to support Claire Wright Keller . Were I stayed till 2014. Working on the tailoring and later on being in charge of the pre-collection. After nearly 10 years and four creative directors at Chloė I decided it’s time to grow . And I was offered in 2014 by Giambattista Valli to join him as his first design director. Overseeing the whole process and designing collections with him. In the same year he requested me to start a second line GIAMBA which I was in charge of, from corporate identity to design of the whole range and leading a separate team. GBV was a supreme influence in my career, referencing & creating hundreds of prints, surface designs and embroideries, working with italian print mills in Como and merchandise all those elements. To mention is also the importance of being in charge of fittings, hands on and styling while supervised by Monsieur Valli himself . and of course learning to work in Italain which helped me later in italian fashion houses. After the second terrors attacks in 2016 in Paris, the city has changed and I decided to leave paris after so many year and move to London for fresh air, and open my own consulting agency as Senior Director. Which has been so far a wonderful and exciting journey. I was able to consult and create beautiful things for highly interesting luxury houses and brands and could enrich my understanding of different working methods, team structures and working cultures. i truly believe is a necessity as head of design. And makes a better leader. I been lucky been working in different leading roles. Helping Alexander Wang on his SS 2016 collection and show and leading the New Yorker team. Supporting Pier Paolo Piccioli on his first solo Haute Couture show for Valentino and VIP Designs for The Oscars, after Maria Gracia left for Dior. And Being Hired by Remo Ruffini the owner of Moncler to create new collections and directions for a different Market. To younger brands like Tom Wood Project and substantial premium performance brands like The Shackleton. Supporting them on them way, to change, grow, relaunch or doing the next jump. The last step of my so far exiting journey has been a quite unusual one for me, but never less fascinating challenge in it self . I was able to relaunch the success of COS , the prime and substantial ( 82% sustainable) company of Hennes and Mauritz. As Head of all women’s departments and products ( 80% of the revenue of the company). Leaving the company with seasonal 70+ revenue and two successful shows on fashion week . so my journey continues and I am proud to take all my knowledge and expertise I have gained thru incredible craftsmen and women to the next step. And also being able to support and educate so many juniors and seniors, seeing them growing and improving. And claiming them first leading positions. And has become over the years to weirdly fulfilling happiness becoming older.