Beginning on the 31st of January, positioned directly after the prestigious Haute Couture Paris shows for the first time, Berlin Fashion Week (BFW) proved itself to be a glowing example of what prioritised sustainability, freedom infused creativity, and courageous artistic vision can manifest. And owing to its successful swirl of creative exchange, Berlin’s fashion week has reached a new level of luminosity—with Carlo Capasa (CNMI), Pascal Morand (FHCM), Loic Prigent, and Roy Mukuva (SSense) among the 30,000 guests.

BFW, under the Berlin Senate and Fashion Council (FCG), turned the German capital into an international hotbed of inclusive, innovative, and diverse ingenuity; it featured 35 shows, including the first FCG/Vogue Fashion Fund winner and Berlin Contemporary prize winners, the 10th Berliner Salon, the Studio2Retail initiative, the Metamorphosis Talk series, and the Seek Tradeshow.

The momentous pace of evolution and magnified level of attention means the city-wide four day programme, including the third edition of Mumi Haiati’s INTERVENTION, has arrived on a global scale. Haiati’s agency Reference Studios, based in Berlin, Milan, and Paris—three cities he believes ‘complement each other’—uses ‘architecture in a new context [to set] the framework for [their] designers.’ This time held at historic Kant-Garagen, INTERVENTION showcased collections linked by their label’s ‘ingenuity, creativity, and global potential.’ And although visibility for the chosen designers is a talking point, he says ‘we also want to fulfil an economic purpose for brand building with longevity.’ Later this year, Reference Festival will again return, the first one having been in Berlin and now for the first time in Paris, ushering in increased international attention for the designers here.

For the Berlin-based brand Richert Beil, ‘Berlin Fashion Week is more than just a show, it is a creative exchange, a space for new ideas and statements.’ It’s also ‘an opportunity to strengthen the international perception of Berlin as a fashion capital and to set new impulses for the industry.’ In speaking with some of the most powerful designers of BFW and attesting to the resonance of their AW25 collections, we too see proof of the city’s expanded reach, rich with innovative possibility.

GLISTENING

KASIA KUCHARSKA

Having studied at the prestigious Berlin University of the Arts (UdK) and introducing her brand to the city in 2021, Kasia Kucharska has accelerated from pandemic-era digital launch to Germany’s first Vogue Fashion Fund winner.

Very grateful to be in Berlin, a place of ‘potential,’ and having ‘a great support system’ here, she says winning the Vogue Fashion Fund not only gave them the momentum to do their first show, but she had ‘great and inspiring exchange[s] with the judges who now are also [her] mentors.’

Her label is printing—not stitching—stunning pieces with sustainability in mind, translating ‘old manufacturing techniques and traditional crafts…into the here and now.’ The use of latex to achieve such feats and shapes stands up to the show’s promise of giving us ‘something seen as well as unseen.’ And as these new modes of making graced the INTERVENTION runway showcasing the new collection, her drive to create from the intersection of technology and tradition put forth an escapist treatise of ‘what it means to be conﬁdent and sexy today.’

LUEDER

After the stunning theatricality of her SS25 Rubedo runway, Marie Lueder just had her label’s third show with INTERVENTION and BFW, telling us how this collaboration was her ‘best experience.’Expressing her love for working with Haiati’s team and her gratitude for the overall depth of support and professionalism, she added: ‘They understand my vision so it’s truly great.’

Marie says of her home, London, ‘[it’s] the place which inspires me the most and it’s a very different experience,’ whereas ‘Berlin is very creative, but that’s something I want to challenge.’ Noting how London is ‘very prestigious,’ she developed another collection to show there after her poetic BFW SS25 performance, thereby highlighting the interplay between these places on her craft.

Having just come from showing her AW25 The Shell collection to buyers in Paris when she arrived at BFW, it’s described as a ‘neo-romantic and dystopian vision that explores themes of voyeurism, surveillance, and self-expression,’ and ‘inspired by the notion of “friendly stalking.”’ Lueder showcased sustainably crafted fake fur amongst ‘camp aesthetics, deep emotions, and the romanticised support of arts and craftsmanship.’

GMBH

For AW25, GmBh returned to their hometown for their second time at BFW. If last season’s return was about resistance, this season the duo says ‘we instead went inwards, looking at our own work…to find comfort in past ideas—from a time when the world might have seemed less threatening.’

