Bötschi asks Yannik Zamboni "Whenever I met Heidi Klum, I was shaking"

Swiss fashion designer Yannik Zamboni is internationally successful. A conversation about beauty, his relationship with Heidi Klum - and why the 37-year-old is looking for new investors for his fashion label.

Yannik Zamboni, I'm going to ask you as many questions as possible over the next 30 minutes. And please answer them as briefly and quickly as possible ...

Straight to the point. Bam! Zack!

If you don't like a question, you can also say "go on" once.

Let's do this.

Chaos or order?

I like order. That probably has something to do with my star sign. I'm a Virgo.

Vivienne West wood or Jean-Paul Gaultier?

I think they're both cool - if I really had to choose, I'd go for Vivienne Westwood.

About the author: Bruno Bötschi

blue News

blue News editor Bruno Bötschi regularly talks to well-known personalities from Switzerland and abroad for the question-and-answer game "Bötschi fragt". He asks them lots of questions - always direct, often funny and sometimes profound. It always remains open until the very last question as to where the fast-paced ping-pong will lead.

Love or money?

Love.

You are currently looking for money for your company. Is business with your fashion label Maison Blanche going so badly or why are you looking for new investors?

It's not going badly at all, but we have broken up with our financial backer and distribution partner Amazon. Fashion is a very money-intensive industry - and because we want to launch our new, independent collection next fall, we need money now.

Why did you part ways with Amazon?

There are various reasons - but mainly because we have different values. In the beginning, I found it an exciting challenge to be able to change something at Amazon with my values. Until I realized at some point that this idea was naive - and that some things can't be changed so quickly. But I want to make progress on issues such as sustainability, fair wages and biodegradable and vegan clothing. That would have become more and more of a problem with the new deal with Amazon and the large production volumes.

Is it really true that you will only make your fashion vegan, fair, sustainable and circular in future?

That is true.

You are looking for new investors via crowdinvesting: can you please explain briefly and concisely what that is?

While crowdfunding is a way of supporting a project without expecting anything in return, crowdinvesting is about raising capital, for example buying shares, and then earning a financial return. And depending on which package you invest in with us, you can also enjoy other benefits.

How much money do I need to have in my bank account to join you as an investor?

You can join us from 300 Swiss francs.

How long do I still have?

Crowdinvesting runs until July 10.

Fairly produced fashion has its price. Will only well-off people be able to afford clothes from Yannik Zamboni in future?

I always take my grandparents as an example. They belonged to the working class and were still dressed to the nines all year round, even though they didn't have tons of clothes in their wardrobe. They took all the more care of the clothes they had. And before they would have thrown away a broken item, they tried to repair it.

So your maxim is this: It's better to spend a little more on clothes and wear them for longer.

The value of an item of clothing increases if you have to pay a certain amount for it instead of having it thrown away for five francs.

Your favorite curse word?

God damn it.

Your favorite vegetable?

Spinach.

Your favorite animal?

I love the chickadee.

Your favorite place in Gelterkinden BL, where you grew up?

The swimming pool.

If a tourist were to get lost in Gelterkinden ...

... have fun (laughs)...

... what would you show them first?

In summer, I would show them the Badi.

And in winter?

I'd take him to the forest, because it's particularly quiet and idyllic then.

What else would you like to show me in your home canton of Baselland if we had a day to spare?

I think the Sissacherfluh is cute.

The Sissacherfluh, what is that?

It's a hill. We could sit up there in the meadows, chill out a bit and then put something on the barbecue.

Which hobby from your teenage years has survived?

Sport.

Were you a talented footballer?

Never (laughs).

But what?

Swimming, volleyball, tennis and jogging. I still enjoy doing all of these things today, just not as intensively as I used to.

What did your mother teach you about people?

People are not born bad, they are made that way.

What saying from your father still rings in your ears today?

Nothing comes from nothing.

Where do you find inspiration for your fashion?

I don't just want to be convincing in terms of design, I also want to make a socio-political difference. I am convinced that fashion can initiate change in society.

Would you like to create clothes for Nemo?

I would love to do that. I was already in contact with Nemo's sister, who was responsible for the styling, in the run-up to the Eurovision Song Contest. Nemo and I also wrote to each other. So what is not, can still be.

What three words would you use to describe your own style?

Different, non-conformist and very white.

I thought you would answer with: Less is more.

(Laughs) Definitely in the summer.

Last week you appeared in a naked dress at the final of Heidi Klum's TV show "Germany's Next Topmodel"...

It's true, my dress was very transparent.

What does nudity mean to you?

For me, nudity is above all not being dressed. That's why I don't understand why nudity is so sexualized in our society. Nobody needs to be ashamed of their nudity. I think it's nice when people show their bodies.

Do the orders at Maison Blanche skyrocket after your appearances on "GNTM"?

A TV appearance drives up the number of clicks on our website. However, we're currently busy creating the new collection, so there's nothing to buy at the moment. But I do certain things simply because I like Heidi Klum. It's often a give and take.

What was actually going on with Wolfgang Joop during the "GNTM" finale?

What do you mean?

After the final, the media reported that he seemed a bit absent.

The only thing I noticed during the show was that Wolfgang Joop is no longer the youngest. But he didn't behave any differently than people his age do.

