It all began with a feeling. To be a woman, to be feminine, to be bold, to be me. In 1989, the dress code was either/or. Power suiting or mini skirt. In the context of standardized style rules, there seemed to be no room for the beauty of opposites. Or perhaps there was? This lack of room suddenly became the biggest stage for me.
As women, we really only want one thing: To be understood without saying a word. To express our facets instead of standardizing them. Our own style becomes the first violin in the orchestra of life. Instead of following a predetermined path, we love shortcuts and sometimes even detours. When there is no sunshine, we bring it with us; the "no" becomes the "especially then".
We are visionaries, mothers, travelers, partners, friends, givers, takers, inspirers and the inspired. Our lives are our stage, our facets the protagonists. And each of these leading roles deserves its very own recipe. Let's style her. Let's style ourselves. Let's style our lives.
Dorothee Schumacher was born in Dusseldorf and grew up in the German countryside. After initial work experience at an Italian knitwear manufacturer and several stays in France, she founded her own label in 1989 with a T-shirt collection. After just three years, Dorothee Schumacher extended her collections by adding knitwear, opening her first showroom in Dusseldorf in 1994, with showrooms in Paris and Milan soon to follow. At the same time, she successfully expanded to Italy.
In 1998, Dorothee Schumacher laid the foundation for her headquarters in the industrial port of Mannheim, transforming a former cardboard factory into a stunning two-story loft. Her collections now include ready-to-wear, footwear, and accessories for women. Today, the mother of four children and cosmopolite operates 8 independent stores and pop-ups in cities including Berlin, Munich and Dusseldorf, as well as Warsaw and Madrid. Dorothee Schumacher collections are sold in 46 countries worldwide through more than 600 doors, including boutiques and department stores, with online shipping to 49 countries.
In 2014, the designer personalized her label further, rebranding SCHUMACHER to DOROTHEE SCHUMACHER. Her son, Maximilian Singhoff stepped up to the role as second CEO in 2017. In 2019, the brand celebrated its 30th anniversary, with the U.S. as its second strongest market. The heightened presence in the U.S., with a dedicated showroom opening in New York City a year later, also marks an important milestone for the brand’s further internationalization. Today, Dorothee Schumacher’s team has grown to 200 employees from more than 16 countries.