Dr. Paul Ettlinger: ‘For us, art is not just a hobby or an investment – it’s a passion that fills our everyday lives. Our south London home is filled with sculptures, paintings, and collages, including works by artists such as Sarah Lucas, Alvaro Barrington, Franz West, and Magali Reus.

‘My mother was an amateur artist, so we’ve always had lots of art at home. I grew up surrounded by paintings, sculptures, and art in general, which I enjoyed. It was an escape for me, especially considering my very academic background – I went to a highly academic school and pursued a rigorous education. Though I did win an art prize at school for a rather depressing linocut of steak, chips, and tomatoes!

‘As a child, art provided a different avenue, a form of respite. During my time at medical school, I started collecting modern British art. I had some works by artists such as John Hoyland and Elisabeth Frink. Over time, my taste evolved and I became more interested in more contemporary art. Today, art continues to allow me to explore and enjoy a different realm that’s entirely separate from my medical responsibilities.’

Raimund Berthold: ‘Art never deliberately or consciously influences my work as a fashion designer. I’ve always had art on the mood board, but I’ve never wanted to make a collection inspired by an artist. Architecture has had a more significant impact on my designs, particularly Brutalist and concrete structures. I love severe, bold forms, and these often set the vibe for the design team. While other designers might draw inspiration from color or patterns, for me it’s always been about structure and form.

‘In contrast to Paul, I grew up with very limited access to art. We always had books at home, thanks to my mother, who read a lot of art biographies, even though she wasn’t particularly interested in art herself. I’ve always been a very visual person. Perhaps that’s why I ended up in fashion. Before that, I got a degree in hotel management in Austria. Visual arts were always something I was drawn to, though I never really had access to them until I started traveling. Before moving to London, I spent some time in New York and Italy doing internships, where I visited numerous museums and became fascinated by Renaissance art – though now my true passion lies with contemporary art.

‘We have a lot of sculpture works at home. One reason for this is our flat mostly has glass walls, and sculptures complement this beautifully. We have pieces by Isa Genzken and Rebecca Warren, as well as two Franz West sculptures. We love the tactility of sculpture, the evocativeness of it, touching it, holding it, seeing it. We also love these qualities in some of the paintings we collect. Recent acquisitions include works by Paul McCarthy, Charline von Heyl, and Jacqueline Humphries.

« Je me décrirais comme un autodidacte en ce qui concerne mes choix artistiques et comme un enthousiaste à l’idée d’explorer de nouvelles directions, surtout lorsque ce que j’aime devient trop cher. Par exemple, lorsque les œuvres des street artists les plus important∙e∙s sont devenues inaccessibles, je me suis plongé dans la Pictures Generation, en particulier, les œuvres de Robert Longo, de Cindy Sherman et de Richard Prince, et les photographes du Japon comme Hiroshi Sugimoto, Nobuyoshi Araki, Ren Hang. Étant autrichien, j’ai une affinité particulière pour la riche histoire culturelle de mon pays et pour des artistes comme Birgit Jürgenssen, Maria Lassnig, Valie Export, Franz West, Gelitin, Christian Eisenberger, Angelika Loderer, Marina Faust et bien d’autres. »

‘We travel a lot, so it’s sometimes hard to stay updated on what’s happening in London. That’s where art fairs come in – they’re amazing for discovering new galleries, even London ones! You can spend the whole day wandering around and finding galleries you’ve never heard of. We also have a few galleries we’re loyal to because of the personal relationships we’ve built. We work closely with Carlos∕Ishikawa and Sadie Coles, which know us well. They help us by showing us works that fit our collection and introduce us to artists. It’s another reason we love contemporary art – you can’t have a drink with Caravaggio but you can with today’s artists, which adds to the enjoyment of collecting.

‘We are also dedicated to supporting the broader art community and are actively engaged in patronage. We are patrons at Chisenhale Gallery, we have supported exhibitions at institutions including the Tate and the Serpentine, and we are co-chairs of the British Council’s UK Circle. We even helped lend work for Sarah Lucas’s show at Tate.’

R.B.: ‘Art provides a balance by being something completely different. It is something we do together, a passion that we share, and it’s brought us closer. It’s been a great way to connect with each other and the world around us.’