Interview

16:33 minutes
Swiss German/Subtitles English

The Swiss textile designer Erich Biehle (1941) is a renowned fabric designer for fashion labels such as Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Ungaro and Dior. Between 1958 and 1962, he studied in Zurich at the Textile College and the School of Arts and Crafts, where he also attended color theory classes with Johannes Itten. Following his studies, he was offered a job at the renowned silk company Abraham. During a stay in the USA, he developed his own creative signature: a wax painting technique that he used for the majority of his designs. From the early 1970s, he took on commissions as an independent designer and consultant for fashion companies such as Givenchy and Bally.

He received his first commission for Yves Saint Laurent in 1967 for the now famous "Collection Africaine". For this, Erich Biehle combined floral shapes with bright colors and different types of fabric. He draws the lines and contours of his designs freehand. This stylistic element can be recognized throughout the entire creative process, from the first sketch to the drawing on tracing paper to the finished fabric.

A contribution from the exhibition "Design Studio: Processes".