ISSUE 18: Suzanne Stein Has Good Taste
There was a time—not that long ago—when hats were a requirement. You wore one to church, to work, to walk down the street. Hats weren’t a fashion statement; they were etiquette. A gesture of formality, of propriety. Then, something shifted. Somewhere around the cultural shakeup of the 1960s, the rules changed. Hats fell out of daily use. What remained was something rarer, more personal: not a social mandate, but an expression of individuality.
Which is what makes Suzanne Stein’s work at Suz Berlin so compelling.
Her handmade hats and accessories walk that shimmering line between form and function, wit and wearability. They're not afraid to play. To delight. To wink. Each piece feels like a standalone character: a little eccentric, a little chic, always unexpected. If you’ve ever put something on your head and suddenly felt like a better version of yourself, you’ll understand Suz’s magic.
There's an intentional looseness to her design language. You get the sense she’s more interested in the feeling a piece evokes than whether it aligns with trends or expectations. A beret, reimagined with a surrealist twist. A hood that feels like a hug. Sculptural headpieces that sit somewhere between fairy tale and editorial fashion shoot.
This is the kind of maximalism that makes sense—because it doesn’t take itself too seriously. In an age where fashion can feel like performance, Suz’s work invites you to dress like no one’s watching. Or if they are? To let them look.
GTW: What does good taste mean to you?
SS: To me, good taste begins with authenticity, the sense that something is true to itself. It is the freedom to bring together elements that, at first glance, seem to clash, yet through personality and intention, form a natural harmony. Good taste is also a quiet resistance to following trends for their own sake; it is the courage to see differently and to trust that vision. Above all, it is the ability to recognize quality, in the weight of a fabric, the honesty of craftsmanship, or the spark of an idea that gives an object or style its soul.
GTW: Who in your life do you think has the best taste?
SS: My two friends, Nina Werner, always effortlessly chic and Sandra Keil, owner of Garments Vintage in Berlin.
GTW: Is there a specific object in your home or studio that brings you daily joy?
SS: In my studio, it’s my countless wooden hat blocks. Each one tells a story, bearing its own patina. They are beautiful objects, even if one were never to make hats with them.
GTW: What’s the last thing you truly fell in love with—an artwork, an outfit, a space, a moment, a person?
SS: The song 'Alone' from the latest Cure album. In today's speedy world, writing a song that runs nearly seven minutes, with a three-and-a-half-minute intro, is a fantastic statement.
GTW: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone developing their own taste or creative identity?
SS: Move through the world with open eyes. Take in everything. Art, architecture, the people around you. Pause and ask yourself what moves you, and why it does.
GTW: What’s a reference point you always return to—an image, a place, a material, a song?
SS: Since I now only make hats from straw, it is probably the straw itself. I am constantly fascinated and challenged by this raw, pure material - wheat straw. And the task of translating it into something modern.
GTW: Has your idea of beauty or style changed over time?
SS: Yes, absolutely. It’s like with everything, you never really stand still. I don’t know if it has to do with getting older, but what I now find beautiful is quiet and calm, both in form and in material. It used to be different; the wilder, the better.
GTW: What’s something that shouldn’t work but you love anyway?
SS: The color combination of orange and pink.
GTW: Anything exciting coming up you'd like to share or promote?
SS: I’m very excited for the launch of my online shop at the end of September. Every hat will continue to be made to order, ensuring that each customer receives a unique piece, crafted specifically for them.
GTW: What's your ideal day off look like?
SS: I’m in my garden, stroking the cat, pulling weeds, and arranging flower bouquets. In the evening, there’s a meal outdoors with a good glass of wine. Perfect!
This week’s goodies: A joyride through the surreal, nostalgic, and whimsically wearable universe of Suz Berlin. Hats and accessories with attitude that channel equal parts 1930s cabaret and futuristic rave.
