Berlin’s Friedrichstadtpalast has managed to stay on top when it comes to Germany’s big show stages, although they, and generally most cultural institutions here, have faced some hefty budget cuts in the recent months. 12% to be exact, which are 130 million Euros. Hefty indeed. After a successful costume-cooperation with Jean Paul Gaultier for the last Swarovski-supported grand show – Falling in Love – there’s a new appointment: Jeremy Scott. We’ve met him in the final stages of the preparations for the official premiere of Blinded by Delight. And took the chance to photograph him around the Friedrichstadtpalast in Berlin, Mitte.

ACHTUNG: How did this project with Swarovksi come to life? How did you get on board? 

Jeremy Scott: I’ve been working with Swarovski and using their crystals ever since probably the third collection I ever designed. They are very keen on collaborations in general, so I was happy to get the call for this project a little over a year ago.

A: How did you approach this project? Did you have a certain must-costume you wanted to execute? 

JS: No, there was nothing I wanted to elbow through. I was completely open to let the storyline of the show guide me. The costumes are there to highlight the story, not take away from it.

A: From where have you worked on this project? 

JS: I’ve been back and forth, luckily I don’t have to be at a certain location to design, you know it’s all from my head. In the final stages now of course, I’m more here since it’s a more hands-on process of fitting the actors and actresses.

A: Did Berlin inspire your designs?

JS: To be blunt: Not at all. There was no inspiration to pull, and that’s not me being shady. It was just about the show itself and the story line.

A: When you’re here, where do you go for dinner, where do you go out?

JS: As far as eating out goes, I’m vegan, so that’s basically where I go. Walking around the city is fun for me, I do it quite a lot. Not at night though, I don’t really go out. I’d rather be home watching something on my laptop to be honest.

A: Back to your project here with Swarovski in Berlin, what was the toughest obstacle working on the costumes for Blinded by Delight? 

JS: I wouldn’t call it an obstacle really, you know I’ve been doing this for quite some time now. And I’m not just talking about designing clothes and big collections, also costumes. See costume is different, as you always have to count in a lot of movement and stress on the garment. Madonna puts on crazy stage shows, so she needs to be able to move whilst still being cinched into her crazy looks. Björk needs as much lung capacity as possible. It’s all a bit different, designing costumes. But no obstacle.

A: Final question Jeremy, what’s your earliest, or your fondest Berlin memory?

JS: I remember it was 1999, I was driving from Paris to Berlin and upon arrival saw 20 or 30 – let’s call them – ladies of the night in the craziest outfits. Leather, straps, tight as ever and really working the street. They were not shy about what they were doing, they looked like they could beat us up, yelling with each other. The street truly felt like their home. You know in Paris they were more demure, negligé and suede pumps kind of a thing. I remember that very vividly.

A: Now is that your earliest, or fondest Berlin memory?

JS: Hahaha, let’s say both.