Sophie Victoria Steffen - Hochschule Niederrhein

Raum für mich – Hochschule Niederrhein

Fashion Designer – Sophie Victoria Steffen was born in London and grew up between the United Kingdom and Germany. Her label name, Tory Ealing, combines her first name, Victoria—“Tory”—with the London borough of Ealing, which shaped her early childhood. 

The concept of weightlessness has been with her since childhood and continues to influence her creative work to this day.  The question of the future becomes an inner drive for her and the central starting point of her creative work. Between societal expectations and the desire for individual freedom, she seeks her own path. From this search emerges her bachelor’s collection “Raum für mich” (Space for Me). Influenced by science fiction, retrofuturism, and coming of age, her work explores emotional developmental processes. The focus is on identity, self-positioning, and the longing for a personal sanctuary. Her silhouettes oscillate between retreat and unfolding, between shell and departure. In this way, fashion becomes a space where change becomes visible and new visions of the future seem possible.  

“Raum für mich” explores the coming-of-age journey of Generation Z. 

The collection views outer space as a poetic space for reflection on inner developmental processes. 

Amid fears about the future, social pressure, and sensory overload, the question of one’s place in the world arises. How does one find stability when everything is in flux? 

Space becomes a metaphor for disorientation, retreat, self-discovery, and finding one’s place. Inspired by retrofuturism, the space-age look of the 1960s, and science fiction narratives, the collection unfolds as a journey across six silhouettes. Each look embodies an emotional state of growing up. Historical visions of the future meet present-day uncertainties and personal longings. The collective belief in progress embodied by the moon landing contrasts with today’s individualized visions of the future. From this tension emerges a collection that balances nostalgia, protection, and a sense of new beginnings. 

Circular designs, protective shells, and fragile structures define the design language. References to spacesuits and uniforms intertwine with personal memories. This creates a tension between function, imagination, and emotional self-identification. The choice of materials also reflects this concept: what others might consider scrap becomes a new beginning here. Secondhand shopping, increasingly an expression of consciousness and individuality for Generation Z, flows into the work. 

Existing resources from one’s own use are taken up and reinterpreted. Heirlooms play a special role in this and lend the designs biographical depth. Instead of constantly creating something new, the existing is valued, reimagined, and repositioned. 

 “Raum für mich” views fashion as a tool for self-discovery. The collection highlights that growing up is not a linear process. It is a multifaceted journey between uncertainty, change, self-discovery, and the search for one’s own place in the universe. 

Fotografin: Sophie Victoria Steffen, Tory Ealing 

Models: Kylie Wharton @1tzkyliee, Avril Acquaye @avril.aq, Lisa Pahlisch @lisa_pah