Most of the world has been in lockdown for over a month now due to the COVID-19 crisis. A moment frozen in time, when people are faced with solitude, grief or anxiety and see their daily lives shift for the better or the worse. In this time of extreme uncertainty, we can also take the time to reflect, create and enjoy the passing of these strange elastic days. We thought it would be interesting to ask artists around the globe how their creative process has changed during the quarantine and if it has been an inspiring or rather daunting experience… with a quick snapshot of themselves in lockdown. We check in with the German designer Lutz Huelle who has been delivering playfully feminine collections under his namesake brand for more than six years. Mixing elements from streetwear, travel inspirations and timeless elegance, Lutz Huelle encompasses many different eras and cultures in his vision of fashion, always staying aware of current trends and connected to real life. Discover how he is spending his days lately.

How has your daily life changed since lockdown began?

At first it was very hard to understand what I was going to fill my day with. I panicked on waking up in the morning, not knowing what to do. After a few days and allowing for everything to slow down, I started to do all of the things that there never seems to be any time for: putting things in order, cleaning up old stuff, filing, re-arranging. I started taking time to do things instead of just always rushing, a very strange but ultimately calming experience.

Have you had to rethink the way you create?

I didn’t necessarily re-think my way of creating, more re-evaluating what I’d done recently. Looking at work, ideas, wondering what still makes sense and what might be less relevant now. My work is so closely linked to being with people, being alone all the time was like looking at it from the outside looking in.

Did you realize anything in particular during this time?

Above all, I realized that the world doesn’t stop when everything slows down… I mean it did stop in a certain way but we still just went on living. I honestly started to wonder if this way of trying to do more and more all the time is really so sane. I’ve always loved the hustle and bustle of fashion, and I thrive on a certain kind of stress, but suddenly not having all that stress – it didn’t make me unhappy. It just calmed me down, which turned out to be a wonderful state of mind, once I accepted it.

Do you feel more inspired or paralyzed by the lockdown?

Honestly, it paralyzed me at first, but once there was noting to do my mind started drifting in a very easy and ultimately quite inspiring manner. I started to think in very basic terms… and because I was only dressing in t-shirts and sweatpants, I started to think about those. Hence the T-shirt Tutorials on Instagram. Doing something nice out of nothing just seemed like a good thing to do, and perfect for the moment.

Have you started or returned to any activities that you do not normally have time to do?

I have read more in the last 4 weeks than in the last six months, and I’ve also been watching quite an extraordinary amount of television. Ozark was amazing and Unorthodox left me a sobbing mess… now we’ve become hooked on Homeland again. It’s nice to watch 3 episodes at night and not feel guilty about having to get up early the next day.

What do you think you’ll take away from this shutdown?

If there’s one thing that has become very clear it’s that nothing is as important as family and friends and spending time with each other. It’s important to care, to have empathy towards others, to believe in the good of people. Everything else will just fall into place anyway. I have to also say how grateful I am to live in a country that cares for its people and that I can trust to do everything to keep us all safe. That is not a given everywhere else in the world.

Are you worried?

Obviously I am worried… about my family, my friends, the situation that we will all find ourselves in once this is over. I’m also worried about the state of the world – this crisis has made it incredibly clear in what toxic times we live in and have lived for quite a while. It’s up to us now to make it work, to learn and make the best out of this situation. I’m sure we will!