Attracted to the Dark Side

Tobias Tanner used to work in the music business for almost a decade until he chose to dedicate his communication skills to supporting and connecting visionary entrepreneurs all over the world. In 2011 he founded Valise, an international society for innovative leaders of the creative class with touch points in New York, London, Paris and Berlin. The idea of Valise is not only to create an environment where people can exchange ideas but also to support each other. “I think the idea of support comes out of working in creative sectors myself,” Tobias explains. “Creative sectors are not like finance or politics. There is a lot of risk involved in creativity and there is not necessarily given a lot of reward.”

One of these risk takers is Israel-born Itamar Zechoval. The designer used to live and work in Shanghai but decided to turn his back on the buzzing fashion industry in China and move to Berlin, where he started his own precious gentlemen’s boutique called Dandy of the Grotesque. In his steampunk inspired store in Mitte, Itamar offers edgy yet elegant ready-to-wear collection as well as bespoke suits with great attention to detail and quality.

Find out more about Itamar Zechoval's label Dandy of the Grotesque and Tobias Tanner's innovator salon Valise

Editorial Lead Kitty Bolhoefer / Filming & Photos Fridolin Schoepper / Editing Oliver Schenk / Music BUNNYSTRIPES