JUST ONE MORE PAGE
To mark the publication of her new book, “Eine Seite noch” (“Just one more page”), bestselling author MEIKE WINNEMUTH shares why she has been returning to KATHARINA HOVMAN for so many years.
HERE WE GO AGAIN
Back in 2009, I had one of my notoriously odd ideas again: I wanted to wear the same dress for an entire year and find out what effect it would have on me. But what kind of dress could possibly do that? It had to be durable, versatile, suitable for every kind of weather and every occasion – in other words, an impossible dress. After some searching, I found Katharina Hovman, who immediately loved the idea and designed exactly that impossible dress for me: simple, dark blue, with a variable collar to play with, and made from elastic technical fabric – because my body, too, stretches in all directions, especially over the course of a year.
And so DAS KLEINE BLAUE (“The Little Blue Dress”) was born, documented in 365 photographs showing Katharina’s dress (there were three identical versions, after all it had to be washed occasionally) in ever-changing combinations and situations: at the office, at parties, while travelling, at a gala, at Oktoberfest, in sunshine and in snowstorms.
. . .
Wearing that dress, I also found myself sitting opposite German television host Günter Jauch on the quiz show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”, won €500,000 (because the dress simply brings good luck), and made a decision: I would fulfil my dream and spend twelve months living in twelve different cities, from Sydney, Buenos Aires, Mumbai and Shanghai to Addis Ababa and Havana. Before I even visited a travel agency, I stopped by Katharina’s studio. She designed the perfect travel wardrobe for me consisting of nine pieces: one dress, two pairs of trousers, two skirts, one jacket and three shirts. Everything could be combined with everything else, everything could be washed in a hotel sink, and everything was endlessly durable. Once again, I spent a year wonderfully dressed and, above all, comfortable – this time around the world.
. . .
And now comes Part 3 of the continuing story. When I discovered that Katharina had a beautiful royal blue called TUAREG in her collection – exactly as vibrant as the cover of my new book “Eine Seite noch” – we met again. I wanted a small wardrobe for my book tour and media appearances: one dress, a few shirts, suitable for a suitcase, suitable for the spotlight, but above all suitable for real life.
And so these days I find myself happily sitting on one stage or another in the evenings, wearing this blouse or that one, always relaxed and always knowing that I look good without having to spend a single thought on it. Still accompanying me on tour: the trousers from my world journey, now fifteen years old. They have seen everything by now, just as I have, and they are still ready for more.
To our next adventure together, dear Katharina, wherever it may take us.
Yours, Meike Winnemuth
MEIKE’S TUAREG CHOICES (Limited Edition)
„Eine Seite noch“ – Why Reading Makes Us So Happy. Learn more about MEIKE WINNEMUTH and her book on her website.
Fotos: © Felix Amsel
