Steiff Charity - To bear a helping hand

Frida Kahlo

About Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo was born on July 6^th, 1907 in Coyoacan, Mexico and her life evolved during a historic time in Mexico when the struggle for social change began to gain significance.

Being the daughter of a talented photographer also added to her artistic vision. Frida’s true talent, skill and ingenuity was her ability to convey her inner world and deepest feelings, emotions and thoughts through her paintings as if she was a photographer.

Little by little, she started to establish her own prestige and fame. Soon she became world renowned for her own work, personality and authenticity. Frida broke the artistic mold and demonstrated her unique expression through hard work and by creating her own peculiar style. She became the first Mexican artist to exhibit her work at the Louvre Museum in Paris. It is undeniable that Frida experienced tremendous physical and emotional pain and that it played a major role in her life; however, it is clear that the principal elements of Frida’s artistic expression are considered to be love, joy, passion and creativity. She showed great perseverance for achieving her dreams and also showed her happiness, love and passion for life despite all the adversities she overcame.

Frida lived life to its fullest in the most passionate ways. Her iconic existence, unique expression and extraordinary artwork have provided humanity with continuing optimism, strength and courage for the future. She died on July 13^th, 1954 and left behind a legacy that will forever impact and influence the world regardless of age, gender, nationality and ethnicity.

The fashion students and design supporters of Frida Kahlo

Melisa Günyak

Hi! My name is Melisa, I am 24 years old and I am a fashion student in my 6th semester at DesignPF. I have always loved to let my creativity run wild, especially in fashion. My focus is to create new expressions in fashion with colors and special lines. Redefining a connection between people and clothing and allowing new insights.
Not only am I honored to have been given the opportunity to participate in this project, but I also see this project as a new opportunity to let my creativity run wild in a new world, working with different colors and materials.
My very first teddy bear, which I got
from my grandpa, was actually also
from Steiff. Which makes for having a special personal connection, a kind of confidence and great memories. So I‘m very motivated to create an unforgettable teddy bear with love.

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Elenore Brive

I am a Fashion Designer based in Augsburg, a City located next to Munich. I graduated my studies at the Fashion Institute of Design at the University of Pforzheim in March.
Growing up Bilingual (german| french), my widened cultural perspective and background are reflected in my designs.
With my Bachelor degree collection and aim to change the fashion system in future - I am looking forward for new design developments for a circular and sustainable fashion system. This includes the innovative and sustainable material, pattern making and design thinking.
Personally for me Fashion is a form of expression, representing wearable human Art. Furthermore Fashion is a way and possibility to encode emotions, society and character Traits. Fashion can be so versatile, but whats fascinates me the most ist the designing/ creating/ inventing and rediscovering of innovative textiles, combined fron our knowledge and the mechanisms of our nature.

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The briefing and the idea

I paint my own reality - Frida Kahlo, a Mexican painter best known for her uncompromising and colorful self-portraits, explored themes of identity, the human body, and death. Although she denied this connection, she is often referred to as a surrealist. Frida Kahlo lived life to the fullest and in the most passionate way. Her ‚iconized‘ life, unique expression, and extraordinary artwork have left a legacy that will forever influence the world, regardless of age, gender, nationality, or ethnicity, and has become a constant desire for commitment.
The Teddy bear is meant to represent all her different facets, her strength and her fragility, her joie de vivre and her courage, the creative interplay of femininity and masculinity and the enthusiasm for cultural traditions.
The Teddy bear encourages one to live life wholeheartedly, to accept life‘s challenges as colorfully as optimistically.