TIDBTW Guest: Lilly Meuser, co-founder of NEU_ Casting
Meet the person who almost sold me a faux fur jacket last year and makes you wanna watch SATC all over again
Hello dear TIDBTW friends, how is everyone? I’m currently in London, watering through the city as it presents its most english attitude. But we’re not here for fun anyway – it’s wedding season and we are off for the second one this weekend whilst I’m also juggling being back to work. It’s truly brain bending, but I’m proud of us being among YES sayers in this season of our lives. And of course we love celebrating love and dressing up for our friends, I’m thinking about doing a little wedding guest special later on (don’t even get me started on becoming a bride relying on 5 new things only, I’ll probably fail you). But firstly, someone who also said yes is this weeks’ TIDBTW guest, Lilly Meuser, co-founder and producer at NEU_ Casting.
I’m often stunned by an outfit, but it’s rare that I obsess that much about an assembly of clothes as I have with Lilly’s outfit, first featured here in the debut post of this newsletter. The combination of fuzzy faux fur and popping red with wide white trousers and pointy shoes is still so effortless and brilliant, it almost brings tears to my eyes. I was equally moved when I saw the casting that Lilly and her partner at NEU_, Fiona, had gathered with my designer friends from RICHERT BEIL at their last BFW show.
Not only did I love the focus on more senior individuals, but you could really feel how everyone was proud and comfortable among this extraordinary group of people. My highlight runway moment. I was struck by their impressive work, Lilly’s kind and fun manner whenever I would walk into her at Voo store, plus eye watering style. Luckily I’m not the jealous type. Rather curious, I reached out to Lilly and asked her a few things about her favorite things.
So here’s the third guest edit, featuring not only a little home nostalgia for me (North Rhine-Westphalia always brings its own charm), we also hear a bit about the educational sartorial qualities of Sex and the City. Wish the ladies had rubbed off on me in a similar way. Enjoy this conversation and talk soon! xoxo
TIDBTW Guest: Lilly Meuser, co-founder of NEU_ Casting
Things I didn’t buy this week: How did you find your personal style and how would you describe it?
Lilly Meuser: I would describe my style very much as a gut feeling – the mood I wake up with very much destines the look of the day. However, that might obviously differ with the place I am at or people I am with. If I am in London, I might grab my Chopova Lowena top and baggy jeans…
whilst Marseille might rather scream for a uni linnen blouse and slouchy pants. The photo below was taken in Sardinia: the brand Anne Fontaine has a nostalgic value to me, as my mum used to take me to their stores back when I was a kid.. to buy blouses – they are (somewhat underrated) masters in tailoring!
I found this beautiful lace blouse at Sing Blackbird Vintage in Berlin and made it quickly one of my 2023 fav summer pieces – my mum is a big fan as well.
TIDBTW: Can you name your biggest inspiration?
LM: Patricia Field and my best friend. Sex and the City has shaped me from a VERY early age on, VERY early *mdr* ;) So early, that my mom was a little worried – but it mainly spiced up my interest in clothing and ways of combining archive with new things.
Everything worn in the series combines so many moods and individual phases of the characters – it somewhat always strucked me. My best friend got into dressing up through me, but has ever since outrocked me in her looks, taking inspiration from her chosen homes during the past few years – Brussels, Paris and Tunis. She always looks effortless, chic and SO cool.
TIDBTW: Do you have a work uniform?
LM: I used to, back in the day when I was working at Goodhood in London (luckily only a workwear jacket) and then a full uniform at KaDeWe, Valentino. I always felt like an 80s girl (mullet and dark eyeshadow) in a patisserie. We had to wear these studded cross-body bags, black pants and a huge white blouse, with balloon sleeves and a bow tied around our neck. It was hilarious!
TIDBTW: How does Berlin affect your style if at all?
LM: It used to, immensely, and in phases. In the beginning of my time in the city, I still wore lots of color, also a remembrance of my years in London. 10 months in, it was just around November, winter depression reached me and therewith the black phase. I also started listening to very nostalgic, rather dark music - the Durutti Column (still my favs), The Cure and Molchat Doma accompanying my days. Leather, mesh and mullet where the result.
