From Fashion Design Student to Viral Star

A 23-year-old graduate from the AMD Academy of Fashion & Design in Hamburg is currently taking the online world by storm with 21 million views of his shark office outfit.

Hamburg (ots)

The 23-year-old student from Hamburg, Lennart Krause, showcased his fashion creations in July at the Neo.Fashion festival in Berlin. Since then, a video on Instagram showcasing his designs has been viewed over 21 million times. An interview about sudden fame and future plans:

Mr. Krause, your rise to being a viral star of the fashion world has fascinated many. Renowned fashion influencer Albert Ayal, aka @upnextdesigner, saw your designs at Berlin’s Neo.Fashion and immediately posted them as a Reel on Instagram. The talents that Albert Ayal introduces often dress superstars like Jennifer Lopez or Kylie Jenner a few weeks later. How did you feel when your shark office outfit suddenly went viral worldwide?

Lennart Krause: I was overwhelmed. In the first few hours, I was simply happy about the perception, both positive and negative. It showed me that my designs affected the viewers. Suddenly so many people approached me or sent me messages. The feedback incredibly supported me and reaffirmed me as an artist.

Who reached out to you?

Lennart Krause: Fans, stylists, photographers, a K-Pop group from Japan.

What did they want?

Lennart Krause: Most want to borrow my outfits for shoots. Unfortunately, I have to postpone them all because I am participating in two competitions where the designs should be submitted.

Your sudden fame must have opened many doors. What happened after Neo.Fashion?

Lennart Krause: First, I went to my family in Rotenburg. It grounded me, being the 23-year-old boy in my parents’ house again. At the same time, in the first days after the Instagram post, I gained significant reach. I previously had 1,000 followers, now it’s over 4,200. I am now known in the fashion world and am being heard. It deeply touched me that my topic resonates and is contemporary. It also motivates me to work even more provocatively.

What’s your theme?

Lennart Krause: With my shark business costume, I criticize capitalism, the two-class society, and parody the financial elite with it. I believe that fashion is a powerful way to address societal grievances. I want to use fashion as criticism and not just design beautiful clothes, but to stimulate thought. Anything else, in my opinion, has no relevance in the context of fashion and art.

How do you plan to use your newfound fame? Will we soon see gowns by you for stars on the red carpets, like Kylie Jenner and Co.?

Lennart Krause: No. Additionally, from autumn, I will study costume design at the HAW, the University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg. I hope to add even more expressive power to my designs and to distance myself from the idea that the fashion industry is always about profit.

How did your fashion design studies at the AMD Academy of Fashion & Design contribute to your success?

Lennart Krause: The support from the lecturers was fantastic. They encouraged me to realize my ideas and not to give up. That was extremely helpful for my success.

What advice would you give to young designers who dream of making a mark in the fashion world?

Lennart Krause: Critically reflect on your creative work and engage with society. Use your strengths purposefully for societal, social, and political issues; that should be above one’s own ego. Today’s fashion should convey criticism; I want to convey that to aspiring designers.