Freelance Illustrator based in Munich Germany.

Steffi Bauer

My artworks combine fragile black lines with aquarelle color and always a hint of natural incidents. Amongst others, I use this as a basic technique. In the next step, I create patterns from my illustrations and continue to develop them into new unique material designs.

This special textile project arose in collaboration with Kvadrat and Vitra for their exclusive summer party this year.

 
Painting on 3,5 x 4,5m Kvadrat Cotton material was by  far the biggest scale I did so far. I had such a great time organizing the illustrations on the textile. All created with a brush and some textile paint. In the end  I think I captured the spirit of  this special summer party pretty well. For 

Vitra x Kvadrat Summer Party

 again. This time in a series of four events organized by the great 

, (Munich creative business week). I created four individual invitation designs, a big window illustration and finally a  special teatowel textile design for the four great events.


 
The beautiful food styling was made by my the great 

Reform Kitchen Party

The Roots Art Collection was created as part of my first solo exhibition since becoming a mother. The start into the new life was exciting but not easy, a pretty overwhelming time for me.  
At first it wasn't possible to work creatively; my head had to be reorganized, step by step i tried to free my head and create something simple but meaningful to me.

“Roots” was about reorganizing my worklife, about digging deep and finding new roots in terms of design and myself. The top priority was to rediscover the joy of creating. A great collaboration with Norbert,  

Roots Art Collection

Lisbon in May seems like a paradise for people from central europe, still shaken by winter, like me. While visiting the capital of Portugal, I had the impression that only few people are actually living in the city centre. The rest oft he people there were tourists.

Looking at the beautiful empty houses, a poster on the side of the street caught my attention. It was a hand drawn picture of a young man with glasses that said: "Oscar precisa duma casa em Lisboa." – "Oscar needs a home in Lisbon". I was shocked by the ambiguity of this beautiful city, and started to collect more logos, ornaments and drawings. This was the start of "Faces of Lisbon", a pattern design project about finding home. 

Faces of Lisbon 

This collaboration is all about flourishing. Featuring abstract floral illustrations on recycled-organic-cotton pieces by 

With the airbrushing technique, I added a flourish to the clothing, hoping everything that was involved in creating these pieces may remind you to flourish yourself.

 is a multidisciplinary label based in Zurich, Switzerland. Creating small collections of unique yet timeless pieces while encouraging emotional and physical awareness. Find all items here: 

Studio Ōsoi x Steffi Bauer 

„Tiachi“ is a mix of modern artwork with traditional material and manufacturing, blended into a versatile blanket.

It is the result of a collaboration with Michael Wiethaus and his illustration brand 

. We were aiming for a mix of modern illustration with our bavarian heritage and traditional, sustainable textile manufacturing. While Mixen illustrated beloved bavarian picnic items, I worked on the characteristics and technical production of the textile.

„Tiachi“ became a high-quality blanket that can be used in many ways - for a picnic, as a tablecloth, a nap blanket, or just a nice object on your couch. It is 100% organic cotton, organically dyed, and manufactured in Austria.

 to support us with a visual concept, together with photographer 

. For now, Stone figures are surrounding our „Tiachi“ but soon we hope the blanket will be out in the sun with you guys!

100% organic cotton, organically dyed, made in Austria.
Enjoy „Tiachi“ - it‘s bavarian for blanket!

Shop here: 

Tiachi - it's bavarian for blanket

My summer was marked by floating thoughts and a blurry vision. If you convert these feelings into fabric designs, it becomes a colorful mix of woven fabrics, screen printing, and hand-painted ornaments. Full of good vibes and interesting organic shapes, this collection is one of my favorites so far!

It contains a screen-printed organic cotton t-shirt that has been refined with hand-painted ornaments. 
A woven scarf made of 60% organic cotton and 40% wool, and two digitally printed silk bandanas, 100% silk.

The editorial photo shoot was a great collaboration between the amazing photographer Conny Mirbach and me. With Model 

Floral Blur Collection

The Palms pattern design was developed in collaboration with the German fashion brand 

. Inspired by the relaxed vibes of Italian camping atmosphere, the collection embodies a summery and laid-back attitude. 

The Palms pattern is made of several painted leaves, all very carefully arranged to form a nonchalant print design and material.

Palms Pattern Design

During an intense period in my life, I reflected my thoughts and emotions through my creative work. While working, I realized one of the most important things, especially during hard times, was a cozy home for me.

I started painting on old linen sheets and contemporaneously tried some linocuts on paper. These artworks layed the foundation for the design of the Cozy Home Bandana. Printed in London on 100% Cotton. Model: 

The colourful Cozy Home Bandana was shot by 

Cozy Home Bandana

﻿ and I worked out a print design for our collaboration. We decided to reconstruct a project that I created the year before, the 

I adapted the shapes and drawings of the bandana and transformed them into a black and white pattern design. The breakfast skirt and top where especially made for the editiorial we shot together with photographer 

. We also created a beautiful tableware collection. Discover more on 

Breakfast Print Design

 the beautiful project "Textiles in the kitchen" came to life. 

