Munich Startup: What motivated you to found SFAN?
Nadja Lechner: I worked in the fashion industry for several years and increasingly realized that the current system is neither sustainable nor fit for the future. There's too little progress in this industry, given the excessive mismanagement of resources and people. At our former employer, I learned that you can think smaller and more locally. Eventually, the desire for change outweighed the fear of self-employment. And over the years, the idea for SFAN was born.
Alexa Philipp: The thought of later with its own label Starting our own business was on our minds from the very beginning. However, the concept behind our label has evolved over the years and, especially through our experience in the industry, has become strongly influenced by sustainability and transparency. While the idea of becoming self-employed was sometimes intimidating, it presents us with new challenges every day. And it brings with it a wealth of new experiences and offers us the freedom to do things our own way.
Alexa Philipp 
Nadja Lechner
“New challenges, new experiences and freedom”
Munich Startup: How did you come up with the company name?
Alexa Philipp: Initially, "Space for a name" was just a placeholder. But the more we used it, the more fitting we found it. The name perfectly expresses our concept of transparency, as we want to bring the people behind a piece of clothing to the forefront and distance ourselves from anonymous mass production—in other words, create space for names.
Munich Startup: Did you have any role models when you started your business?
Nadja Lechner: A definite role model for me was Jeanne de Kroon, the founder of the label Zazi Vintage. She manages to tell stories and connect people with her clothes. Plus, her coats are simply beautiful!
Alexa Philipp: I'm also a big fan of Jeanne der Kroon. She manages to stay true to her concept and, above all, encourages you to look behind the scenes.
Question decisions?
Munich Startup: When and where do you get the best ideas?
Nadja Lechner: During our studies, this was probably always the time when we could actively take time to think – we often lack this time today, and we've learned to be creative under time pressure. Often – when each of us is engaged in a creative process – one of us has an idea and calls the other. Then we develop the idea further together. Currently, we often still talk on the phone – hopefully in the future, in our office.
Munich Startup: Your biggest weakness?
Alexa Philipp: Our greatest weakness as a team is that we often second-guess decisions we've already made. Especially when we compare ourselves to similar companies, we begin to doubt our decision and weigh the pros and cons again. In the end, we usually stick with the original decision, and we could have saved ourselves the time.
“Disagree with the norm”
Munich Startup: How do you deal with doubts?
Nadja Lechner: As mentioned, we sometimes have doubts about the right path for SFAN, as our business model doesn't conform to the norm in some respects. It's important to keep reminding ourselves why we founded SFAN—precisely because we don't agree with the norm. It's always helpful to explore the ideas of other founders to see the diversity of possibilities. But having two people also helps a lot. This way, you're not faced with decisions and problems alone.
Munich Startup: The three worst prejudices you encountered when starting a business?
Alexa Philipp: On the way to starting a business, everyone suddenly has an opinion about your concept and knows exactly how to set it up. We've often heard that we won't be successful if we focus on quality over quantity.
You also suddenly hear all sorts of advice about how to become big, really fast, really cheap. But we simply have a different intention. We founded the company because we stand behind our concept, not because we're hoping for a big career. Of course, we want to grow and develop. But in a way that we can support.
Designers are often dismissed with a smile, saying, "Oh, you just do something with fashion." However, most people aren't aware of how much passion and work really goes into creating a piece of clothing. It's precisely this knowledge that leads to greater appreciation and understanding.
SFAN: “Good time to enter the market”
Munich Startup: Does this seem like a good time to start a business? Why?
Nadja Lechner: We decided to found SFAN back in 2019: Back then, we weren't even thinking about the coronavirus pandemic and the slumping numbers in the fashion industry. We nevertheless founded the company during the coronavirus pandemic because we see this very situation as an opportunity. This pandemic has exposed some of the industry's shortcomings and forced consumers to rethink their thinking. We believe this is a good time to enter the market with sustainable ideas. Consumers are also eager to explore new avenues.
Munich Startup: Do you think it is important that more women start businesses in Germany?
Alexa Philipp: Absolutely! Every industry needs ideas from different perspectives to evolve. We can all only benefit if the market is shaped by more diverse business models. And that's where the Proportion of women This is of great importance. Not only to change the role model role for future generations, but also to eradicate prejudices and demonstrate different perspectives.
Role model for future generations
Munich Startup: What is at the top of your desk?
Nadja Lechner: Which desk? Right now, there's just a pile of fabric and a sewing machine! A few patterns are still lying around, along with ideas for new designs or projects. Our priority right now is finding collaboration partners and talking to people about SFAN. But I'm forced to do that from the couch.
Alexa Philipp: Since I'm the more chaotic of the two of us, you can probably imagine what my desk looks like. But right now, I spend most of my time at the sewing machine, designing new fabric prints for summer.
Munich Startup: What makes you happy?
Nadja Lechner: Definitely sunshine at the moment and the prospect of warm summer nights where lots of great women can wear our dresses.
Alexa Philipp: The great feedback we are currently receiving from all sides – that’s when we realize that all the hard work is paying off.
