From January 16th to 21st, the Berlin Fashion Week was again the central meeting place for the national and international fashion and creative scene with 27 top-class shows, the leading trade fairs PREMIUM and SEEK, 30 innovative concepts for retailers and consumers, two conferences and numerous workshops on topic of sustainability as well as numerous side events.
Zeitgeist met high craftsmanship at Berlin Contemporary, the new format showcasing a selection of established fashion houses and emerging talent, capturing the city’s creative spirit. DER BERLINER SALON presented the highlights of German and Ukrainian design as a highlight of the Berlin Fashion Week. The relevant, trend-setting discourses on the sustainable and diverse future of fashion took place on the platforms 202030 – The Berlin Fashion Summit and PLATTE.Berlin. In total, more than 20,000 guests from Germany and abroad visited the Berlin Fashion Week events this season.
The German capital, whose fashion industry with a turnover of 4.6 billion euros and over 5,000 companies with around 30,000 employees is one of the most important economic sectors in the region, is already not only a location for sustainable fashion, but also a creative hub, where subculture and Zeitgeist meets a flourishing creative economy.
New formats and community spirit
The format The Newest set new accents in the KantGaragen. The new location, a unique building in the New Objectivity style, was the main venue for the Berlin Contemporary fashion shows and the BERLINER SALON. Not only were the highlights of German design presented here, but Ukrainian designers were also given a platform.
Among the 44 carefully curated exhibiting designers were established brands like Julia Leifert and Working Title, couture by Karen Jessen, creative hybrid concepts like The Twins, but also exciting accessory labels like Iranian-Canadian hat designer Maryam Keyhani, the jewelry label Sevar Studios or interior houses like New Tendency and Vaust Studio.
The four Berlin designers Rebekka Ruetz, Marcel Ostertag, Kilian Kerner and Danny Reinke set a sign of community with their format W.E4. Fashion. In just one day, they showed their four different collections one after the other in the Bolle Festsäle in Moabit.
Opening by Governing Mayor Giffey and Senator Schwarz
The Berlin Fashion Week was officially opened in the presence of around 600 invited guests by the Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey and Stephan Schwarz, Senator for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises together with the Fashion Council Germany and Hubert Burda Verlag.
“Our city is the most important creative location in Germany with international appeal and this is particularly reflected in the Berlin fashion industry. It is a magnet for young talent, fashion designers and designersinside from all over the world and source of inspiration for topics such as diversity, sustainability and new technologies. The Berlin Fashion Week has once again impressively demonstrated this and encouraged us to further develop it together as a showcase for the creativity and innovation that makes Berlin the fashion capital. I’m delighted that this year we’re not only showing formats like Berlin Contemporary and the Berliner Salon, but also designersfrom the Ukraine with shows or exhibition stands at the Fashion Week”, explains Senator Stephan Schwarz.
Numerous other receptions and dinners by the premium fashion fair, the FAZ and the Fashion Council together with Vogue offered ample opportunity for evening networking during Berlin Fashion Week.
Fashion shows with authentic zeitgeist
For four days, established designers and up-and-coming talents presented multifaceted collections on runways and in presentations throughout the city, which celebrated high craftsmanship as well as the city’s subcultures.
The runway debut of the Danish designer Sia Arnika in the historic Knorr business park marked the start with a slow fashion collection made of unusual materials and silhouettes, which brings traditional and contemporary elements into whimsically beautiful forms. This was followed by the highly acclaimed presentation of the label Acceptance Letter by designer Jakeyoung Sim, who was born in Seoul and trained in Antwerp, at Studio Chérie.
Other highlights included the presentation of the South African designer Dennis Chuene with a mix of sportswear and textile art in the KantGaragen, the upcycling collection of SF1OG by Rosa Marga Dahl in the Rotes Rathaus and the deconstructed couture creations of the LML Studio label by Lucas Meyer- Leclère in St. Mary’s Church. The queer, motorsport-inspired collaboration between Namilia and the iconic video game Need for Speed edition Unbound and the club couture of the American designer Olivia Ballard in the industrial MaHalla, which each combined club culture and underground culture in its own design language, also caused a stir. Movements of the city celebrated.
With Odeeh in the KantGaragen and Rianna+Nina in the Regent Hotel, established German fashion houses presented elegant, feminine collections at Berlin Fashion Week. In the art library, Esther Perbandt not only celebrated her collection in a hybrid performance with holograms, but also the inclusion of her designs in the collection of the Kunstgewerbemuseum.
The VORN Fashion Show presented the best of international sustainable fashion in the KantGaragen. 49 looks for the visual trend themes of the season were put together from around 100 designers and brands. Marc Cain presented his designs for the new season in the spectacular terminal of the historic Tempelhof Airport, and MALAIKARAISS presented evening and wedding wear in the design gallery Nella Beljan.
A sign of solidarity
Also with this edition of Fashion Week the German capital offered Ukrainian designersa platform on the inside: the versatile concept collection by DZHUS and the sophisticated, minimalist designs by Bobkova were shown in the KantGaragen. Litkovska presented conceptual tailoring creations in the renowned Feuerle Collection, while Jean Gritsfeldt presented his disruptively elegant designs in the Altes Kraftwerk in Oberschöneweide. All four designersinside pay homage to their homeland in their own way.
In addition, the presence of 16 other Ukrainian labels at the PREMIUM and SEEK trade fairs was funded by the Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Enterprises.
Convincing concepts for trade visitors and end consumers
New and proven retail concepts for trade visitors and end consumersinside were also important components of the Berlin Fashion Week this season. The Melagance Order Festival, for example, celebrated its premiere in Berlin with a curated showroom for trade visitors, while Studio2Retail offered end consumersinside with showrooms, pop-ups and digital events. Among other things, William Fan showed in the Alhambra, Susumu Ai invited to an exchange together with Women in Fashion and Ward’Robe Affaire offered a fashion week rental flat rate.
The PREMIUM fashion fair celebrated its 20th anniversary this season with a party at the Hotel Telegraphenamt. Since it was founded, the Premium Group has established itself as a constant in the order calendar for trade visitors and journalists and has expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of the streetwear trade fair SEEK. With over 500 participating brands, both fairs are among the largest platforms for contemporary fashion in Europe.
Discourse hub for sustainability and inclusion
Beyond the trade fairs, the Premium Group shapes the discourse on pressing issues in the fashion industry with its various formats: while Fashiontech explores technological innovations, THE CONSCIOUS CLUB is dedicated to the topic of sustainability.
Sustainability remains the focus of 202030 – The Berlin Fashion Summit. With speakers from institutions such as Condé Nast, Asket and Sustainabelle, the summit addressed ecological challenges in the fashion industry and possible solutions. Meanwhile, Studio 183 presented solutions for circular fashion with The Future of Upcycling Fashion in a Digital Age.
PLATTE.Berlin, on the other hand, dedicated a festival and sometimes controversially discussed interventions and presentations to the topics of diversity, inclusion and justice in the fashion industry.
The next Berlin Fashion Week will take place from July 10th to 14th, 2023 together with the fashion fairs of the Premium Group. Read more about Berlin Fashion Week here.