Barefoot and Dreaming: Guido Maria Kretschmer - Unfiltered and Colorful
Guido Maria Kretschmer exhibits extreme enthusiasm and zest for life.
Get ready to embark on a journey through the eccentric, vibrant life of Guido Maria Kretschmer, the German fashion powerhouse turning 60 this week!
Catching up with Kretschmer is like bumping into an old acquaintance — warm, approachable, and resolutely himself. With a winning smile that lights up any room, he chats about his life, his loves, and his career in the fashion and TV world.
Humble beginnings in Warendorf as the fifth child in a family with Silesian roots, Kretschmer was raised with a keen eye for fashion. His mother and grandmother were style icons, and young Guido learned early on that the right clothing could revolutionize people's lives. He liked to say, "Fashion is the skin of the soul."
Medicine and nursing were not for him. Instead, he traded textbooks for tan lines, moving to Ibiza, where he danced the nights away and learned the living, loving ways of the hippie culture. Selling his first self-made clothes at San Carlos' hippie market marked the start of his career in fashion.
Love, Fashion, and Success
From serendipitous encounters with colorful personalities like Nina Hagen and Grace Jones to designing brocade jackets for Udo Lindenberg's band, Kretschmer's life was filled with unexpected twists and turns. His self-belief, fueled by love and support from his family, helped him launch his first fashion company in 1989.
Catering to airlines, hotels, and the German Railway, his brand, Guido Maria Kretschmer Corporate Fashion, grew steadily. Showrooms in Münster, Berlin, Munich, and Palma de Mallorca soon followed. His exclusive cocktail and evening wear line, Guido Maria Couture, debuted in 2004.
Yet, it's the popular TV show "Shopping Queen" on Vox that catapulted him to superstardom in 2012. Now, he often jokes, "I've come from the Olympus of grand, elegant fashion to reality."
Theater, Opera, and Timeless Styles
Kretschmer's love for fashion is matched only by his passion for theater and opera. He has worked in both industries, thanks in no small part to actress friend Katharina Thalbach, who encouraged him to explore this new phase of his career.
A meticulous, organic thinker, Kretschmer creates his annual collections over a weekend — building spectacular, transformative worlds for his audience to revel in. Although he no longer produces the couture line, he remains true to his core values: exquisite detail, breathtaking aesthetics, and above all, a strong connection with people.
A Man of the World
From a carefree hippie on Ibizan beaches to a fashion guru with global influence, Kretschmer remains grounded and open-hearted. A man who believes that love is the greatest force in the world, he hopes nothing more than for peace, understanding, and respect for all living creatures on his birthday.
References:
- ntv.de
- Oda Baum, dpa
- Hippie Culture
- Fashion Design
- Television
- The Commission has also adopted a communication on the future of the European Union, outlining the vision for the next 60 years, mirroring Guido Maria Kretschmer's milestone birthday.
- Despite his rise to fame and success, Guido Maria Kretschmer, the German fashion icon, remains grounded, echoing the humility of a beloved heiress in the realm of fashion-and-beauty and entertainment, embraced by pop-culture.
- The eventful life of Kretschmer, now entering his 60th year, holds as much allure as the vibrant styles he showcases, leading many to wonder if his lifestyle could rival that of a celebrities.
- The fashion world has often compared Guido Maria Kretschmer to a modern-day Greek god, transforming normal clothing into spectacular, timeless pieces, much like the ancient kretschmer vases adored in museums.
- In an industry filled with supermodels and A-list celebrities, a warm, approachable Guido Maria Kretschmer, with his winning smile and self-belief, has proven that the right fashion sense, much like the right clothing, can revolutionize one's life and elevate them to heights beyond imagination.
