INTERVIEW | Joyce & Dana from WALD Berlin

WALD  Berlin is an intimate and surprisingly different fashion store in the heart of Berlin’s uber-trendy Mitte district.  Owned by Buyer Joyce Binneboese and Creative Director Dana Roski, WALD (which means forest in German) is branching beyond it’s fashion boutique confines to work with stylists and publishers on their own bi-annual magazine.

Muubaa partnered with WALD for Wald Fashion Issue No.2  which was launched to the press last week, together with our A/W 2013 collection, at a Muubaa X Wald in-store party. While we were there we took some time out to ask Joyce and Dana some questions about their store, their style and their Berlin:

What was it that brought the 2 of you together?
Joyce, did an internship at my styling agency when she was 18. From this date on we did everything together, private and work-wise. We also started to work together at WALD as sales persons.

Why did you decide to open a fashion store?
WALD actually rather decided to open with us. After we worked 6 months as sales persons there was a big change in the management. We had the possibility to take over the shop one day and we just decided to do it.

What is your design/buying philosophy?
Just buy what you don’t want to live without.  Never buy with the brain, always with your heart. Forget every rule and all logic. Be brave and different even though you might be the first.

Muubaa’s design philosophy is about pushing boundaries and inspiring with new possibilities.  How does this fit with your store?
Breaking rules and doing things differently is a big part of WALD. If we would have done everything in the expected way, WALD wouldn’t be WALD as it is today.

What kind of customers do you have?
Customers with a love for fashion. Often they have creative backgrounds. They all search for a special item which is unique in Berlin.

Any famous ones?
We have a lot of German actors, singers and artists. In general we have a lot of people from the Berlin art scene coming in but also international ones like Elisabeth Jagger who loves our shop.

Why should I shop at Wald?
Because we are flying all over the wd to bring the most unique and fashionable styles together.  At WALD you find a hand-picked selection of pieces from design talents from all over the world that otherwise are mostly unavailable in Europe. And maybe also because they have the most charming Wald Girls advising and styling you.

Describe the style in Berlin at the moment?
Still quite sportive, young and also avantgarde, always in movement and with an artist-touch.

Top 3 fashionable hot spots in Berlin right now.
DUDU (Asian Fusion Restaurant), Kingsize Bar & Hamburger Bahnhof (Museum of Contemporary Art).

Where in Berlin should one go for breakfast/brunch?
Cafe am Neuen See in summer.

What is a typical day in your working life?
Everyday is different actually. At times we travel a lot to cities like Paris, New York and Copenhagen for the buyings. When we are in Berlin, we might work on our Wald Issue Magazine or we are preparing a launch party with a cool brand in the shop. Moreover we have meetings with our customers in our shop to style them. No day is like an other. We try to see everyday as a creative experience and try somethin new.

How would you describe your style?
Classy, elegant with a hip-hop influence.

What are you listening to/reading at the moment?
Deephouse and the DJ “Keinemusik” from Berlin.

Do you have a fashion rule that you never break?
Never use a cheap perfume.

Are there any fashion icons or famous people whose style you admire?
We love the style of Florence of Florence & the Machine. She is brave, fashionable, funny, different and ambitious – just like we would describe us as a shop.

What are your three favourite fashion items that you could not live without?
Except Muubaa : Nike Jordans, the simple white A.O. cms T-Shirt from our shop and our Pierre Hardy bags from Paris.

If we designed a Muubaa jacket just for you what would it be like?
It would have a motorcycle back and a classy shape. Not too much on it, simple with a perfect cut. Probably a mixture of lamb fur and patent leather in black.