And in this search ‘to find one’s centre in destabilising times’ the collection is named after a poem: ‘From Another Reality,’ written by one of Norway’s eminent modernist poets, Gunvro Hofmo (1921-1995). ‘The poem suggests we live in parallel worlds: we see the same things, and yet we do not perceive them the same.’ And while elucidating further on existentialist verse might seem mournful, Benjamin Huseby and Serhat Işık also probed it for ‘grace, dignity, and elegance, and how these qualities can be expressed through tailoring and craft.’

For in the end, they say, ‘craft…is something deeply human.’ Tethering their collection to the ‘couture salons of bygone days’ with their muslin draped staging, this collection’s assemblage of faux fur, sheer silk organza, and classic lines all moved us, while the intermission’s moment of silence for reflection brought us closer to our centres.

SIA ARNIKA

A regular since January 2023, Danish designer Sia Arnika already has celebrity support from the likes of Charli XCX and a collaboration with Kylie Jenner and supermodel Emilia Gray. Sia says she celebrated this door opening as a ‘huge boost,’ taking this credibility and increased visibility as further impetus to stay true to her vision. ‘Staying authentic and following my gut—so my collections naturally become personal stories’ is what she says works for her.

Prior to AW25’s Harbor Bitch she told us, ‘This is the most at peace I’ve ever felt before a show.’ And when the soundtrack switched from reality stricken industrial alarms to celestial lyric, the audience witnessed meticulous curves, soft short puffs of plaid, and boldly hued silhouettes.

These Harbor Bitch looks—complete with stunning new takes on Denmark’s traditional work clog—hit her show’s wet concrete. She explained to us that this collection ‘is about a woman from my island, a factory worker [who’s] fierce, intimidating, and a little fascinating...the bitch that rules the town.’ And rule the town she did, as longtime collaborator and show director, Tim Heyduck worked with Sia to create an even bigger unveiling than before. For them ‘creat[ing] an experience’ for the physical audience which can translate the universe they’ve revealed beyond the runway points to their penchant for narrative. She added: ‘That kind of storytelling leaves a lasting impact and helps carry the brand forward.’

LOU DE BÈTOLY

Berlin-based, French designer Lou de Bètoly is a cornerstone of BFW—where she shows her label’s runway only once a year, with an exhibition in between. She believes the ability to have fashion shows in various locations throughout the city, coupled with the immense support fashion designers receive from the Berlin Senate and FCG, is ‘great for the city to promote creativity.’

Lou says, ‘present[ing] in the context of a fashion show...giv[es] the opportunity to create a special moment in your own language.’ And with her telltale language of artisanal craft, transformed luxury, and innovative precision, the brand’s AW25 collection, set in the historic Spiegelsaal at Clärchens Ballhaus, set out to create ‘a provocative yet light-hearted dialogue with haute couture traditions.’

She started in April of last year, ‘collecting material, developing textiles, knitting, crocheting, embroidering, pleating, draping [and] stitching,’ with all pieces originating from pre-owned sources—which culminated in a boundary pushing, humor-hinting show.

GOLDEN

SF1OG

SF1OG brought their AW25 collection to life in the iconic setting of Halle am Berghain, an apropos site for their culturally infused reinterpretation of the concept of the uniform. Applauding the FCG, they say: ‘It really feels like the nurturing landscape for small creative brands is paying off here,’ and with the concomitant increase in international visibility they feel they have ‘space to grow and evolve,’ presenting in Berlin and tending to wholesale business in Paris showrooms.

Finding a balance between their ‘more intricate craftsmanship focused work and the commercial items while still creating a well rounded collection’ that told a story has been a focal point this past year. Inspired by their ‘own personal memories and…the music scenes that shaped’ them, this exploration’s emphasis was on the late 2000s, featuring empowering textures and modern takes on historical contexts.

‘Beyond their traditional military context,’ they say ‘uniforms have a dual nature—they can foster unity but also create exclusion.’ And with this intriguing basis as a backdrop, transformative ‘symbols of individuality and identity’ once again rose in the subcultural tradition of uniform reclamation.

MARKE

Looking back on how much happened in 2024, MARKE designer Mario Keine recalls with delight that it brought him two shows in Berlin, two showrooms in Paris, and opportunities at Pitti Uomo and Copenhagen Fashion Week, notably for Julian Daynov’s NEUDEUTSCH showcase of new-wave German designers—incomparable achievements on a personal level owing to passion as his driving force.

