With every fibre

First of all, my team. My 14 colleagues really did a great job. We had an exhausting time, there were storms with rain and storms both in Denmark and in Schleswig-Holstein. We couldn't drive directly to the film location on the beach, so we had to carry the heavy costumes and our equipment to the location. We only had a simple version of each costume for our main actors, some of which were precious original uniforms. The clothes had to be dried again and again, for example in the saunas of the surrounding holiday homes or in a nearby carpet cleaner. We really came up with a lot of ideas and were always supported by the production team. Malte Grunert from Amusement Park Films trusted me right from the start and had my back. I also owe him a lot.

We did a lot of detailed research. After the war, there were hardly any standardised uniforms, it was a hodgepodge of uniform fragments. We had to take that into account. I received a lot of support in my research from the Hamburg librarian Andrea Joosten, who specialises in costumes from the 1930s and 1940s. I also found original "British battledress" from the period through several corners at the Panzer Museum in Oksbøl, Denmark, with the help of Kaj Jensen. An incredible stroke of luck. In order to find enough extras, we launched an appeal. Not entirely without concern that we might have to deal with the right-wing scene. Fortunately, that didn't turn out to be the case. A few groups of reenactors also contacted us - people who re-enact historical skirmishes and battles and have uniforms at home. However, we were sometimes very surprised when they turned up with their dress uniforms, and also very amazed at these people's understanding of history and what uniforms can do to people.

We immerse ourselves in the story and have had preliminary meetings with the Directors and the other trades. We talk about the biographies and try to get closer to the characters. What history is there, what characterises each person? Even though the main piece of clothing in Land of Mine is the uniform, we gave each of the guys their own biography and so we were still able to draw something individual from the prescribed uniform components. There are also small details that emphasise the respective character in this extreme situation, such as the hand-sewn shirt or the fiancée's scarf.

Once we have an idea of the characters as well as the overall mood of the film, the visual language and colour concept, we start to look for the costumes in found objects, in attics or at flea markets or select fabrics. These heavy, often stiff-looking original fabrics from which the old uniforms were made no longer exist today. Incidentally, the fabric was called "German Forest" because the wool, which was in short supply at the time, was mixed with plants and sawdust. We had a lot of things specially made and patinated at great expense. I was supported by Constanze Schuster from Hamburg, who specialises in the surface design of fabrics with her studio Couleur & Co. She spent three weeks leaving traces of use on our costumes, such as salt crusts or sweat stains. The costumes had to look used, the stories had to be perceptible in the materials. In Land of Mine, the colours of the shirts and trousers matched the colour of the beach and the sand, so they were monochrome. The colour scheme is part of the conception of each Costume Design.

For the international project Lore by Cate Shortland, about four children who set off for the North Sea to join their grandparents after the war and the arrest of their Nazi parents, we moved in two worlds of colour: inspired by the landscapes such as the lush green forest and meadow landscape in the south, the journey is towards the North Sea. This colour journey was also told through the costumes. The children wore their clothes for weeks on the run. That's why we had all the children's clothes made in four versions, first we see them in rich colours, the further stages of the journey we saturated the colours more and more towards grey-blue like the North Sea landscape. The last version of the dresses on the journey was then tailored two sizes larger to show the hardships the children faced on their escape.

Very important. The period in which the film is set must be researched as accurately as possible. If this historical framework is in place and we know everything about uniforms and clothing at the time, we can take the freedom to abstract, for example to adapt cuts for costumes to the present day.

The collaboration on both projects was very good and intensive. Martin Zandvliet trusted me right from the start and let me work independently. We basically only had two appointments together in the run-up, the costume meeting and the costume rehearsal. This trust is both an appreciation and an incentive for me. It was similar with Cate Shortland. Her ideas and visions were very inspiring for me. In order to get to know each other, but also to get a feel for the story and the characters, we all cooked, ate, listened to music and brainstormed together. Directors, camera, set and Costume Design could then find a common language. What was interesting and instructive for me in both projects was the view of German history from the outside, this impartiality that we don't have. In general, working with international teams is a great enrichment and, in my opinion, also important for the Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein location. With Andrew Bird, Silke Fischer, Barbara Kreuzer and many other internationally experienced and award-winning creatives in the important departments of editing, production design, make-up and costume design, they not only enrich the film with their respective signatures, but also represent the film location in the north.

Yes, definitely. You can also relate that very well to film. A costume helps the actors to get into character. It gives them stability and support. You simply move differently in a stiff uniform than in a wide suit, in trainers than in pumps, in boxer shorts than in scratchy long pants. Every single item of clothing, every layer of clothing is important to show the facets and complexity of the figures.

I travel a lot by train for work and have started to write little stories about my fellow travellers. I let their clothes tell the story, I observe every detail and imagine the person. Where is she coming from, is she going to a job interview, is she going on holiday, does she live alone? It's great fun, and when I get in touch with people, there are one or two matches (laughs). Of course, I also draw inspiration from cinema films. The character I still have in my head is Mr Spock from Star Trek (laughs), that hairstyle, the costume, it's just right! The great visual language in the films of Aki Kaurismäki, Pedro Almodóvar or Ang Lee also inspires me time and again. These Directors have understood that all the different trades have to work together to create these wonderful image and colour concepts. Another source of inspiration is, for example, the photo book "Waiting for Europe" by Frank Gaudlitz. He portrays residents from south-east Europe in their respective living situations, in their working and everyday clothes or in traditional costumes. I find Gaudlitz' view so fascinating. In the case of a farm labourer, the folds of her dress are reflected in the folds of her face and also in the furrows in the field. That is really great.

This is really high praise for my achievements and for the work of my entire team. This international award inspires and confirms me on my path. It was very unusual to speak in front of so many people, who were all incredibly happy, and that this award was really for me. Somehow we haven't learnt to stand up and just be proud.