‚Textiles in the kitchen‘ is a design project that reflects the craft of cooking - on fabrics, creating the perfect bridge between 

. In the designs for our window installation, I tried to depict a working process that develops into a worked-out fabric pattern with each panel of fabric.

In addition, I designed 3 tablecloths for a great dinner in the evening after the workshop, based on the design of the window exhibition.

All fabric designs are hand painted and printed.
Have a look at my 

Our project started with an extensive textile design workshop in Kvadrat‘s Munich showroom. I tried to convey the art of building a pattern design and transforming it onto a tea towel by hand. Including many different printing techniques and showing the attendees how to use them creatively on the lovely Kvatrat fabrics.

It was important to me that the feeling of independent and experimental development of material, as in the workshop, is also visible in the installation.

Altogether the result is an artistic textile installation that is now displayed at 

Reform Cph Munich's showroom, Müllerstr. 42

. Drop by and enjoy Reform's beautiful kitchens combined with hand-painted designs on Kvadrat textiles.

Textiles in the kitchen w/ Reform x Kvadrat

, a jewellery designer based in Munich, was something we had been planning for quite a while. As friends we always inspire each other, so we thought it was time to combine our crafts.

Playing around with both our expertise and our love for bright colors, a combination of our different worlds arose. Graphic forms of tools used in the jewellery design process printed on silk and cotton scarfs and my signature floral drawings milled in plexiglass and edged in silver or gold. 

Finally, we planned our first exhibition together which is now due to Covid only online. The "mixed tools & bright colors" collection. A wonderfully interesting and playful bunch of very special jewelry and scarf designs, enjoy!

Mixed tools & bright colors

The mixed feelings collection combines upcycled materials with sustainable manufactured textiles. It was inspired by old textiles I found in the basement of a family member we lost last year. In times of struggle, we often find ourselves with mixed feelings.

The tragedy of a personal loss and the lack of outside impulses in a pandemic has made creative work harder for me temporarily. That is why I didn’t work out a concept for this project, I just went with my intuition and got lost in the process.  

Losing someone is also a process, it reveals what you had but also what you still have and value. I’m healthy, I have a great partner, family, and friend circle, and can continue my work through uncertain times.

 helped me to find the right cut for the old textiles and to give them a new life. With the assistance of 

, the editorial shooting was realized. I was happy to win Photographer 

 for the shooting. We spend a beautiful day together, something I also learned to value in a new way.

The Mixed Feelings Collection expresses the joy and connection that can come from loss and neglected objects and gave me the strength to be ready for the next struggle.

Mixed Feelings Collection

Getting together with Lena and Vera from Slō Stories was a real pleasure. Together we worked out the concept for a pattern design that is now the inner fabric of their new great product Rappu.

Rappu combines conscious design with functionality. Mission of the girls was it to make it fun and comfortable using your camera every day. Ideal for carrying on daily routines or when traveling - because it's lightweight and doesn't take up space.

The camera case is made of soft but sturdy natural textiles such as Tencel and rhubarb leather. 

 carefully sources all materials and produces locally in Berlin.

Rappu Pattern Design

The ability to recognize our own weaknesses as strengths is something most people struggle with. This project conveys a person’s inner conflicts through light floral illustrations of the buttercup, making real chaos look pretty beautiful!

Screenprinted in blue and olive on 100% cotton T-shirts and printed in two different colourways on 100% silk scarves, 55 x 55 cm.

Buttercup Print Collection

, I designed a series of scarves made of silk, cotton, and viscose. 

Individually painted and dyed by hand, the scarves not only create a perfect setting for the photoshoot but also encapsulate the particular style of Rue Nouvelle.
Model: 

Rue Nouvelle /Scarf Collection

 asked me to design bedding for their exhibition for 

, we tried to link the design to the act of sleeping.

Melilot is one of the many herbs which can assure a good night’s rest. Illustrated in wild, vibrant colours and printed extensively onto the textile, it doesn't look organic at first glance; something we hoped to achieve for this design.

Melilot Bedding Design

While dealing with the changes during the first months of Covid-19 lockdown in early 2020, the only way out for me was to get creative.

Working within my Capsule for weeks, which was not only the place where we live, but also my inner capsule, my thoughts, and my fears were challenging.

The result was a colorful silk Bandana, overflowing with what was around me: A shopping bag, because in the beginning, what else was there to do than get something to eat? A motive of still life, blooming and fading on a summer blanket and two t-shirt designs. The Out of Capsule Collection!

