BERLIN FASHION WEEK Spring/Summer 2024:
Sia Arnika, Odeeh, Esther Perbandt, Danny Reinke, Kilian Kerner, Rianna + Nina, Fassbender, Bobkova, Acceptance Letter, Namilia and Olivia Ballard
New Design Capital of the North? Berlin will Bag that Title with a Repertoire as Impressive as the one we’ve seen this Week.
Image Credit Vogue
At ODEEH
Image Credit Berlin Fashion Week, Berlin Fashion Week on Instagram, Designers’ Websites and Instagram, and Vogue.
The German capital Berlin oozes creativity from every crevice of its ancient cobbled roads. Here the old and the new vie for position. Its ultra-hip eateries and beer gardens, graffiti-ed walls and theatrical ambience are the perfect backdrop for the bi-annual, much-anticipated fashion week that the city gifts the uber-fashion-conscious local crowd. And Berlin once again was the key creative platform of the world in July 2024.
Welcome to the highly innovative and unique fashion offerings of this gritty metropolis!
LEGENDS SUPPORTING UP-AND-COMING TALENT
Known for its unwavering support for budding talent while also honouring established brands, Berlin Fashion Week got the balance spot-on yet again: stalwarts like ODEEH, Esther Perbandt, Kilian Kerner and Rianna + Nina rubbed shoulders with emerging designers such as Acceptance Letter Studio, Fassbender, Haderlump Atelier Berlin, Milk of Lime, Namilia, Olivia Ballard, Sia Arnika and 4 Ukrainian labels.
10/10 FOR GREEN CREDENTIALS, SUSTAINABILITY & INCLUSION
Berlin Fashion Week is synonymous with plugging progressive trends: sustainability, inclusion, fluidity, innovation, creativity and freedom of expression were here for all to witness and enjoy. Four Ukranian labels – Bobkova, Litkovska, DZHUS, and PODYH were showcased too; in addition, fashion graduates from German and Ukranian fashion schools were given a platform to showcase their creations too, which across the board demonstrated the beauty of slow fashion techniques and often repurposed, recycled and upcycled fabric. Sustainability and upcycling legends Rianna + Nina yet again showcased an inspiring and bohemian retro-feel summer range.
SPRING SUMMER 2024 TRENDS
A spectacular mix of avant-garde (most notably spotted at the various design schools) and classical silhouettes (outstanding examples came from the stables of Esther Perbandt and Kilian Kerner) were showcased. Many designers embraced the trend for bold and vibrant colour mixes & inspired surface patterns – from arty digital prints at Danny Reinke to crafty screen-print-style surface designs at Odeeh. Colour blocking was seen in many places too; Kilian Kerner and Acceptance Letter wowed with their take on the trend. Deliciously tactile surface treatments were spotted at stalwart brand Sia Arnika.
STREETSTYLE AND BEHIND THE SCENES
To give you a flavour of what’s been spotted on the gritty sidewalks of the German capital, here’s a sneak peek as to what some of the fashionistas got up to …
Image Credit Berlin Fashion Week on Instagram
Image Credit Berlin Fashion Week on Instagram
Image Credit Berlin Fashion Week on Instagram
Image Credit Berlin Fashion Week on Instagram
Image Credit Berlin Fashion Week on Instagram
Image Credit Berlin Fashion Week on Instagram
DANNY REINKE
@danny.reinke
A truly local and proudly slow fashion label, Danny Reinke, is synonymous with German fashion. Their focus – apart from creating classics with an avant-garde twist (often one-offs) is squarely on forever keeping an eye on sustainability, so much so that they predominantly use EU-based fabrics and encourage repairing garments for clients. Their SS 2024 collection called ‘Lustgarden’ featuring digital prints by Hieronymus Bosch, has us salivating for many of these exquisite pieces!
Image Credit Danny Reinke on Instagram
At Danny Reinke
Image Credit Danny Reinke on Instagram
At Danny Reinke
Image Credit Danny Reinke on Instagram
At Danny Reinke
Image Credit Danny Reinke on Instagram
At Danny Reinke
Image Credit Danny Reinke on Instagram
At Danny Reinke
SIA ARNIKA
@sia.arnika
Young Danish designer Sia Arnika graduated from one of the Berlin fashion schools and is already a household name amongst celebrities like the Kardashians. It’s easy to understand why this sculptural and crafted offering is gaining ground so fast – inspired and deliciously tactile, these pieces are sexy and unique, luxurious and memorable. Sia Arnika slashes, overdyes, weaves and knits, and the end-results are a visual feast.
At Sia Arnika
At Sia Arnika
At Sia Arnika
At Sia Arnika
Image Credit Vogue
At Sia Arnika
At Sia Arnika
KILLIAN KERNER
@kiliankerner_
Legendary German designer Kilian Kerner played with shades – candy-bright pops of colour – and shape: oversized shoulders were a feature in this collection, so were floor-sweeping maxi coats juxtaposed with micro miniskirts – a sexy, utterly covetable offering. Shiny satin and brocade were seen in many places, as was underwear repurposed as outerwear. These are pieces that will happily find a comfortable space in most fashionistas’ wardrobes for SS2024.
