Emancipating men as objects of desire.

After completing his training as a dressmaker, Matthias Maus began a decade-long professional career, becoming the head of fashion for a German luxury clothing brand, dressing national and international celebrities for red carpet events.

Maus made his initial entrance into the Berlin fashion scene as a solo designer in 2011 with hip jewelry designed to showcase the male phallus. His goal was to "emancipate men as objects of desire." It's no surprise that Maus quickly became an integral part of the city's fashion, club, and red carpet crowds.

His collections consist of elaborately embroidered tops, corsets, jackets, and polished leather hot pants. He stages his shows with crowns and scepter, which he also presents as clubwear. His shows take place in cultural spaces such as churches in Berlin. Ballet dancers and acrobats present some of the collection pieces.

For over two decades, German fashion icon Wolfgang Joop has hired Matthias Maus to create customized embroideries. Maus is also a fashion and culture columnist in Germany. For PR ON THE GO, Maus shares about his journey of building his brand.

Please give us a brief introduction to yourself, your brand story, and your design philosophy.

Matthias Maus: I originally started my label to delight women with beautiful dresses and naked men. My fashion is generally gender-neutral. It is mostly presented on men because it is more exciting. However, it is never exclusive to or explicitly made for any specific group, such as gay culture.

How do you balance the creative process of designing with the business and branding side of fashion?

Matthias Maus: To me, the message is more important than sales. I create my signature pieces independently of the fashion industry's rhythms or market trends, only creating them when I feel I have something to say. Photo shoots are just as important to me as the pieces themselves. The pieces are presented not for the purpose of selling, but for the sake of innovation.

How do you use social media to express yourself, connect, and communicate your brand identity?

Matthias Maus: Mostly via Instagram. I find it easier to engage with a community on Instagram than through a static website. Since 2018, I have taken all photographs of my creations myself and also self-posted my work.

Do you do DIY PR or work with a PR freelancer/agency? Please share your experience.

Matthias Maus: I acquired experience working with PR agencies through the fashion brand for which I worked before founding my own label. Initially, I started out with a freelance PR consultant. Over the years, I built my own media and client list. Of course, I handle celebrity collaborations myself. I became an all-rounder, doing everything from photography to DIY PR, so that I would always be able to work independently and not have to work according to market demands.

What was the biggest obstacle you faced when starting your fashion brand?

Matthias Maus: The double standard. The fact that nudity was pushed into the erotic corner. I think that was the biggest obstacle when I started releasing my clubwear, eventwear, and red carpet wear.

If you could recreate the fashion industry, what would you change first?

Matthias Maus: I would address the industry's impact on the environment because half of the clothes are never worn and end up in landfills in South America. Cheap goods from China have ruined the market and lowered dressing standards to mediocrity. It's all about consuming disposable fashion, which I find irresponsible and almost criminal.

Describe your favorite collection or piece created and why

Matthias Maus: My hip jewelry is inspired by the Belle Époque and the plays that emerged during this glamorous era, such as the grotesque tragedy The Clown of God. These hip collars are made of metal threads, pearls, and stones and resemble robes and jewelry for the male phallus.

They are my favorite pieces because no one else has done anything like them. I started presenting the male sex in 2011 as an emancipatory idea at a time when gender roles were still more prevalent.

Thank you!

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