Approaching the cosy 200 year-old farmhouse nestled between trees in Wachtendonk, a tiny rural village in West Germany, one would never believe that this is a place where some of the most promising young avant-garde German fashion is being created. The designers Carsten and Lenka Rundholz live here with their school-aged sons, Luis and Liam, and their labrador Mocca. Since 1993, when they designed their first collection, Carsten and Lenka have sought to combine family life and fashion production under one roof. The couple enjoy a secluded life in the countryside, surrounded by trees, dairy farms and flower nurseries. They find the panoramic view of the flat landscape with its straight roads and regularly shaped fields soothing and inspiring at the same time. They insist it is no longer necessary to live in capital cities to create exciting fashion. Modern technology and frequent travel allow easy contact with the rest of the world and provide information about fashioin trends. Luckily, the fashion cities of Antwerp and Düsseldorf - where Rundholz have an elegant flagship store - are less than one hour's drive away.

Despite its secluded origins Rundholz fashion is international, customers all over the world appreciate the intellectual and innovative design. Production is spread over several countries, Germany and Italy deliver knitwear; jersey dresses come from Austria and fine Italian workshops deliver shoes and leather accessories. Japanese workshops provide dyeing and finishing processes. Although they keep a keen eye on international design trends, Carsten and Lenka Rundholz emphasize that they do not follow mainstream fashion. They create fashion for women who do not feel the pressure to conform to the latest fashions nor the need to ask anyone else for money or approval. Their customers are usually women over 35 years of age, who are self-confident and independent with the courage to experiment with unusual clothes. The designs are made for women who appreciate creative avant-garde but also demand comfortable clothes suitable for all situations. Carsten and Lenka were surprised to find that this type of woman exists all over the world, independent of national politics, culture or religion. In order to meet the interests of this special and rather individualistic clientele, their marketing strategy ignores the broad commercial fashion market and targets their customers' interest in art and design. For this reason Rundholz shows its collections twice a year in art galeries - at Espace Carole Brimaud, 118 rue Vieille du Temple, Paris - and at Pure Space, 601 West 26th Street, New York.

Rundholz clothing stands out for their sculptural quality, unconventional cut, whimsical details, unusual materials and unexpected sources of inspiration. Winter's jackets and long tailored frockcoats were pieced together from a variety of differently patterned fabrics joined by irregular and open seams. Fine merino sweaters are slashed and held together by transparent tulle. "We are not concerned with elegance in a traditional sense" says Carsten. He is searching for the bold and surprising.