INTERVIEW: Saskia Koerner Wild at Heart photographer

Beautiful Soul Saskia Koerner, is based in Bali. She ran an international clothing brand – MISFIT that spanned Cape Town, Germany and California. And has been involved in various photography projects, involving some of the most influential photographers in New York.
Saskia is warm and exudes a super feminine, yet punk rock kind of energy – which she carries around the world and into her photos. One of her recent projects is “Light Waves” – an exhibition at Deus gallery in Bali and Byron Bay Surf Festival in Australia. She was also the woman behind the Yak Magazine photoshoot with Circus De Soleil Artist Julia for Makara wear swimsuits.
In the middle of road trips between New Zealand and Byron Bay, we caught up with this powerhouse today and asked her a couple of questions.

Describe yourself in one sentence?

a) south african photographer surfer beach bum palm tree chaser.

b) stubborn with a good heart and a constant desire to explore further.

What’s your favorite sport?

Jungle boogie

What’s your favorite color?

Changes all the time. Black is a good solid throughout life, but the rest fluctuates. Always love dusty tones and deep indigo blues but yeah of course we all go through various color moments in life.

How long have you been surfing?

Yes :) I was pretty terrified of the ocean for a long time but I always wanted to surf. My dad surfs but we lived in different continents and I was terrified of waves. My determination got the better of me and I got a surf
lesson from legendary surfer and shaper Ian Armstrong in Cape Town. His one lesson gave me
the confidence to go practice was much as I could till I got the hang of it. Also all my guy friends
in Cape Town are surfers and once I moved past the beginner spot I could go with them and
they gave me so much ocean knowledge. Besides every time I visited my dad in Germany I
watched all the surf videos and read all the surf magazines from the 80’s through to the 2000’s
and listened to all of my dad’s old surfing stories from the late 60’s in Morocco and West Africa and South Africa in the 70’s.

Occupation?

Photographer

What keeps you busiest every day?

Computer shit, hence I love shooting analog.

We know you had a clothing label What was it called? What impacted you to move from the fashion business to photography?

I started with photography when I was 18, assisting and running production but didn’t have the
confidence to actually go shoot what I wanted to shoot. So I started customizing clothes and
experimenting with dye techniques and selling them on the markets in Cape Town and London.
I started my label Misfit which grew into three boutiques in Cape Town, Bali and Dusseldorf and
a pop up store in Byron Bay one season. Markets are my roots and taught me so much about
business and people. I enjoyed designing, producing my label as well as stocking many
amazing independent designers I met around the world. It was a magical time.
I moved to Bali in 2008 to produce Misfit from there and surf of course. In Bali my old
photography dreams came back and I started taking pictures again. It was a natural change for
me at the time. I still enjoy working with dye techniques and textiles. I also enjoy experimenting with the textiles and my images transferring them direct on to silk chiffon. and using threads in
my paper prints. Maybe I will start a collection again this year too:)

Only organic though and I have been playing with organic samples last year – its not easy and its not cheap but its
necessary. Recycle/Upcycle/Organic dyes/Organic fabric. Its not even a choice anymore I believe. We have to switch on all cylinders if we want any kind of future for younger generations.

 

 

 

What do you like about Makara bikinis?

I love the simplicity and classical design! I feel elegant in my one pieces from Makara wear. The soft high quality lycra is also pretty dreamy.

Which ones do you have?

I have the aqua EX-LIBRIS- so stylish and the black OPEN SCALE – love the shape around the bum and the back is amazing!

Whats the most important thing for you in a bikini?

Stylish design with functionality – sun protection / that it stays on in the surf.

 

 

 

 

Where would you travel to if you could go anywhere now?

Oh, thats never ending(Smiling)….. Peru, Morocco, Vanuatu, Senegal.

Where are you based?

Bali most of the time. At the moment in New Zealand.

Where were you born?

Cape Town

What would your perfect holiday look like?

Dust roads,empty perfect waves in a vegetarian country.

What would you say to girls who are scared to try new looks and styles?

Experiment and find your own style and if its not out there, make it.