2023-04-17 22:00:00
He is a founder, designer, brand ambassador and has his own fashion label. It’s called Urside Clothing, in short: ursideclo. The logo shows a bear’s head, which in turn is a reference to the brand name. The scientific name for bears in Latin is “Ursidae”; if you play with the English language, you can understand “urside” as “your side”, i.e. as your own style.
Do what you love
Paul Burkl is a qualified electrician. “I quickly realized that I wanted more than working from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” he says. When the “Salzburger Nachrichten” met him for an interview, he was wearing clothes from his own label from head to toe. The cap on his head is adorned by the black and white bear, the mint-colored sweater is from his collection, as are the beige trousers and the white socks (they also adorn the logo). How is it that an electrician becomes a tailor and designer?
“When I wanted to get out of the hamster wheel in my first job, I started sewing for myself. This gave rise to the idea that I could turn this hobby and my passion into my own business. No sooner said than done. Two years took his Preparations took a while. Then he sold the first ursideclo pieces. It was clear to him that he wanted to stand out from other labels in order to do his own thing. Nevertheless, he’s a guy who appreciates and uses networks. As a start-up his goal is to soon sell his fashion worldwide and to become a well-known brand, which is why he decided on the “Do what you love” program, a Euregio project that start-up scene expert Romy Sigl von Coworking Salzburg initiated. For a year, around 100 innovative and creative people meet to pursue their respective business ideas in workshops and network events. Some are just working on the idea, others are already further along, writing the business plan or developing their presence on the web and in the social networks like Instagram or Pinterest.
All beginnings are difficult
Burkl has come a long way with his business. A look at ursideclo’s Instagram account shows lifestyle fashion in the street style area. That means: long-sleeved T-shirts, jogging pants, sweaters and zippers, for example. And that for women and men.
The style is clean and no frills, tidy and modern. More than 1200 people follow him online and are enthusiastic about the collections. Nowadays nothing works without a hip online presence. The 22-year-old says he acquired his craft knowledge by visiting tailors and simply learning directly from them. After that he bought his first sewing machines and got started on a larger scale. Eventually he was financially successful enough to resign from his job as an electrician. “Of course, the switch was difficult at first and a guy who sews seems unusual to some. But as soon as people saw that what I do looks good, they changed their minds,” the Flachgauer remembers when he started. The message that is most important to him is that of freedom. “Everyone has the opportunity to find what fulfills him or her,” he says.
Handmade in Salzburg
So what does it mean to wear fashion that is “handmade in Salzburg”? “It’s absolutely homemade. Some think I’ll order the pieces, take off the label and stick mine on top,” he says, laughing. The opposite is the case. “I consciously oppose fast fashion, i.e. disposable fashion. And against the conditions under which it is manufactured.” His raw material is cotton, which he carefully selects. It is fairly picked and processed and certified. A small amount of elastane is included. An advantage: “Nothing warps when washed.” He makes the cuts with a grading master, inspiration comes from many corners. Paul Burkl doesn’t allow himself to be influenced by the pressure of constantly having to bring something new to the market. Instead of something new every month, he thinks in terms of the four seasons and produces for spring, summer, autumn and winter. That’s enough.
Conventional fashion is usually too cheap
Mirjam Smend is one who flies the flag for fair, sustainable fashion. The fashion journalist was recently a guest at the Salzburg Exhibition Center with her Greenstyle project. She knows only too well that clothing that has been produced with a clear conscience still fights against a lot of prejudice. Expensive, scratchy, with an eco look and hard to come by? Smith shakes his head. She has good counterarguments in hand and says on the subject of wearing comfort: “Materials such as viscose or Tencel and others not only feel pleasant on the skin – they are partly made in Austria and have not had long transport routes behind them.” Only when it comes to price, the woman from Munich cannot disagree. She says: “Of course, sustainable fashion is more expensive than fast fashion. That’s because everyone in the manufacturing process is paid fairly and ecological concepts are taken into account.” Water, often a scarce commodity in distant producing countries that is polluted by dyeing, is recycled and kept in circulation. Smend’s credo: “Fair fashion is not too expensive – conventional clothing is simply too cheap.”
She was recently a guest with numerous designers at the Salzburg Exhibition Center. A look into the hall shows that what innovative minds have designed here not only serves a good conscience. It also looks really stylish. Bright colors, modern, casual cuts and accessories that suit every situation, whether in business, during the day comfortably or dazzling when going out in the evening. She counters the prejudice that sustainable parts look “totally eco” with a smile: “How eco can something that has long been featured prominently in magazines such as ‘Vogue’ and ‘Elle’ look like?”
Paul Burkl was also present at the Greenstyle fair. Another network that he appreciates. The Henndorfer is still a one-man show, but that should change. That’s why he invests in highly professional photos when new collections come out. “One day I would like to be known worldwide. I outsource the ursideclo production from this house as much as possible, but not from Salzburg. Together with a top team I want to show the lifestyle and freedom that I have stood for from the beginning.”
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