Capsules Collection

The Scarf Collection was inspired by our late summer trip to Reggio Emilia in September 2020. We visited an old balsamic vinegar manufactory and stayed in the beautiful, historic villa on-site.

It turned out, the sisters running the whole thing, are crazy about roses. So the garden was filled with several rose species, coming in all kinds of shapes and colors. In this inspiring surrounding, I naturally started drawing. Later I found out why our room was called „Gertrude Jekyll“, it is named after a special kind of rose, like all rooms. Also, Gertrude Jekyll was one of the first female garden designers. Yes, they really are crazy about roses.

We got lucky that our friends Amelie and Magnus recommended us to this truly unique place called 

 is a fashion photographer. The perfect combination to work together on this editorial shoot and remember the great times we each had.

The Rose Scarf Collection

The Red and Soil print collection combines simple ornaments with a very complex pattern design.

Together with Laura, the previous owner of Shop OKT I created a pattern, inspired by wild plants, Laura found growing in the woods. Stamped by hand on 100% recycled linen and handpainted on various ceramics, the entire collection was sold out immediately!

Red and Soil Print Design

The print design for the AW18/19 collection 'Kala Patthar' was inspired by the grassy plains of the Himalaya region and their inhabitants.

In collaboration with the Munich-based label A Kind of Guise, I created a pattern design consisting of dragons, clouds, and oriental flowers to express the story the brand wanted to tell that season.

Dragon Pattern Design

The idea of this hand painted textile design is to show the way of how our eyes work. In cooperation with the opticians 

 I worked out a concept, which was shown in our exhibition "Beam of Light" in March 2020.

The design of the fabric consists of elements that show the pupil, the retina, rays of light and plants as objects that reflect light. This textile is the main part of the exhibition, apart from it there are 3 different Riso prints.

Film and Photo: 

Beam of Light

The Flores Print is inspired by Indonesia's long-admired pattern and textile-making traditions. Dot by dot, each rooster on the shirt took shape and began to interact with another one on the fabric.

This design was developed in collaboration with the Munich-based fashion brand A Kind of Guise. For their 2019 Spring/Summer collection, the print design appears not only as a shirt for men but also as a beautiful floaty dress and blouse for women. 100% silk.

Next to the rooster textile design, we developed a stitching design that was carefully placed on two different shirts for the men's collection.

Black Rooster Collection

During an intense period in my life, I reflected my thoughts and emotions through my creative work. While working I realized one of the most important things, especially during hard times, was a cozy home for me.
When I found a bale of 40 year old linen in my grandparents basement, I decided to use it as a canvas to transform my mixed feelings into a cozy home collection. It felt so precious, that the only option was to carefully paint on it by hand.

Cozy Home Linen Collection

 Print Design is part of the new backpack brand 

. 
It is a collection of 6 different backpack designs created by several artists from around the globe. 

 Brand Agency put together this great project.

The aim was to give children and young adults inspiration to create their own backpacks or even to be a designer or artist.
With each designed backpack comes a pack of markers to keep on creating your very individual bag. 

All backpacks are sustainably produced and made of 100% recycled PET bottles. With every sold backpack a part will be donated to Kinder-Hospiz Sternenbrücke in Hamburg.

Late Summer Backpack

Everything in my grandmother's 120-year-old farmhouse bears memories. The ornaments, the shapes of plates, floors and furniture are now turned into new patterns, all screen printed on selected materials.

Her favorite colour, blue, is part of every newly created print. Each piece of clothing came with an individual paper bag including the story of Anne's item and the new pattern created out of it.
"Oldest Anne Blue" is a series of pattern designs which will be continued as long as Anne keeps telling me stories.

Oldest Anne Blue

 AW17/18 collection was inspired by the distinguished and dapper men of Japanese baseball.

Teaming up with the fashion brand, I designed a winter material with illustrations of carp. I combined aquarelle paintings with graphic elements in pastel colors, resulting in a big shoal of fish swimming around a pond, printed on a shirt.

Nagoya Carps Pattern Design

This collection is based on plain white pieces of clothing, self-designed and self-sewn. The items are made of synthetic tyvek material which created a paintable surface.

I asked the Verena to embrace color and try to draw whatever came to her mind concerning the clothes she was wearing. This is how the unique pattern design was created and completed the collection „Out of the Blue“. Model: 

Out of the Blue

I developed the Polychrome print design in collaboration with the German fashion brand 

. Inspired by the daily relaxed vibes of Italian camping atmosphere, the collection embodies a summery and laid-back attitude. This graphic pattern design has a very ornamental shape, featuring crisp colours and clean forms.

Polychrome Pattern Design

Inspired by many different daily morning breakfast rituals, the bandana features everything a good breakfast table needs. Illustrated by hand, carefully designed colour range.

Textile Design