The Neo.Fashion format, in which graduates of German universities and other up-and-coming designers present their collections, will not take place in January.
After the new format ‘Aspiring Designers’ was started in September, in which 26 national and international designers presented, the concept should now be promoted with the support of a competition by the Fashion Council Germany (FCG) and the Berlin Senate. However, the jury did not take the concept into account, which is why ‘Neo.Fashion presents Aspiring Designers’ will not return to Berlin Fashion Week in January 2023, the format announced on Monday.
“We had great hopes and also the expectations of an established format to be able to give young designers great visibility and presence at BFW again,” says Neo.Fashion. “Unfortunately, our concept was not considered by the jury. For this reason, it is with a heavy heart that we have to cancel the winter edition of Neo.Fashion.”
It is currently not known how the concept will continue.
Winner concepts
In a separate announcement on Monday, the fashion association FCG announced the winners of the concept competition for Berlin Fashion Week in January. A jury selected 29 prize winners from 85 applications, who could look forward to prize money of between 5,000 and 189,000 euros in the categories ‘Studio2Retail’, ‘Berlin Contemporary’ and larger ‘BFW Multiplier Formats’.
At the fashion shows and presentations ‘Berlin Contemporary’ the winners received Acceptence Letter Studio, Bobkova, Dennis Chuene, Esther Perbandt, Fassbender, Jean Gritsfeldt, Litkovska, LML Studio, Lou de Bétoly, Malaika Raiss, Namilia, Odeeh, Olivia Ballard, Rianna + Nina, Sia Arnika, Damur, Dzhus and SF1OG 25,000 euros each.
“With ‘Berlin Contemporary’ we have succeeded in creating a format that gives up-and-coming talents the opportunity to put their creativity, their craftsmanship and their innovative strength in the spotlight during Berlin Fashion Week,” said FCG CEO Scott Lipinski. “For me, the great popularity is confirmation that it is right to develop more programs that promote the individual strengths of newcomers.”
At the ‘Studio2Retail’ store and studio events, Anja Gockel, Impari,clothing Berlin, Susumu Ai and Wardrobe Affaire convinced the jury, each receiving 5,000 euros in funding.
In the ‘BFW multiplier formats’, Kilian Kerner, Marcel Ostertag, Danny Reinke and Rebekka Ruetz secured themselves with the collective project ‘W.E4 Fashion Day’, an exhibition and fashion show with sustainable brands curated by ‘Vorn – The Berlin Fashion Hub’ , the 202030 Summit, the Melagence Order Festival, the Berliner Salon, Studio 183 in collaboration with many Berlin actors with a platform on the topic of upcycling, a new show format ‘NeWEST’ and a multi-day festival of the diversity community in the record .Berlin the funding In this category there was prize money of up to 189,000 euros.
“I’m always surprised how much potential there is in the German fashion scene. We at the Fashion Council Germany see it as our task to prepare a stage for these talents and to support them in doing so,” said Christiane Arp, Chairwoman of the FCG. “We feel a new spirit of optimism – a new togetherness. We have to use this momentum to present fashion in and from Germany. Berlin is the right place for that.”