TIBERIUS

Tiberius. I have to be honest: I’ve never heard about this label before. As a 21th century young girl who grew up in a world where no one looks things up in a book but uses the internet all the time, I immediately googled it and was a bit amused. “Tiberius - zieht an - Leather, Latex, Tools, Fashion” jumped into my eyes. Leather and Latex at the Fashion week? Does that work? Is that reasonable? What will people say about it? Leather and Latex is connected with the fetish scene, right? I was bit confused and went to the interview with Marcos Valenzuela -creative chief of the label- with a lot of questions in my mind and a weird feeling in my belly. Do you know that feeling when you don’t know what to expect but somewhere deep down inside you know that it will be something good. If yes - lucky you, if no - hmm ask a friend or something... Anyhow, so there we were: standing in front of Marcos and starting our interview that quickly turned more into a conversation about sex, chocolate and the importance of finding and living your own style.

                                                                             

AW: Tell us about your show at the MQ VIENNA FASHIONWEEK!

T: The concept is to start a new time - barROCK. We take inspiration from the baroque era but underline the rock in our time. In our time everyone wants to be someone special and be recognized. With this concept we help people to have this rock´n´roll and self-confident appearance. We do not have big skirts like they had in baroque that’s not important. We want to show the power you can have by wearing our clothes. barROCK is the concept of Gina (Drewes) and Marcos. It`s the new time that starts in Vienna. The name barROCK is the synonym for our collaberation not for the collection. We take the romantic aspects of the baroque time and transfer them into our time now.

AW: How did you come this far? When did you start working with leather and latex?

T: By chance. I studied fashion in Colombia but always wanted to be an opera singer. There was nothing to do in Colombia so I decided to come to Vienna where I studied at the Konservatorium. Now I am just singing for fun. It’s kind of a hobby. But anyhow…one thing led to the other and I met Karl Ammerer the founder of TIBERIUS and he asked me if I would like to be the designer of Tiberius. That was 5 years ago.

AW: Leather and Latex are... lets say unusual materials to work with….

T: That’s right, but it's very exiting to work with it. It is not easy at all but it’s a lot of fun to experiment with it. There aren’t many latex and leather brands that make clothes that are wearable outside of the fetish scene.

AW:  Do you have a favorite piece in your collection?

T: (laughing) No. Imagine you ask a father or a mother: Which of your kids do you like most? I don’t think that you can have a favorite piece! I put so much love into my work, so telling you which piece I like most is not possible. I try to make everything wearable so it can be sold. Because every collection has to be a commercial success in the end. The goal of every designer is to be able to pay their bills from what they earn through their work. A lot of people think fashion is romantic but I tell you fashion is pragmatic. You have to ensure a wearable product to reach people. A lot of young designers with great ideas fail because they cannot survive against the big chains. The fashion world is a hard world.

AW: What do you expect from the fashion week?

T: I think that it's great that the MQ VIENNA FASHIONWEEK shows Tiberius as a fashion brand. We started the label TIBERIUS 5 years ago and are proud that we are now recognized as a label. We are accepted in the society as a label and as an Austrian product. We are ambassadors of the Austrian culture. We all know that fashion is culture.

AW: Do you think Austria has the potential to be on the same level as London, New York or even Paris?

T: I think that it's hard for Vienna to become a fashion city because we are living in the echo of cities like Milan and Paris. The fashion weeks in those cities have a long tradition and we all know that building a tradition takes time.  The MQ VIENNA FASHIONWEEK is a good starting point and that’s the important thing!

AW: Do you think that Austria is the right country for TIBERIUS?

T: People from around the world buy clothes from TIBERIUS. We are selling a lot to the US and Switzerland. The Austrian market is a bit hard to deal with because of all the social taboos. But as I said before theses taboos will be destroyed and a new era will start.

AW: Did you ever have problems to get accepted in society? Latex and Leather are often associated with the fetish scene and as we all know sex is – even though we are living in a modern society- sometimes a taboo theme.

T: First of all sexuality and fashion are always connected. Even in the haute couture houses you have fetish influences. You see the clear lines and the strong cuts. What makes it so great is that really a new time starts in Austria. If the MQ VIENNA FASHIONWEEK accepts us we become accepted in society. No other fashion week around the world shows labels like TIBERIUS. It's really unique that a label with roots in the fetish scene gets recognition as a label. Of course: We had problems in the past because leather and latex are connected with sex and we live in a society where children get taught that sex is something you do behind closed doors. We are doing it at home but not living it out on the streets. But that’s exactly what TIBERIUS does. Transporting that sexuality onto the streets making it wearable.

AW: How would you describe the Viennese style?

T:  In Vienna you find the rich first-district-shopping-and-living-fashion-brands-off-showing people next to a small group - let's call them Indies - who wears the young designers. But after all I think that the Austrians are too shy and there are just a few with their own unique style. But isn’t that the most important thing? To have your own unique style and to also show it.

AW: Who is your target audience?

T: Everyone! A lot of people are wearing leather trousers. But I will never exhibit on a fetish exhibition again. It is just not my target audience. I work with sex but do not sell it. What you do with the clothes in your bedroom is your thing. Pornography is not our theme. In our shop we do not sell any magazines or videos.

AW: So would you rather give up fashion or sex?
T: (Thinking) Sex is my inspiration for designing clothes. Sex and love give you the chance to develop yourself, live out your creativity and be satisfied. But when I think about it: Fashion. Sex is important. (Laughing)

AW: What inspires you?

T: Love. I’m a very romantic person. Everyone thinks that leather and latex is not romantic but that’s not true. Even in the fetish scene you find romantic aspects. Fashion as itself has also become a fetish. The word fetish has such a negative image but in our time almost everyone has some kind of fetish. Just think about shoe fetishism. I need physical contact and I need my family and friends around me.

AW: Would you prefer to be rich or to be famous?

T: For me being rich means to have time for your loved. If you could afford not to work and to have me time. I think I'm rich in human relationships. For me being famous isn’t my goal in life. I want to change something; I want to leave a message when I'm gone with everything I have made.

AW: What is more important the journey or the reward?

T: The reward. You need a goal in front of your inner eye. The journey develops. Every path should lead you to your goal, whatever the goal may be. This journey teaches you something.

AW: When you are down. What brings you back on track?

T: Music and even if it sounds cheesy: chocolate. Give me a piece of fudgy chocolate and I am happy again.

AW: Your shop is really stylish. Almost like a Chanel boutique…

T: I think that architecture is a mirror for your society. We have a lot of stock in the shop but you do not feel it. You have to wander around the shop, look at the products in detail and find them. Dive into another world. It’s a part of the Tiberius magic.

AW: Do you have a motto in your life?

T: Always treat other people the way you want to be treated by them. I believe a lot in karma. Everything we do has a reaction and will influence your next life. Do something good and you will get something good back.

TIBERIUS Fashion show 24.09., 19.00- 19.30

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