The Human Conversations series is about talking to interesting people doing interesting things – and sharing their stories with our community. We are living in a time, when the temptation to hand over our disparate thoughts to AI + ask for a neatly wrapped summary, is high. Stories of making, building, growing, sharing, teaching – I believe they remind us that our hands + minds have great power to incite connection, inspiration + joy. The messy middle is simply a part of creating something worth remembering, collecting + loving.
My first introduction to Very Good Looking Berlin + co-founders Eric Mirbach + Tina Tenkmann goes back to 2019 when I bought a copy of a magazine called Vegan Good Life. It was elevated, informative, inspiring – with none of the standard vegan visual tropes enlisted; it was a joy (and a relief) to discover. I bought a copy in London + then ordered 20 copies for Sans Beast, as surprise additions in our online orders.
As with all creative journeys, Eric + Tina’s has evolved over the years – particularly with the pivotal year that was 2020. We’ve had a few chats mostly in the virtual space, so now with the opportunity for a sit down in Berlin, I want to share more of what it means to be Very Good Looking Berlin, a purpose driven branding + design studio.
SB: Eric + Tina, I love that we can have this conversation IRL + not simply via the screen. Let’s start with how Very Good Looking Berlin came about – what’s the provenance story?
VGLB: We founded the studio in the middle of the pandemic, 6.5 years ago. Rough start, but guess what, a couple years of multi crises later we’re still here. When Tina and I decided to start Very Good Looking, we both had complimentary skill sets. She’s an amazing and very versatile designer, and I combine a varied background as photographer, editor, publisher, and brand strategist. Together with a small team of like minded creatives, we set out to help purpose-driven brands to look the part through quality design, branding, good websites and even better campaign work.
SB: In terms of the ‘why’ of a business - I often consider how to explain Sans Beast without using the words "vegan", "purpose" or "sustainable" – it’s a good challenge for me to work on. How do you approach it when it comes to explaining the VGLB ethos?
VGLB: For us, we quit our jobs to fully concentrate on creating aspiration for purpose-driven brands, but the real North Star for that is impact.
If it doesn’t move the needle in a meaningful way, is it really worth investing the little time we have in it? And with our work, that’s what we’re really aiming for: elevating the perception of brands and products that can make an actual difference for humans, animals, and the environment alike."
SB: Can you share your thoughts on running a purpose led brand + creative studio – is there any conflict, marrying the commercial imperatives with the ethical ones?
VGLB: Of course, all the time. We enjoy food and paying rent. Luckily, a good network and a knack for industries that are still impact-oriented, but come with a bit of a budget (ie. impact investing) has been a good combination for us to keep the lights on. Didn’t have to rebrand a slaughter house so far, knock on wood.
SB: What was the moment, personal or professional, that made you decide values had to be built into the business rather than added later?
VGLB: Well, we’re fans of good, strategic design work, but it feels hollow fast if it’s either not really solving a problem or downright harmful. As my LinkedIn profile says: I love good brands, but I also love the planet. I’ve spent the last 15 years to marry the two and in Tina I found the right partner in crime to make it happen.
SB: How do you make a message about values feel desirable rather than preachy?
VGLB: By being honest about what really drives human behavior. If you understand how desire works and arises, you can reverse-engineer it, and learn how to create it. Spoiler: If you make people feel horrible and link that feeling to your product, chances are they will not become superfans.
SB: Where do you think purpose-led brands (including vegan ones) get it wrong in how they communicate?
VGLB: Hanging their own intrinsic values higher than the real-life value they create in the consumer’s life. Values are great and all, and everybody loves to tell their friends they are a good person, but also, what’s in it for them? That’s where decisions are really made, and purpose-brands too often leave that whole spiel to their counterparts. Not good for business, not good for impact.
SB: How has Berlin shaped the way you work? Is there something about the city's creative culture that wouldn't exist anywhere else?
VGLB: Well, 10 years ago it had NYC-like energy without NYC-like rent. We’re in the process of losing that. But it’s all still there, in the nooks and crannies of this ugly-beautiful, torn-apart and grown-back-together city of contrasts. There definitely is an energy here that’s unlike anywhere else we’ve been.
SB: Vintage, secondhand + upcycled fashion in Berlin is world class IMO. Do you think conscious consumption, along with brilliant vegan food options, have always been part of Berlin culturally – and if so, why?
VGLB: Well, we’re not Berliners, and real Berliners would not accept us as such with only a decade here, so maybe we’re the wrong people to ask. Without a doubt, though, the city’s history and how rich it is in subcultural history of all sorts, it does seem like for a broader set of reasons, there’s a lot of DIY-culture baked into the city’s DNA for sure. A historian might be able to do a deep dive into that.
Quick Fire 5.
1. What's an unpopular opinion you hold about the vegan or sustainability movement?
That values alone can carry a brand.
2. One creative book that has inspired you?
Lately, the Tom Sachs Guide
3. Dream collaboration or client?
Burger King. We might fundamentally disagree with the business model, but their plant-based range in Germany is unmatched and it’s going to be tough to find something with more direct impact.
4. What would you tell a founder who wants to build a values-led brand but is scared it'll limit growth?
I understand. But no decision is also a decision. Are you the anvil or the hammer?
5. If Berlin wasn’t home – dream city to live in?
NYC.
You can discover more online at verygoodlooking.berlin and on IG @verygoodlooking.berlin