Everything That Stays Is Love, MARKE’s AW25 collection placed a pain-tinged, romantic, and haunting aura around the historic Villa Elisabeth, ‘transform[ing] the venue into the abandoned home of a reclusive dreamer.’ Unveiled in three acts, the collection takes Dickens’ Miss Havisham and Bright Young Things’ Stephen Tennant as its muses. Mario further explains that while the first chapter, about youth, is reminiscent of what one has come to expect from his brand—‘historic influences, pieces on the border of period wear…more theatrical through embellishments,’ the second chapter sets itself apart in its reinterpreted classic tailoring range, ‘resembl[ing] stopping to accept reality.’ And for the first time, for the finale, ‘purely showpieces on an experimental base’ graced the runway’s staircases and rooms, in line with ‘embrac[ing] full emotional collapse.’

RICHERT BEIL

The duo behind Richert Beil recount their brand’s ‘intense and formative’ 2024 as being a year of ‘growth, reflecting decisions, and valuable encounters.’ For AW24 and SS25, they showed powerful, inclusive, and diverse collections at BFW, recalling it as ‘the result of years of work and a moment we can look back on with pride.’ And now there’s more for Jale Richert and Michele Beil to be proud of: MUTTER.

The AW25 collection was presented in Kreuzberg’s historic Fichtebunker—having ‘once sheltered mothers and children during World War II, its symbolism of protection, resilience, and survival amplifies the themes we explore in the collection,’ they tell us. Commencing to the sounds of crying children, the presentation addressed the ‘complexities of political struggle and societal disintegration and manipulation…serv[ing] as a metaphor of an overexploited and emotionally exhausted society.’ And with its powerful casting, symbolism, shapes, and structures, it did so without leaving us in despair. By commenting on the ‘unseen labor and responsibilities that sustains our society as a whole’ and warning against a future that ‘collapses under the weight of its own expectations,’ the collection called for reflection and explorations of empathy.

They also let us in on some exciting news: their first store will be opening soon inside a new concept space, one that is ‘experimental and fluid,’ offering them even more room to evolve and explore.

HADERLUMP

Since their iconic BFW show AERO last season, Berlin-based brand Haderlump’s sales have notably increased, allowing them ‘to keep on creating and doing what [they] love’ in a city they praise for all its creative freedoms and intrinsic contradictions. Aside from putting them on the international map—and affording them cherished opportunities to interact with their customers at such events as their pop-up—they also noted: ‘We see the benefit of our shows in allowing people to engage in a cultural dialogue that goes beyond fashion.’

With the goal of ‘immersing the audience in an experience, pushing boundaries and solidifying our vision of a progressive, urban uniform,’ AW25’s SOLIVAGANT proved to be a transportative success, in both literal and figurative ways. Over 500 runway guests had the opportunity to be shuttled in on historic S-bahn trains to witness the passengers’ stories the collection set out to tell. ‘Our shows tell stories. Stories should be understood, experienced, and felt.’ Inspired by the 1950s, each piece proclaims a personal narrative that ‘also carries a collective resonance.’ Melding classic shapes with contemporary designs alongside palettes and textures inspired by the railway, ‘the individual stories and experiences of travellers are seamlessly interwoven.’

INCANDESCENT

MAXIMILIAN GEDRA

Officially launching at BFW last year, MAXIMILIAN GEDRA has been proudly contributing to Berlin’s fashion culture ever since—guided by the label’s convictions to rupture gender boundaries, self-express with tenacity, and re-delineate the idea of elegance using innovative and timeless design and craft. Reflecting on his 2024 debut as something he ‘dreamed of and worked toward [his] entire life,’ designer Maximilian says it was ‘the realisation of a vision, a statement of identity, and the first step toward something much greater.’

Thinking back, he attributes the brand’s initial motivations to the long-held ‘deep desire to tell stories through fashion—stories that challenge perceptions, evoke emotions, and inspire change’ combined with ‘something fearless, inclusive, and unapologetically expressive.’

This criteria for daring narrative was certainly met via their AW25 collection THE OFFICE – DYSTOPIAN HYSTERIA: a ‘bold reimagining of office wear, blending traditional tailoring with avant-garde design.’ Fittingly held at Halle am Berghain on the last day of BFW, it featured more of their show stopping silhouettes, among them a dress adorned with 26,000 safety pins. The music video for Lady Gaga’s new single ‘Abracadabra’—in which she’s wearing part of their debut collection STALACTITE—was released just hours before the show, closing the event with projections of it on the concrete walls of the venue.