At Kilian Kerner on Instagram
At Kilian Kerner on Instagram
At Kilian Kerner on Instagram
At Kilian Kerner on Instagram
RIANNA + NINA
@riannaandnina
One-of-a-kind designs are the signature of this design duo. They evidently love travel and in the process, rake in exotic pieces of cloth – mostly vintage and recycled fabrics – and transform these into luxurious, ingenious pieces of design wonder. These are true collectors’ items – artful, vibrant, bold, tactile, unique and very covetable. No wonder they have a worldwide following that adores the brand (celebrities like Rihanna and Madonna are huge fans!), with a recently opened flagship store at the Palais Royal in Paris.
At Rianna + Nina
At Rianna + Nina
Image Credit Rianna + Nina on Instagram
At Rianna + Nina
BOBKOVA
@bobkova_official
Ukranian brand Bobkova was one of 4 Ukranian labels that showcased in Berlin. Pastel-coloured, oversized jackets & trousers and elegant sheath dresses in rainbow shades, all adorned with flowers (the symbols of hope) were amongst the inspired silhouettes on display. This is a wonderfully wearable and ultra-romantic offering, with the pastels contrasting beautifully with the stark black dresses – no doubt a reminder of the unfortunate reality in Ukraine.
At Bobkova
At Bobkova
At Bobkova
At Bobkova
ESTHER PERBANT
@estherperbandt
Says Esther Perbandt of her all-black, graphic, avant-garde pieces for SS2024, “Clothing offers physical protection. Fashion also offers protection, but also psychologically. I want to design elegant protective clothing that makes the wearer grow and feel safe.” She’s not called the ‘Queen of Black’ for no reason in Berlin, over the past 10 years she has solely worked in black. The silhouettes with their clean lines, bold designs and punk influences have become an unmistakable part of the Berlin fashion scene. Perbandt is adamant to uphold standards of inclusivity, diversity and community; these gender-fluid pieces, beautifully tailored, elegant and refined, speak for themselves. Who needs colour if black can do so much talking?
Image Credit Berlin Fashion Week on Instagram
At Esther Perbandt
At Esther Perbandt
At Esther Perbandt
At Esther Perbandt
FASSBENDER
@myfassbender
This Hamburg-based label called their SS2024 collection “Original”, i.e. both the real thing that has always existed and something completely new that has never been seen before. Christina Fassbender and Matthias Louwen, the creative duo behind the brand, produced a collection that’s functional, effortless and unique. These pieces are made in Europe as the brand values sustainability and conscious innovation above all. Ethical, timeless creations from designers who have their finger firmly on the pulse of the Berlin zeitgeist.
At Fassbender
At Fassbender
At Fassbender
ACCEPTANCE LETTER
@acceptance_letter_studio
Designer Jakeyoung Shim has the eye of an anthropologist when it comes to observation and Berlin offers fertile ground for new ideas. Their SS2024 collection takes inspiration from the airport, a place where a vast range of peoples’ paths cross. Furthermore, they also study vintage garments as a starting place for their design journey, with an ethos that prioritises diversity, inclusivity, empowerment and sustainability.
At Acceptance Letter
At Acceptance Letter
Image Credit Berlin Fashion Week on Instagram
At Acceptance Letter
ODEEH
@odeeh_official
A legendary German brand is Odeeh, characterised by the extraordinary and ingenious use of colour and surface patterning in their often layered and super-flattering silhouettes. The prints are inspired, the colours fearless and bold – the colour blue is a particularly striking part of the collection this season. Tactile surfaces are mixed with colour blocking and crafty prints, stripes and wraps all looking very fresh, contemporary, exotic and utterly wearable. Little wonder this brand is one of the most beloved and recognized brands in Germany.
At Odeeh
At Odeeh
At Odeeh
At Odeeh
At Odeeh
At Odeeh
OLIVIA BALLARD
@oliviaballardstudio
Young designer Olivia Ballard has left her mark on the design scene over the past 3 years.
Clever cutting, asymmetry, fluidity and sculptural silhouettes make these pieces almost more art than fashion. Olivia Ballard designs pieces that one can move and dance in – while looking effortlessly individualistic. Having said that, these definitely are pieces for the confident!
At Olivia Ballard
At Olivia Ballard
At Olivia Ballard
At Olivia Ballard
NAMILIA
@_namilia_
Namilia has been making waves since its inception in 2015. It’s graced the pages of celebrated fashion magazines and blogs including VFiles, Vogue Italy, LOVE Magazine, Dazed & Confused, i-D. This collection, like previous collections, plays with pop culture elements and expressions of gender.” The art/music/dance and inimitable cultural scene of Berlin is clearly a major inspiration. “Our clothing is meant to make people feel free and confident to express themselves fully, and we honor any movement that seeks to unlock people’s self-consciousness to reject an oppressive society. Little wonder the brand is being coveted by the likes of Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Billie Eilish, and Rihanna.
Image Credit Berlin Fashion Week on Instagram
At Namilia
Image Credit Berlin Fashion Week on Instagram
At Namilia
Image Credit Berlin Fashion Week on Instagram
At Namilia
INSTAGRAM HANDLES OF FEATURED BRANDS:
DANNY REINKE @danny.reinke
SIA ARNIKA @sia.arnika
ODEEH @odeeh_official
BOBKOVA @bobkova_official
ESTHER PERBANDT @estherperbandt
RIANNA + NINA @riannaandnina
KILIAN KERNER @kiliankerner_
FASSBENDER @myfassbender
ACCEPTANCE LETTER @acceptance_letter_studio
NAMILIA @_namilia_
OLIVIA BALLARD @oliviaballardstudio
