Stephanie
Sonnleitner
I design and make things: shoes, garments, installations, experiences. Over a decade in footwear design and development at Fluevog, from moodboards and sketches to tech packs, factory visits, and production oversight across Portugal and Peru.
Alongside the studio work: climbing instructor at the Hive, and freelance model and movement consultant for Arc'teryx, bringing technical products to life through authentic movement and end-user insight.
Experience
Climbing Instructor / Coach
The Hive Climbing & Fitness · Aug 2024 – Present
- Teaching movement, endurance, and training for climbing within the gym environment for all levels
Freelance Model & Movement Consultant
Arc'teryx · Dec 2024 – Feb 2026
- Brought technical products to life through authentic movement and end-user insight
- Collaborated with Art Direction on positioning, styling, and how gear reads in action
- Applied product design and end-user knowledge to elevate authenticity across campaigns
Senior Designer & Development Manager
John Fluevog Shoes · 2013 – 2023
- Joined as an intern and grew into a leadership role spanning design and development management
- Managed factory relationships across Peru, Portugal, and trade shows in Milan and Paris
- Led and mentored the design team while overseeing the full product development pipeline
- Designed across footwear, accessories, hardware, sunglasses, socks, bags, and luggage
- Directed collaborations with Anna Sui, Zandra Rhodes, George Clinton, Viberg, Fellow Earthlings, and Streamline Luggage
Design & Development Assistant
Rosa Mosa Shoes · 2011 – 2012
- Pattern drawing and grading for women's footwear
- Factory liaison and prototype quality assurance
- Design-to-factory translation in a small, agile team
Arc'teryx Campaigns
Freelance Model & Movement Consultant
- Brought technical products to life through movement-informed modelling, ensuring every image reflected real-world performance and credibility
- Acted as a key collaborator with Art Direction, shaping how gear is positioned, worn, and understood in action
- Applied a deep understanding of product design and end-user needs to elevate authenticity across campaigns
- Worked fluidly across creative teams, including photographers and stylists, to deliver cohesive, high-standard visual storytelling
All images © Arc'teryx
Education & Background
MA Thesis: Fashion Design
Kunstuniversität Linz
Positioned at the intersection of performance and everyday wear, my MA thesis investigated functional clothing through a fashion lens. I developed bespoke knit structures, later deconstructed into reflective silkscreen prints and applied to technical, weather-resistant fabrics, resulting in clean, movement-oriented silhouettes.
Knit Experiments
With Veronika Persche & Kerstin Bennier
Material-led research into the deconstruction of traditional knit patterns, generating new, unexpected compositions. Evolved into a collaboration with Kerstin Bennier, translating knit structures into prints on felt: laptop cases, wearable pieces, and larger installations.
Haus-Rucker-Co Live Again
Lentos Art Museum · Costume Design & Production for Performance
Costume design and production for a live dance performance staged within a large-scale inflatable installation, based on Haus-Rucker-Co's 1970 work Live. Garments supported full range of movement while maintaining a strong visual connection to the exhibition's experimental aesthetic.
Video documentation available on request.
Twiggs: Textile Art Installation
Boutique BLUMA, Linz
The BLUMA façade transformed into a luminous silk display: narrow panels of varying length and width, overpainted with sketches and photographic studies of branches. Animated by the slightest air movement, individual panels were exchanged every three days, allowing the installation to continuously recompose itself.
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