Christoph TsetinisFounder and Creative Director of PUBLISHED BY
Vienna, Austria. April 13th, 2021
Interviewed by Alexei Key
His Vienna-based label, PUBLISHED BY, eschews traditional methods to create artful and innovative 3D printed designs.
PUBLISHED BY is an innovation-led brand, pushing the boundaries of fashion and technology, with a focus on emerging tech, inclusivity and an appreciation for the natural world. During my design process I’m equally inspired by personal family history in Greece, as well as 3D technology and product design.
We work with a team of collaborators worldwide, making bags that let people see themselves in reflection. We want our customers to feel connected and stronger by proxy of being in our community.
Working with inspiring people is the most meaningful part of my work. From Stavros Karelis, the founder of Machine-A, to Mimma Viglezio, the contributing editor at SHOWstudio, or the Tomorrow Showroom team: They all provide the framework and encouragement to allow PUBLISHED BY to bring our dreams and ideas into reality.
The most meaningful moments are usually not the next project or product; rather, it’s the people I get to work and collaborate with every day.
Technology always plays a big role in product and fashion design, but it’s not often the source of inspiration. For myself, technology becomes the most interesting once I push both myself and our team to the limits of possibility, especially in terms of production and shape. Technology gives me the freedom to get closer to what I dream about.
It’s a natural instinct for humans to try to push borders and boundaries. I believe technology is the tool to do this and can bring people together rather than create a divide. I believe 3D printing is an inclusive way forward, making design so much more accessible, rather than exclusive. Every day, technology creates new realities that yesterday were simply magic.
I started my career as a carpenter, almost as far away from fashion as you can get, while living and working in the Austrian countryside. I’ve now discovered that the technical aspects of this education actually helped me a lot and informed my work as a designer.
I think of every garment or design from the perspective of a product designer: What do you want them to do for you? What service is this product providing? How can this product improve someone’s life?
What really inspires me right now is my hometown in Greece. Our recent collection at London Fashion Week was called “Eukolia,” the Greek word for ease. The inspiration was a combination of the underwater life, the village of my forefathers, old texts and Plato’s Atlantis. I also love fluid simulations right now, especially those that show how water can shape objects.
The bag or object that means the most to me is the first bag I created for PUBLISHED BY, Ruby’s Lost Stone Bag. It really stands for how it all started, as well as the visual identity that anchors us.
I think the way we work is unique. Throughout all of our work, I want to not only represent and practice a unique visual style, but also an openness and curiosity. I want to always think from the perspective of a small brand, creating great products and pushing new ideas forward. Staying curious while remaining dedicated is the key.
The most important thing I’ve learned is to keep one eye on the past, another focused on the present, and to always be open to a third eye on the future. Also, no orchestra, no music.
Favorite films: Only Lovers Left Alive, Suspiria, Arrival, Ex Machina, Blade Runner 2049, and 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Favorite music: Peggy Gou’s “Starry Night”; “U Say” by GoldLink; “Futile Devices” by Sufjan Stevens; and Andre Laplante’s “Une Barque sur L’Ocean.”
Favorite pieces of art: all of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s work; Tony Cragg’s “Lost in Thoughts”; and Anish Kapoor’s “Shooting into the Corner.”
Favorite books: Right now, Plato’s Atlantis; Steppenwolf and Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse; and Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind.
Current and upcoming creatives I’m excited about: Johanna Jaskowska, the digital designer, is fantastic. We worked with her on creating our Instagram filter; she’s got an eye firmly on the future of fashion. And my brother, Philip Tsetinis, is a fantastic photographer who I work closely with on our campaigns. He’s a constant point of inspiration.
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