Now, I can happily say, that I feel more grown up and the city encourages me to wear what I feel comfortable with, rather than making me wear what might be expected by those talking about the Berlin grunge.
TIDBTW: What do you pack when you visit your hometown?
LM: I come from the countryside of Düsseldorf. My parents live close to the forest, we have two dogs and a big garden, so I always take it as a city break to go home. I would pack my running gear, ideally Hoka shoes and Soar running kit, a pair of denim, jumper and the rest I sneak from my family’s closets.
I mostly come back to Berlin with more stuff, because I ‘might have forgotten to give back one or two pieces’ ;)
TIDBTW: How would you describe your relationship with buying (new) things?
LM: It has definitely changed lots with working in retail part time and actually ́being surrounded by nice things three times a week. Voo Store has very much pushed me into buying more new stuff, mainly in the beginning (mainly shoes) – however, I have lots of colleagues who only invest into new and good basics and I slowly started shifting into that! If it is something a little more outgoing or flashy, I would always check platforms such as Sellpy or Vestiare Collective! Also, I never buy new handbags – secondhand only.
THINGS YOU DIDN'T BUY - BUT THINK OF
TIDBTW: Are there some clothes in your past that you didn’t buy, but still think about?
LM: I do not have too many items to name here tbh. One that I am still looking to find somewhere (in a little cheaper), would be the invisible string top by Y/Project. I was waiting for it to go out of sale at Voo, so that I could get the full staff discount, but it sold out and left me deeply saddened. Another item might have been this pair of sandal heels that I found on a street market in Tunis. It was a 38, I usually wear a 40, so I left them behind. But every now and then I look at a photo I took of them and cry a little tear – they were BEAUTIFUL.
THINGS YOU BOUGHT AND WHY
TIDBTW: Can you name your highlight purchases of the last few years or ever?
LM: One of the more expensive things I bought was an Acne Faux-Fur Jacket. She has knitted cuffs and collar, sits a little bit like a bomber jacket and is otherwise covered in beige, brown fur.
In the beginning, I was not 100% conviced, due to the price. After having tried it several times at the Store and having been complimented by people passing by, I decided that this item must move in with me – I love her!
Another great purchase must have been my Our Legacy screenprinted denim, which I shortly got out of touch with again, after seeing so many people wearing them. I just rediscovered them now and have not laid them off for a week.
One of these pieces I would count to my elevated basics – will surely stay with me forever!
WISHLIST 2024
TIDBTW: Is there something on your wishlist for this year?
LM: At this moment, I do not have anything particular on my wishlist. I am looking to buy a great bag that fits my laptop – leather preferred. Haven’t found the model of my dreams yet. However, as I love buying what feels right to me, not particularly following trends, I am not urging to get anything specific any time soon.
TIDBTW: What is sustainability in terms of fashion to you?
LM: Three years ago, my friend Aida from London and I won some prize money for our sustainable market project Pillar 5 - The concept was meant to be highlighting brands of craftsmen/- women, working with sustainable and more ethical approaches. That is when I firstly thought more deeply about the meaning in connection to fashion, also as it seems to always come with the greenwashing downside. However, there is so much potential, talent and innovation out there – if consumers and brands would be less trend, efficiency and cost-saving oriented, it could be so much easier to implement environmentally saving production procedures, that would put fashion back into perspective.
To me, sustainability comes with the word transparency – I want to at least be able to know, where my clothes were made and how. Secondly, connected to my personal consumption, sustainability would mean conscious, reflected consumerism – Do I now need this item, or is it just an impulse? Could I buy the item from a different brand, that might have a better way of sourcing or a slower, more transparent way of producing the clothing? Could I find the piece vintage?
TIDBTW: Thank you for sharing! <3
Things I didn’t buy (last year): 1
ACNE furry faux jacket: 650,00 € sold ouuut