Tanja’s passion was inherited from her family: her grandmother was already a seamstress. Back then, during World War II, when resources were so scarce, her grandmother used to go to her customer’s houses and create wedding dresses out of curtains. Tanja’s mother is a tailor too; they always had a workshop at home. So it is not surprising that at the age of fourteen, Tanja started making the first clothes for herself out of sheets. “I had always wanted to tell stories. With colours and pattern schemes.” Tanja tells me and then goes on: “Dresses, leather bags, prints – these are the mainstays of my label and interestingly enough that hasn’t changed so far, although it has evolved of course.”
Socially-fair and sustainable
Right from the start, Tanja attached great importance to the values of social fairness and sustainability. Her prints are exclusively “kleinbasel by Tanja Klein Design”. Apart from a few metres of fabric put aside for made-to-measure pieces and alterations, every centimetre of cloth is utilised. Her clothes are manufactured in Europe and her exquisite, signature bags, well-known all over town, have been produced in the Ticino, Switzerland for 20 years now. She designs two collections a year in collaboration with her team of six people, sharing employment hours of 480%. She also offers ten garment designers in the second year of their apprenticeship at the Couture Atelier Basel the opportunity to produce their own limited series. Tanja stresses “I find this collaboration, which has now become a tradition, very important”, and then continues: “It is absolutely imperative that Switzerland’s textile landscape and handcraft skills are preserved! It is already so sad that the last weaving loom left in Switzerland had to close down.”
The challenges of the moment
“kleinbasel by Tanja Klein” is not housed in its official shop premises at the moment, but in a third of the space it usually occupies in the building next door. The structural restoration of the building that usually houses the business started in October 2020. This temporary move required a lot of energy and mainly patience. The temporary downsizing also meant changes to the store’s concept. Luckily the shop premises next door were available and the move back is planned for the turn of the year 2021/2022.
The team also had to come up with some new ideas because of the corona-related lockdowns. They used the time they had during the first lockdown to expand their online range. At the current count they already have 800 designs online. The digital upgrade is an ongoing work in progress and the transformation with brand new shopping concepts is planned for the end of the year. The limitations on finances caused by the lockdowns were also dealt with in a sustainable manner, for example, by using up fabrics they had in stock rather than buying in more
It is essential that Switzerland's textile industry and craftsmanship be preserved!
Sources of inspiration and the spirit of the times
Tanja is a very active, dynamic and liberally minded person. She loves art and culture and adores travelling. The impressions she gathers on her way are the inspiration for her collections. But she dives in deeper too. She is currently considering the question: “How is corona affecting us psychologically?” Its influence on her metier is very clear – the demand for supple materials. When you are in home-office you don’t need clothes for impressive appearances. So she expanded the choice of colours in her range of Jersey fabrics. The general mood at the moment is very clear: Not too tight! The whole situation people are living in at the moment is already so restrictive, they don’t want to restrict themselves even more in their private lives with their choice of clothes!
Tanja and her team do not get stuck. They evolve constantly. They are planning a new kind of shopping experience for the autumn which is also aligned with their digital transformation. The two hours before the normal opening time at 11 a.m. are going to be devoted to ‘personal shopping’. Preparations for the customer’s visit will be made on the basis of their digital profile, the aim being to offer them a shopping experience that is as stress-free and relaxed as possible. Factors which can cause frustration will be minimised and respect for the customer maximised. The aim is to make shopping a pleasurable experience, a bit like going for a relaxing beauty treatment.
So joyful anticipation is guaranteed for the second half of the year: there is the brand new autumn-winter collection, a brand new digital plus real-life shopping experience and above all a store in fresh new splendour!
Tanja, while we are at the source, of course we would like to know: what do you like wearing the most at the moment?
At the moment, long, breezy skirts but ones that you can easily ride a bike with. To go with them, either ankle boots or classy sandals with heels. Our “Alice” top, which is airy at the top but with a snugly-fitting wide waistband at the bottom is a perfect combination too. My favourite bag is the “Linea L.” – our timeless classic from the very beginning.
And what should every woman have in her wardrobe?
A pair of well-fitting culottes with long, wide legs. A couple of t-shirts or shirts and one or two dresses with an elegant matching belt. Then, not to forget, a small leather bag containing everything you need for an active life. And definitely a pair of high heels, some flat-heeled white sneakers and a pair of flat sandals or lace-ups.
Did you grow up in the city?
No, in Pratteln. I moved into town when I was eighteen, into the Neubad district. Later I lived in St. Johann and now I am at home in the Breite district.
What do you like best about Basel?
The Rhine of course! And that we have such a beautiful, awe inspiring historic centre. Our cultural diversity, the gastronomy and I love the Cult cinemas.
What are your personal hot-spots?
I like shopping at the city market and at the ‘Unternehmen Mitte’. Apart from that, I like supporting my immediate neighbours. For wine I go to Ullrich or Liechti and for decoration and other items to Hejkøh on the Spalenberg. I like eating at the Hotel Basel and at Ono, but I also like going out to eat in Kleinbasel at the Gatto Nero or Don Camillo. And then I love spending time at the Rhine and at the Rhybadhüsli (public bathhouse on the Rhine), which is just a couple of minutes’ walk from where I live now. I like the fact that Basel has such a lively city centre. Nonetheless: I think it is important to develop things in the other areas of the city as well, and there is still quite a lot needs doing in that regard.
Style-Conscious and Corporate Fashion
Tanja Klein completed a classical apprenticeship in tailoring, had practical work experience in Los Angeles and New York and then continued her training as a Fashion Designer HFP in Zurich, before launching her brand “kleinbasel” in 2001 with her first collection of clothes. Two years later she expanded her product range with a collection of bags made of the finest leather.
Her urban-oriented style appeals to women in two target groups: on the one hand, women leading very active lives who favour attractive, comfortable clothes, but who do not want to appear “overdressed”. The second target group is very clearly career women who are looking for presentable clothing. In 2016 Tanja added a men’s range to her collection as well: modular collections with perfectly cut basics in a variety of materials and colours. What many people don’t know is that “kleinbasel by Tanja Klein” also creates made-to-measure clothes.
Another regular feature of Tanja’s work is designing corporate fashion, i.e., clothing lines for teams and companies. She has already twice been awarded first prize for her creations.
