Forget Jil Sander and Wolfgang Joop – the most successful German designer is Philipp Plein.

Hard to believe, but true: it all started with a dog bed and led to the first million in the bank and, ultimately, the way into the luxury industry … Even from Philipp Plein’s first entry into the fashion world, his trademark has been the iconic sparkling skull.

Today, Philipp Plein is still regarded as the enfant terrible in the industry, not adhering to current rules but creating new standards. But how did the autodidact make it to the top of fashion Olympus? How did he grow up? Why is family so important to him? And what is his recipe for success? This intimate portrait tells the story, answering these questions and many more.

“Learning by doing has made me who I am today, I have always had to teach myself everything from the beginning. There was no one who took my hand and showed me how to do it. I made a lot of mistakes, of course, but I always try to do a little more right than wrong, and that has always helped me.”Philipp Plein

Tobias Bayer works in Milan as a fashion and luxury correspondent for TextilWirtschaft, the most important German trade magazine for the clothing industry. After studying business administration at the University of St. Gallen, he reported on the international financial markets for the Financial Times Deutschland from Frankfurt, Zurich and New York. Bayer has lived and worked in Italy’s fashion capital for ten years.

Also available as an eBook.

About PHILIPP PLEIN  

German designer Philipp Plein founded his namesake luxury fashion brand 25 years ago and grew it since into one of the largest and most prestigious independent fashion and luxury brands in the world. Based in Lugano Switzerland and totally self-financed and debt free, the PHILIPP PLEIN Group employs over 700 women and men and it also owns, operates and develops the Billionaire and Plein Sports brands. Distinguished by an unconventional and non-conformist style combined with impeccable craftsmanship, the products of the PHILIPP PLEIN Group are available in prestigious boutiques and department stores across the globe and in over 110 mono-brand stores worldwide including flagships in Milan, Paris, Barcelona, Berlin, Dubai, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Shanghai and Singapore.