enSoie

Katharina is wearing our new Capri sunglasses. 

enSoie: Do you think about colour a lot?
Katharina: Yes. I wear colour almost every day and give them a lot of thought. Blue, red, and brown in particular. They feel familiar to me, so they naturally recur in my wardrobe.

Which fabrics do you love touching or wearing?
I’ve always preferred natural fabrics. Partly for environmental reasons, but mostly because they simply feel better on my skin. In winter, I gravitate toward cashmere and mohair for their warmth and softness. I also really appreciate wool from local sheep, especially in knitwear or felt. It can be a bit rough, but it’s warm, durable, and long-lasting. A material that’s often underestimated.

Which item do you reach for most often? Why that one?
I tend to wear most of my clothes regularly, but if I had to choose one piece, it would be a light jacket my father gave me three years ago. I’ve worn it almost daily since then. It sits somewhere between a simple bomber jacket and something more distinctive, with subtle Japanese-inspired details that make it feel special without being loud.

What’s the 'signature' object in your wardrobe?
Definitely that jacket. More generally, my shoes also stand out. They’re often quite special and, unfortunately, not always very comfortable.

What detail makes a garment feel 'luxurious' to you?
Luxury, for me, has nothing to do with branding. It’s about where and how something is made. Local production, natural materials, and construction that is meant to last.

Which piece in your wardrobe has the strongest story attached to it?
A leather vest I bought from an elderly man at the Iselin Quartier flea market in Basel. It was made by Bugatti in the 1970s. We talked for almost an hour about the vest and how he came to own it. He had been close friends with the designer. He also explained that the leather is the same type used for Bugatti car interiors.

He had kept the vest in his basement for nearly 50 years and never worn it, so it was almost like new. What makes it even more interesting is that it can also be worn as a handbag. It’s a true 2-in-1 piece, something I had never seen before. Both forms are functional and well considered. As a product designer, I’m still fascinated by the refinement and intelligence behind it.

Katharina von Koss captured by Andreas Lumineau.