How did you first come to be involved with ECCO?
I participated in the At.Kollektive project first, so this is how I started with ECCO. Through At.Kollektive, I knew the factory, knew the manufacturers, the raw tools, but it was also a lot about meeting Panos [Mytaros, CEO] who I enjoyed working with so much; he’s very inspired all the time, very creative. And there’s a feeling of equality within ECCO I admire. So it came together in a very organic way.

What appealed to you about working with them?
It wasn’t the type of company I’d been working with until now. But I did the tour of the company museum and was amazed, amazed by the innovation, responsibility, awareness – the fact that they really know what they are doing. This was exactly the kind of environment I was searching for and wanted to work with. Because they have this trust and awareness and knowledge, they can take risks. I remember Panos saying ‘there is nothing to risk!’. Basically, just try things! If they liked it, they’d take it; if they didn’t, they wouldn’t. There’s something very honest about that.

Why did you want to work with them again?
The whole company is very impressive. There is something very special, super authentic, super true about ECCO. It’s honest and direct. In a way it’s fun because it’s not totally a fashion company, but it’s very accurate in terms of lifestyle. I’m very impressed by the way everything is done, the sustainability, the management of people, innovations – technical innovations but also the way they constantly search for new designers, new collaborations, young people. It’s proof of how open and how modern I feel ECCO is and how authentic. It’s here, it’s present, it’s real.

What are the most surprising things you’ve learned about ECCO through working with them?
It was a brand I didn’t really know, so everything has been surprising to me. It is such a big brand, but there is a quietness to it that I love, which I think comes from confidence. They know who they are, what they do, and control how they do it. It’s not the usual behaviour in this industry.

What do you think you bring to the brand?
It’s not about my signature in ECCO or whatever, it’s about doing good for ECCO. I do things that I think I will like, things I maybe felt were missing, but for me the most important thing is that it reaches an audience within ECCO. It’s not creative direction, it’s a collaboration. I’m happy to help and be part of the team! They have knowledge, they know what they’re doing. They don’t need people to tell them what to do. What they are willing to have is a new point of view.