In the 10th century, the term haderlump referred to a torn piece of cloth. Back then it stood for people on the fringes of society – today it stands for a Berlin fashion label that weaves elegance and roughness together and makes craftsmanship, transparency and precise aesthetics the core of its identity. What once began as a deliberately small studio project has, in just a few years, become one of the most distinctive voices in Berlin fashion. Founded in early 2021 by Johann Ehrhardt and Julius Weissenborn, Haderlump has developed from a newcomer to an integral part of Berlin Fashion Week.
2025 marked the brand’s biggest chapter to date. With its first flagship store on Berlin’s Besselstrasse and a new investor, Haderlump set the course for growth and internationalization. But where is the journey going for the label, which just presented its latest collection at Berlin Fashion Week
‘Giving back to Berlin’
“Haderlump combines opposites – elegance and roughness, classic tailoring and contemporary clarity,” is how the founders describe their brand to FashionUnited. It is driven by the vision of “positioning Berlin fashion internationally” with a clear focus on craftsmanship, materiality and transparency. Sustainability is not an afterthought, but rather a structural component.
This attitude was also reflected in the new autumn/winter Varius collection, which was presented in the historic Wintergarten Varieté, one of Berlin’s defining cultural venues that combines entertainment, experimentation and history. Here Haderlump not only brought fashion to the catwalk, but also staged a kind of variety show with piano accompaniment. Velvet curtains framed the catwalk, while a centrally placed mirror reflected the splendor of the theater and multiplied the room’s ornate details as well as the passing models.
The collection was inspired by Marlene Dietrich, a Berlin icon who pushed boundaries and questioned conventions. Haderlump was based on the actress’s love of freedom and individuality, whose life and performances questioned norms. The collection translates this heritage into fashion. Between feminine dresses, elegant evening gowns and precisely cut trousers – once Dietrich’s expression of self-determination – Haderlump moves between classic tailoring and contemporary design language.
Not to be missed were the Marlene pants named after Dietrich, an iconic trouser shape with a high waist, wide legs and flowing draping, which has established itself as a classic silhouette, especially in Germany. The color palette remains in the familiar, restrained tones of gray, cream, brown and black, accentuated by reds and blue. Classic tailoring comes more to the fore, while avant-garde and rustic elements recede in favor of a more elegant, reduced form of expression. A new addition is the work with lace, combined with leather, denim and heavy wool, an interplay of softness and strength that underlines the brand’s central trademark.
“Berlin Fashion Week has grown with us – it is no longer just a space for experimentation, but a platform on which our ideas can be defined more clearly,” explains the Haderlump team. Each presentation offers the opportunity to deepen your own narrative, refine the design language and present the brand’s vision in a focused manner. “With the upcoming presentation we want to demonstrate how we can raise Haderlump’s aesthetic language to an international level,” said Haderlump before the current fashion show.
Berlin is much more than just a venue for fashion. The city’s energy flows into the staging of the collections, while the Fashion Week itself serves as a showcase to make the Berlin attitude and the brand’s aesthetic language internationally visible. Despite a look towards internationality, the German capital currently remains the heart of Haderlump.
New scope and possibilities
In 2025, the brand opened its flagship store on Besselstrasse, which is much more than just a sales room. “With the flagship store, we are creating a physical place where our brand can be experienced holistically. The space is less a sales area and more an expression of our attitude, our aesthetics and our values. We see it as an area to be inspired and to give back to Berlin.” This is where fashion meets experience. The store functions as an interface, meeting space and communication platform at the same time, but also presents the brand with logistical challenges.
All ready-to-wear products are made in the adjacent studio, so not every size or design is always available. “To counteract this, we want to create a new position that specifically takes care of production planning,” the brand told FashionUnited. “At the same time, we are considering possibly outsourcing certain product lines to external production facilities.” Every decision is consciously made in the spirit of the brand, sustainable, transparent and with self-selected materials.
At the same time, the investment by entrepreneur Marc Sasserath and his investment company Sasserath 1871 also opens up new scope for the brand. “It gives us the financial flexibility to invest specifically in quality and infrastructure, for example by purchasing a freehand leather machine for our leather goods. At the same time, we can strengthen internal structures and give more back to our team,” say the founders. Sasserath’s expertise and network, especially his access to the Berlin fashion scene, also supports Haderlump in strategic decisions, partnerships and the international positioning of the brand.
In terms of collections and production, the investment initially changed little. “We continue to rely on our proven processes and quality standards. Strategically, however, the investment opens up new opportunities for us, especially through our flagship store. This means we can now pursue a targeted market strategy that strengthens direct customer contact, expands the brand experience and expands our presence in Berlin and, in the long term, internationally.”
Expansion opportunities are coming into focus
Despite all the proximity and love for Berlin, the brand is focusing on international expansion opportunities. The main focus is currently on Europe in order to consolidate existing markets and deepen customer relationships. At the same time, the brand is growing in the USA, and the Asian market, particularly South Korea, is being tested via pop-up formats to check how Haderlump is perceived there as a holistic brand experience.
“Our creative DNA is the core of Haderlump – our signature, materiality and craftsmanship precision. We only want to expand internationally where our values and aesthetic understanding are valued, rather than adapting to market trends. We grow consciously, curated, selectively and with partners who share our vision, so that the brand remains genuine even across borders.”
In the long term, Haderlump has clear creative and business goals. “We are very satisfied with the business development so far: The brand is growing steadily and we see a continually increasing demand. In the next twelve to 24 months, our focus will be on consolidating and strengthening this development.” The focus is on the further development of the collections and ready-to-wear products that bear the brand’s signature, its materiality and craftsmanship precision. A particular focus is on small leather goods, which are already attracting great interest.
In addition, Haderlump would like to establish the flagship store as a central place for the brand, community and encounters. Here, customers should experience the brand, exchange ideas and actively contribute to its further development. In the long term, the brand also dreams of setting up its own production facility in Germany in order to keep craftsmanship, quality and the sustainable control of production processes even more in its own hands.