You got to know Heidi Klum as a participant in the US fashion reality show "Making the Cut" 2022 on Amazon Prime. Was it love at first sight between you two?

I can only say what it was like for me. During the three months we were filming in Los Angeles, I was afraid and respectful of Heidi. Up until the last day of filming, I was always shaking when we met.

Why was that?

Somehow I already sensed that Heidi liked me. I knew she was a mommy - and mommies usually like me. But when we started filming, I didn't expect it to develop into a friendship.

How did you make it onto an American TV show as a Swiss national?

I had just run out of money again and was wondering how I was going to pay my rent for the next few months when I received a request from a casting agency. I thought to myself that if I took part in "Making the Cut", I wouldn't have to pay rent for three months, I could do some advertising for Maison Blanche and, in the best-case scenario, win a million US dollars for my company.

The best case scenario actually happened. How did you feel when Heidi Klum announced you as the winner?

It was a surreal moment. And then I started crying and almost couldn't stop because all the pressure was off me.

How much of the million is left today?

Nothing at all. We invested 800,000 US dollars alone in the next collection.

Are the Swiss more popular or unpopular abroad?

I think certain characteristics of ours, such as quality, precision and tidiness, are very popular abroad. However, some people also find us boring because many Swiss people work hard from Monday to Friday and only go out at the weekend.

What typical Swiss inferiority complex gets on your nerves?

I keep hearing people in this country say: "I don't have any money." I always ask then: Compared to what?

What has taking part in the TV show "Making The Cut" taught you?

To make quick decisions and to rely even more on intuition. And that very often the first thought is right and nothing better comes out of it. Just do it, don't just think about it.

If I became an investor in Maison Blanche, would you also create a one-off dress for me, like you did for Heidi Klum?

It's all a question of conditions ...

... and the size of my investment, right?

Certainly (laughs).

The new documentary series "Kaulitz&Kaulitz" starts on Netflix on June 25. It is known that Heidi Klum, who has been married to Tokio Hotel musician Tom Kaulitz since 2019, also appears in it. You can tell me now: Will you be in the documentary?

I'm sure you won't see me in the documentary, because otherwise I would have been filmed in hiding. I also make a very clear distinction between business and friendship in my relationship with Heidi. If I want something business-related from her, I go through her management. If I write a message to Heidi directly, it's a matter of friendship.

So you can't arrange an interview with Heidi Klum for me?

No - but you can find the email address of her management on her Instagram account.

What makes a person attractive?

Authenticity, honesty, a loving character and positive energy are important to me.

What is beauty?

Uhhmmm ... beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Could you be a little more specific?

A person who radiates from the inside out is particularly beautiful.

What do you think of cosmetic surgery?

I think everyone should do what they want with their body. I would only recommend never changing anything on your own body for someone else.

Is it true that only people with perfect figures can wear your clothes?

Absolutely not - we have the most diverse cast there probably is in the fashion industry. We show our clothes on people with prostheses or in wheelchairs as well as on corpulent people. We show our clothes on tall and short people, but also on black and white people.

How many hours a week do you spend in the fitness center?

Up to nine hours.

What tips do you have for people who want to look as fit as you?

To be honest, I don't just go to the gym for fitness and visual reasons, but also because my head needs a break. The gym is mental wellness for me.

Which part of your body is still strange to you today?

(Yannik makes funny movements with his head) The parts of my body that I can't see with my own eyes - the back of my head, neck and back.

How many tattoos do you have now?

I've stopped counting, but I think there must be over 30.

Which is the last tattoo you got and what is its meaning?

(Ponders for a long time) Oh God, I'm not sure, but it's probably the Walkman on the inside of my left forearm. I think a lot of Generation Z people don't know what a Walkman is anymore.

Do you occasionally ask yourself the question of meaning?

I would be lying if I said no. At the same time, I don't want to dwell on it for too long because I believe that there are things in life for which there is no answer - even if I sometimes find it difficult to accept this.

When was the last time you felt intimidated by the big, wide world?

Every day.

Is coexistence between women and men deteriorating or improving at the moment?

Maybe I'm being a bit too pessimistic, but I often have the feeling that a lot of things keep repeating themselves. Or why are hurtful jokes about queer people that were told back in 1970 still being told today?

Afraid of getting older?

No, everything has an end.

When was the last time you cried?

Last weekend.

When was the last time you had a laugh?

That wasn't long ago either. I'm a person who likes to bathe in emotions.

Do you ever get loud at work?

If I get loud, it's mainly because we're having fun together.

Finally, the talent test: please rate your talent now, dear Yannik, from zero points, no talent, to ten points, super talent: as a loser?

Nine points. But I had to learn that. I used to be a bad loser.

As a chef?

Nine points. I lived in Asia for two years. Since then, my friends keep inviting me over for dinner. So they ask me to cook Asian food for them at home (laughs).

Swiss of the year?

Five points. I haven't achieved that much in 2024 yet. But I don't want to put a crown on my head either.

Last question: you wanted to find Heidi Klum a vacation home in Zermatt - how far have you got with the planning?

Oh, that's really complicated. I get offers all the time, but I haven't found the right one yet.

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