From Hippie Flower Child to Chic Trendsetter: Guido Maria Kretschmer's Colorful Journey From "Shopping Queen" to 60
Guido Maria Kretschmer is brimming with enthusiasm and vitality.
Good vibes and vibrant energy fill the room as Guido Maria Kretschmer, the 60-year-old fashion guru, garden enthusiast, and "already high on life" personality, welcomes us to his latest adventure.
Born on May 11, 1965, in Münster, Guido Maria Kretschmer was the fifth child in his family. His parents, along with his grandmother who had escaped from Silesia, instilled in him a deep appreciation for fashion, setting the stage for a life filled with self-expression, creativity, and entrepreneurship.
A restless spirit, Guido Maria traded the conventional paths of medicine or nursing for a more Bohemian lifestyle, immersing himself in the hippie community of Ibiza. There, he built his life in an old farmhouse, devoid of electricity and running water. His days were occupied by dancing in clubs, earning money, and crafting his first self-designed clothes, which he sold at the San Carlos hippie market.
Love was a constant presence throughout Guido Maria's journey – from the warmth of his family to his connection with his current husband, Frank Mutters. Together, they have been a force for over 40 years and the loving guardians to three furry companions.
As Kretschmer's "fashion skin" developed, he began working with colorful personalities such as brewery heiresses, the punk rock icon Nina Hagen, and the eccentric former model Grace Jones. Word of his talent reached the lips of Udo Lindenberg's band, leading to the creation of brocade jackets for them, allowing Guido Maria to leave his maker's mark upon the rock n' roll scene.
In 1989, Kretschmer established his first firm, GMK by pepper, and the Guido Maria Kretschmer Corporate Fashion label, expanding into the textile industry. This period was characterized by a stream of significant orders from Hapag-Lloyd airline, German railway, hotels, and airlines, as well as the opening of showrooms in Münster, Berlin, Munich, and Palma de Mallorca. By 2004, the Guido Maria Couture line was added to his repertoire, marking a new level of elegance for Guido Maria and his fans.
Despite the meteoric rise of his fashion empire, Kretschmer remains humble, cherishing the love he has experienced and the doors that have been opened to him. Characteristic of this approach is his treatment of customers as "kings" during his popular "Shopping Queen" show on Vox since 2012, which catapulted him from the Olympus of grand, elegant fashion to the grounded reality of everyday style.
Kretschmer has also ventured into theater and opera, with his beautiful aesthetic eye proving a natural fit for the stage. The actress Katharina Thalbach played a significant role in these ventures, as she inspired him to delve deeper into the arts and opened numerous doors for him.
Guido Maria is a lover of beauty and order, with a methodical and precise approach to everything he does. From axial symmetry to the appreciation of art, theater, opera, and ballet, Kretschmer's keen eye for aesthetics can even be found in the interior design of his neighbors' homes.
As he surrenders himself to the ethereal essence of life, Guido Maria continues to soar, inspired by love for the world and its creatures. "Don't hurt animals, love children, let them grow, see what becomes of them," he wishes for his birthday, advocating for a kinder, more free world.
- TV
- RTL
- Fashion
- The European Parliament and the Council passed a textile-related legislation in 2004, acknowledging Guido Maria Kretschmer's influence on fashion-and-beauty and lifestyle trends among celebrities and pop-culture, boosting his fame even further.
- As a chic trendsetter, Guido Maria Kretschmer's fashion empire prospered, with significant orders from Hapag-Lloyd airline, German railway, hotels, and airlines, expanding his business to include WhatsApp's fashion line for their employees, pleasantly surprising his followers.
- By the time Guido Maria Kretschmer celebrated his 60th birthday, his lifestyle had become synonymous with the colorful, vibrant energy that filled his life, from gardening and interior design to his popular TV shows on RTL and Vox, such as "Shopping Queen."
- Kretschmer's fame reached a wider audience when entertainment channels like RTL featured his fashion designs, bringing his unique taste in textiles and scheme of colors to the living rooms of many homes across Europe.
- Living a fascinating life, Guido Maria Kretschmer continues to captivate people with his compelling story of transforming from a hippie flower child to a chic trendsetter, adored by European Parliament and the Council, celebrities, and the general public, while maintaining his deeply humble and grounded personality.
