Wolfgang Joop
Germany
Wolfgang Joop is a German fashion designer, born in Potsdam in 1944, who built the JOOP! brand and later founded the Wunderkind label. He matters as one of the best known German designers of the past four decades, with a career that spans ready-to-wear, licensing and couture.
| Born | 18 November 1944, Potsdam, Germany |
|---|---|
| Founded | JOOP! first collection 1982; Wunderkind 2003 |
| Founders | Wolfgang Joop (Wunderkind with Edwin Lemberg) |
| Segment | Luxury and designer houses |
| JOOP! sale | 95 per cent sold to the Wunsche group in 1998; full exit 2001 |
Who is Wolfgang Joop?
Wolfgang Joop was born on 18 November 1944 in Potsdam. He is among the most recognised German fashion designers and has worked under his own name, under the JOOP! lifestyle label and under the couture label Wunderkind.
History
Joop presented his first women's ready-to-wear collection in 1982. In 1984 he added an exclamation mark to his name, turning JOOP! into a lifestyle brand that licensed its name to other manufacturers. In 1998 he sold 95 per cent of the company to the Hamburg-based Wunsche group, stayed on as chief designer for a time and left the business fully in 2001.
In 2003 he founded Wunderkind with his partner Edwin Lemberg. The label positioned itself as high-end couture and showed in Potsdam, then at New York Fashion Week in September 2004. It moved to Paris in 2006 and opened boutiques in Berlin, London and Sylt. In January 2011 the label reportedly restructured and dismissed nearly all staff, and a Paris show planned for March 2011 was cancelled. After more than a year of inactivity, Wunderkind returned with a show in Potsdam on 10 May 2012 under a new general manager. According to German Wikipedia, Joop separated from the label in autumn 2017.
Later work
- Joop designed the wedding gown for Princess Sophie of Isenburg in 2011.
- In 2009 and again in 2012 he worked with the healthcare company medi on high-priced compression stockings.
- German Wikipedia reports that he was announced as creative director of the clothing company Van Laack in 2019 and designs the GALERIA 1879 collection for Galeria Kaufhof.
- He also sells editions of his fashion drawings as an artist.
Business model
The two phases of his career show two models. JOOP! grew through name licensing and was later sold to an outside group. Wunderkind relied on a small number of own boutiques and couture-level pricing, and it proved harder to sustain, as the 2011 restructuring shows.
Why it matters
Joop's career is a reference case for German designer branding: a lifestyle label built on licences, a sale of the company, and a second attempt at a couture house. His present commercial activities should be checked against current company sources.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Wunderkind?
Wunderkind was founded in 2003 by Wolfgang Joop and his partner Edwin Lemberg. German Wikipedia reports that Joop separated from the label in autumn 2017.
Does Wolfgang Joop still own JOOP!?
No. He sold 95 per cent of the JOOP! company to the Hamburg-based Wunsche group in 1998 and left the business fully in 2001.