Theaterkunst Talk
Freya Herrmann
Costume designer Freya Herrmann developed and realised the costume design for the successful series ‘Doppelhaushälfte’. She was also in charge of the costume design for the Grimme Award-nominated series ‘Schwarze Früchte’. The cultural studies graduate came to costume design via various positions in film and has stayed on. Since 2020, she has also been talking together with Vera Klocke in her podcast ‘Fashion The Gaze’ about the staging of our present, more abstract social phenomena and entertaining observations of everyday life.
Her current project, the ARD series ‘Marzahn Mon Amour’ based on Katja Oskamp’s novel of the same name, is available in the ARD media library and will be broadcast on ARD from 21 March 2025.
Copyright Portrait: Tini Gröbner //rnrnCopyright Marzahn Mon Amour: ARD Degeto Fim/UFA Fiction GmbH/Oliver Vaccaro //rnrnCopyright Doppelhaushälfte: ZDF / Laura Höner
Theaterkunst
Freya Herrmann
How did you approach the costume design for ‘Marzahn Mon Amour’? Did you read Katja Oskamp’s novel in preparation or were your costume choices directly inspired by the script?
I was already an Oskamp fan before the enquiry, partly because stories of FLINTA* (women, lesbians, inter, non-binary, trans and agender people) who are over 40 are missing in the German media. I also love the scenic descriptions of the characters, which immediately conjured up images and costume ideas for me.
What did you look for in the costumes for the three main actresses and the protagonists, who change per episode?
Together with director Clara Zoë My-Linh von Arnim and co-set designers Theresa Bischof and Max-Josef Schönborn, I agreed at the beginning to avoid pink completely. The colour seemed too stereotypical – and not just because of Ilka Bessin’s character Cindy from Marzahn. It was important for me to think in terms of class and to present the characters individually and with dignity. I also spent some time in Marzahn doing research. I saw a lot of individuality, moto shirts and other beauty.
You borrowed a lot from costume houses for ‘Marzahn mon amour’. What do you think is special about a fundus?
I love working at a costume house – the expert advice, the exchange with colleagues and the process of searching and finding. It is a magical place for me.
In addition to your passion for costumes, you also write. You are currently working on the script for the new season of ‘Doppelhaushälfte’ again. What fascinates you about it and do you directly think about the costumes when writing?
As a screenwriter, I feel it is a privilege to get involved in the process much earlier. Writing allows for more direct communication with the audience; what I can convey through the costume design is more indirect, more open. As a costume designer, I’m not a fan of having too many costume instructions in the script – that’s why I like to leave them out. The characters in ‘Doppelhaushälfte’ are with me even when we’re not filming. When I see interesting fashion stagings on the street, I make mental pictures that then flow into my work. This informs my costume design, the way I look at the world.
Thank you very much for the interview! See you soon!
Thank you!
