Michael Michalsky

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Michael Michalsky (born 23 February 1967) is a German fashion designer. He started the Michalsky label and serves as its head designer. Since 2005 he has been the creative director of the luxury brand MCM. He also runs Michalsky DesignLab, a design agency for product and interior work. Today he is considered one of Germany’s most influential designers, and his StyleNite shows at Berlin Fashion Week attract global attention.

Early life and education
Michalsky was born in Göttingen and grew up in Meddewade near Bad Oldesloe. He finished Theodor Mommsen secondary school in 1987 and studied at the London College of Fashion until 1992. He has said that fashion matters less without an emotional base, inspired by work at a hospice early in his career.

Influences
Music is his main inspiration. He was influenced by 1980s London youth culture and Madonna. He also loves photography and architecture.

Career highlights
- Began as design manager at Levi’s Germany.
- From 1995 to 2006, he was Global Creative Director at Adidas, working with Yohji Yamamoto, Stella McCartney, and Missy Elliott, and he helped relaunch retro Adidas products.
- In 2005 Sungjoo asked him to revive MCM, and he has led their creative direction since.
- In 2007 he held his first fashion show at Berlin’s Rotes Rathaus. He presents Michalsky collections twice a year during Berlin Fashion Week and also designs sportswear for Kappa China since 2009.
- In 2010 he launched fragrances Michalsky for Men and Michalsky for Women, followed by Michalsky Urban Nomads in 2011.
- His eyewear line has been produced by Nigura Metzler since 2008. In 2012 he introduced METROPOLIS by MICHALSKY LIVING sofas with Polipol, and later expanded to wallpapers and carpets.
- In 2009 he founded Michalsky DesignLab, offering product and interior design services.
- In 2014 he appeared on America’s Next Top Model during a MCM shoot in Seoul.
- In 2021 RTL announced he would be a judge on Das Supertalent.

Style and philosophy
Michalsky sees himself as a lifestyle designer rather than just an artist. He wants to create clothes that appeal to a wide audience and promotes the idea of “Real Clothes for Real People.”

Today, his work spans fashion, accessories, sportswear, fragrances, eyewear, and living design, all under the Michalsky brand and its collaborations.