For Polar’s Fall 25 campaign, we spoke with Vienna-based artist and friend of the brand, Stefanie Moshammer, about her background, creative process, and the ideas that drive her work. Experienced across many disciplines and approaches to expressing art and its message, Stefanie often develops her projects from deeply personal thoughts, emotions, and life experiences. A letter she once wrote to her mother as a child, or an intense period she spent in Las Vegas – these moments have become the starting points for exhibitions, sculptures, books, and more.
We wanted to try something different—something outside the box. Collaborating with Stefanie felt like the perfect way to do so. Aware that this marks a departure from our usual output, we thought a quick chat with her would be the best place to start.
I originally studied fashion and textile design before moving into photography and fine art. Even though I stepped away from fashion, it has always stayed present in my work—especially through textures, surfaces, and objects. Over the years, I’ve also enjoyed working with fashion brands in collaborative ways.
I first met Pontus in Paris about five or six years ago. We spoke back then about possibly doing something together, but it never materialized. Since I knew many people skating for Polar, I was already familiar with the brand and its aesthetic. So when they approached me again last summer to create a campaign, I was excited.
I wanted to treat the garments almost like sculptures, giving them their own presence and choreography. Without a body, clothes lose their practical purpose, but they gain new possibilities—they can float, twist, and perform. In that way, I see a parallel to skateboarding: both involve playful interaction with the city and gravity.
All the installations were created around my studio in Vienna, in everyday locations. I liked the idea of the clothes “performing” in these settings, while still keeping a connection to street culture. It was definitely different compared to other fashion shoots: for example there was also a stylist. Normally they style a whole outfit and not just one piece. I was asking her, “Do you want to be credited as a stylist or how you want to be credited?“ Because she works as a stylist and I work with her quite often. She was like, “Yeah, maybe stylist or styling concept or creative assistance assist.“ So this campaign & shoot was a bit out of the comfort zone.
For personal work, the process is long and experimental. I combine photography with video and installation, often not knowing the final outcome until much later. With a commission, the timeline is shorter, so I need to plan ahead—sketching concepts, testing ideas in the studio, and making sure everything is achievable on location.
Of course, I knew the visuals would be quite different from previous Polar campaigns, which often lean into a coming-of-age aesthetic. But I think Polar’s audience is creative, open to new approaches and has a sense for art. It was important to find a balance: staying true to my own style while respecting the brand’s identity.
I also really value that Polar chose to collaborate with me as a woman. Skateboarding is still a very male-driven industry, and I think it’s healthy and refreshing when brands invite different voices and perspectives. It brings new angles and breaks with certain clichés.
Yes and no. The photos don’t explicitly show Vienna, but the locations are all around my studio. Vienna is a city where change happens slowly, and it carries a strong sense of history. Having been a monarchy for centuries, the city is still marked by its past—in its architecture and even in people’s behavior.
At the same time, Vienna is very livable: affordable compared to other European capitals, full of nature, surrounded by forests, and with the Danube running through it. Within 20 minutes you can bike from the city center into the woods, which is rare for a capital. I like this mix of old-world charm and comfort with pockets of modern culture and creativity.
Compared to metropolises like Paris, London, or New York, Vienna feels slower and less pressured. It’s not trying to be a global fashion hub, which gives it a more understated, even underrated, character. The fashion scene here is limited, but the art, music, and theatre worlds are very strong. For me, it’s the perfect base: calm enough to live and work, but still connected to a rich
cultural environment.
It’s often a mix of external surroundings and internal processes. Ideas can sit with me for a long time until the right moment or opportunity comes along. Sometimes an exhibition or commission creates the perfect frame for an idea I’ve been carrying. It’s less about a single spark and more about letting things evolve until they feel right.
Honestly, I didn’t plan it that way, but I think it’s a valuable perspective. I like the idea that the clothes exist without being tied to a male or female body, leaving space for people to interpret them freely.
