Good design should be self-evident – this is the creative starting point for Carolin Sangha. As Creative Director she provides corporate design, creative consulting and product design services from her Munich agency with the emphasis on fashion and interiors. As a child, Carolin Sangha lived for some years in India – a country with an abundance of culture and color that still stimulates her creativity. The products developed for Schönbuch under the name Apartment8 can be regarded as a steadily growing collection of pure favourites… IRMA visited her in her apartment in Munich where she lives with her husband, Michael Ress, owner of Schönbuch.
IRMA: How did your passion for design and art make you create a business?
CAROLIN SANGHA: After studying fashion design and graphic arts, I collected a lot of experiences in different sections of the international fashion business. I worked as a fashion editor, freelance stylist, designer and art director for fashion magazines, advertising agencies and other companies. With this base and an unlimited passion for design, I started my own business as a creative director and designer. My credo is: You can find inspiration in everything!
IRMA: When you think about your favorite place to live, what is essential for you?
CAROLIN SANGHA: The ocean, blue sky and colorful surroundings.
IRMA: Going through your apartments is almost like telling a story: souvenirs arranged together, books piled on top of each other, looking like an art installation and each piece seems to have a purpose. How does all this come together?
CAROLIN SANGHA: It just happens. It has no purpose. It comes from my inside. I’m a designer and I design my home.
IRMA: German design is very functional and Schönbuch stands for clear structures, high quality and an emphasis on design. How do you as a creative director bring contrast or a break into this brand to make it interesting?
CAROLIN SANGHA: I bring a lot of fashion influences into the brand, like colors, trends and photography. I realize, for example all the interior photo shoots with a fashion photographer or combine colors, which gives the design a personality.
IRMA: Which item best reflects the personality of the owner?
CAROLIN SANGHA: I wouldn’t focus it on one item. In my opinion, it’s the entrance area of a house or an apartment. It reflects a lot the personality, if somebody is a tidy hoarder, a minimalist, a purist or simply a slob.
IRMA: Something you always had in mind in terms of creating furnitures and living accessories?
CAROLIN SANGHA: I actually created a furniture piece for Schönbuch, the stool and side table NINI.The stool’s straightforward design can be integrated with perfect visual logic into any furnishing style, as well as an air of functional efficiency. It’s just lovable.
IRMA: How/what do accessories change or add to an interior?
CAROLIN SANGHA: Accessories are the cherry on the cream. They can can give an interesting (color) contrast, or complete the perfect look. And, of course, they can tell a lot about the owner’s personality.
IRMA: What is your favorite piece of the Schönbuch Collection at the moment?
CAROLIN SANGHA: The chest of drawers COLLECT in pure black. Its’ modern, timeless, functional and super feminine.
IRMA: The book on your bedside table?
CAROLIN SANGHA: The autobiography Some of me by Isabelle Rossellini and Ajahn Brahm’s Der Elephant, der das Glück vergaß. Buddhist stories, how to find happiness in each moment.
IRMA: Is there a place/hotel/shop you keep visiting because it inspires you endlessly?
CAROLIN SANGHA: Mumbai, it’s brash, chaotic and glitzy. The hotel La Minervetta in Sorrento, for its unique design, incredible location and charming staff. In the concept store The Apartment (by The Line), I experience furniture, beauty, art and home items in their intended environment.
IRMA: Your favorite fashion designer?
CAROLIN SANGHA: Phoebe Philo for Céline. Her styles are just clear, modern and feminine.
IRMA: Is it possible to learn good taste?
CAROLIN SANGHA: Well, it’s possible to learn almost anything, except good taste. But you can train your view on things.
IRMA: How do you relax?
CAROLIN SANGHA: With yoga. I have been practice it for decades. It gives me strength and calmness.
IRMA: Your favorite color?
CAROLIN SANGHA: Pink in all its shades and bright coral red. As a child, I grew up in India – a country with an abundance of culture and color that soon stimulated my passion for colors.