ANDREJ GRONAU

Having studied at the superlative Central Saint Martin and launching the eponymous Andrej Gronau label in 2022, his brand’s origin is a story worth telling: motivated to one-day create a niche label where the way he wanted to dress himself as a man would be represented and balanced, it was within a mere 24 hours of his MA presentation that the retailer SSENSE had ordered his graduate collection—an overnight ‘kick-off for the brand.’

Now presenting his first BFW runway show, he describes his gender-fluid fashion and label as an amalgamation of ‘very playful yet contemporary and wearable.’ As a luxury brand, designing well made pieces that will last is paramount, while in ‘creat[ing] almost every textile and material ourself,’ he says the brand’s uniqueness also lies in the ‘freedom and possibilities to play’ which this affords.

Working closely with the factories and artisans, he told us: ‘I’m based nowhere…mostly traveling between Paris, London, Italy, and Germany,’ but ‘staging the show in Berlin still feels like doing it in a way at home.’ Having been introduced to Mumi Haiati and loving the INTERVENTION concept, ‘which felt very international and made sense,’ he was especially excited to experience Berlin’s reactions to his intimate and whimsical creations—an array of shapes, colors, sizes, and textures augmenting the collection’s sought after sense of childhood wonder.

VANESSA BAERNTHOL

Vanessa Baernthol, a Munich native, launched her brand in Berlin in 2023 as a means of ‘intersect[ing] fashion and art, merging experimental design with a strong commitment to sustainable production.’ With disruption and redefinition at the helm, the brand’s take on contemporary luxury aims to ‘balance extravagance and timelessness,’ while creating pieces built to last.

With a successful start during BFW’s Berliner Salon and Fashion Positions formats in FW24 and SS25, this season saw her first runway. It ‘embodies a special moment to present the debut…here,’ and fittingly she finds the city’s fashion scene to be evolving as well. She says, ‘there’s finally a stronger focus on diversity—not just in aesthetics but also in ethics, in production, in storytelling,’ which makes her label’s appetite for resourceful self-expression seem right at home.

The collection REBUILT uses only high-quality deadstock, resuscitating these once disregarded materials so as to construct the layered possibilities that are at the core of her brand identity. She explains, ‘the process of adding and deducting layers forms a transformative dynamic,’ which pulls focus to how one product can be worn in manifold ways, ‘re-wear[ing] garments…and reinventing them,’ all while highlighting the longevity and versatility of such pieces.

LAURA GERTE

Having held her brand’s first show at BFW in 2022, Laura Gerte focuses her sustainable and self-assured garment creations on ‘empowered femininity—[a] dash of drama, a bit playful, a little naughty, lots of movement, future punk, [and] upcycled.’

In witnessing Looped & Bound, her second runway 2.5 years later, the audience was immersed in a dichotomy dissolving, cyborg inspired presentation wherein the collection conjured ‘the complex set of feelings [of] an increasingly technological world.’ Feeling confident in having taken her time ‘to present a fully fleshed out vision,’ the crux of the theme was connection.

By living in Berlin, Laura says she’s forged connections and relationships that have profoundly shaped her. She credits the city’s nightlife and the time she’s gotten to get to know herself as sources of such development, as she’s been ‘gearing up for this moment both in [her] creative expression and with the amazing team’ she happily finds at her side.

THE ESSENCE

As we’ve learnt from these leading lights, BFW’s creative resonance has radiated far beyond the city’s confines—garnering increased international engagement thanks to its fearless commitments espousing sustainability and freedom of expression, all while supporting cutting-edge craft.

MARKE’s Mario Keine agrees that ‘the support here is fantastic,’ especially with such an ‘impeccable’ ‘spotlight’ on young brands like his. He adds: ‘The USP of BFW is Sustainability, Diversity, and Inclusion,’ and in celebrating the fact that ‘the industry feels amicable here,’ one is called to remember that ‘you can only live and achieve together and not while competing.’

So let us lap up this blazing bright atmosphere of community-oriented success and pioneering spirit; but, as Haderlump told us, ‘maintaining the momentum’ to create ‘even better, more exciting things’ is what it’s all about.

By following these waves of potential, the future of BFW is sure to be spectacular.

TEAM CREDITS:

creative direction CHARLOTTE GINDREAU
photography ISOTTA ACQUATI
writing SANDEE WOODSIDE
fashion assistant IKIU CAPOU SIRIPANGNO

RECAP OF BERLIN FASHION WEEK FALL/WINTER 2025: BASKING IN THE LIGHT