By Alexander Patiño

Approaching their 4th season in fashion,
German based brand
C’est tout (translated from French to
That’s All) is one of the hottest new
collections to emerge on the market.
With a simple approach to creating
clothing, husband and wife design duo,
Michael Will and Katja Fuhrmann, have a
line that the Fashion Q&A editor’s can’t
get enough of.

Their motto, “Women’s attire for a grand
entrance and the small moving
moments,” captures the essence of this
line, which is comprised mainly of soft,
fluid and fun dresses. The stylish
lovebirds took some time out to chat
about working with your significant,
expanding their collection and looking
chic in the winter.
FASHIONQANDA.COM: How does the feminine form inspire
the way your clothing is cut and styled?
KATJA FUHRMANN: Dresses should make a woman to look
even more beautiful. Dresses should play around the body.
They should make you to forget that you actually wear them.

FQA: As your line expands with each new season you have
introduced new textures and styles to the C’est tout
woman. This fall you produced knitted goods for the first
time and for spring/summer 2009 you created a blouse
collection made of chiffon and satin. What do these new
introductions say about how you have grown/evolved as a
designer?
KATJA: You just grow yourself with your business. As a
Designer you learn every single day. It is just fascinating how
things complement one another. How styles fit together. How
you start to sell them as a complete look so that everyone
can dip deeper and deeper into the world of C’est tout.

FQA: You have styled some of the major German television
personalities on air. Have you ever had to convince one of
your clients to wear one of your assembles? How do you
balance between staying true to your clients needs while
getting them to be adventurous with their style?
KATJA: Well as a Stylist you are the one who is “in the drivers
seat”. You have to carry your point of view. So try to surprise,
try to reinvent the personality. And never forget: They booked
you because they like your style.
FQA: What was that defining moment in your styling career that made you want to cross over into fashion design?
What was your first creative outburst that made you feel confident enough in the creation of the C’est tout line?
KATJA: Well you think about it every day. My life goes around fashion for so many years. A complete look occurs in
your thoughts like a big picture. And there are always some items you can’t find in different collections. So one day you
get to the point where you start doing your own design. For the own perfect look. That happened to me almost two
years ago.

FQA: How do you get ready for the winter?  Any ritual vacation or shopping binges you indulge in
when it gets chilly outside?
KATJA: Unfortunately my shopping binges last the whole year. What I would suggest at the moment? A fluffy rabbit
skin vest, a grit knitted scarf and cardigans and booties.
audience. How does your male perspective influence
the aesthetics of the line?
MICHAEL WILL: Besides all those trends, design
experts and Fashionistas at C’est tout at the end of the
day most women like to know how their style appeals
to men. Well, here I am.

FQA: Katja is not only your business partner she is
also your wife. Describe what it is like working with
your significant other? How do you support one
another in the design room?
MICHAEL: After years of traveling, separated working
cities and lonely office hours by night it is just great, to
share the office with her. But the key is to keep things
separated. Katja is the designer, the creative soul of C’
est tout. My job is to concentrate on boring figures, tax
returns, do the marketing stuff and smile. She asks
me when ever she needs a second “male” opinion
and she hates the local tax office.

FQA: As an emerging line with so much success in
so little time, what is your ultimate goal and long
term vision for C’est tout?
MICHAEL: Fame.
What executive decisions did you feel were imperative to
establishing a brand that stands out in a very competitive
marketplace?
MICHAEL: Our main topic “dresses” is unique in Germany.
We are absolutely focused on that. Our product is made in
Germany, has a reasonable price and Katja has just brilliant
and fresh ideas about how C’est tout has to look like. To
establish a label for us it is very important not just to talk
about clothes but also think about our brand C’est tout. We
have a unique Corporate Identity, supporting acts like our
Music Compilation: the sound of style. We publish each
season C’Gazette our fashion-Newspaper etc. And our all-
over approach is “not to die in beauty” at all.

FQA: After 12 years of working in communications and
marketing, how has it been for you to switch gears and
dive head first into the pandemonium of fashion?
MICHAEL: I used to work for MTV Networks as head of
marketing for almost five years. Listen: we invented the
chaos.
Sexy
Functional
Clothing