How has Berlin Fashion Week evolved in the hands of the Fashion Council Germany?
loading...
Fashion |Interview
Berlin Fashion Week, which took place in the German capital earlier this month, is not only evolving into a showcase for fashion, but also a driving force for change, innovation and economic development in the region.
Until 2022, the German automotive group Mercedes-Benz was the main sponsor of the city's fashion week. Now, under the direction of the Fashion Council Germany, the event is dedicated to promoting up-and-coming talent and has a new focus on sustainability and inclusion.
FashionUnited spoke to Christiane Arp, founding member and President of the Fashion Council Germany, about the success of the last edition of the event, funding and support for emerging designers, including initiatives to support Ukrainian fashion designers and plans for sustainability and funding in the future.
How do you assess the success and impact of this season's Berlin Fashion Week?
We have been experiencing a growing relevance of Berlin Fashion Week over the past few seasons and the February edition marks another significant step in the right direction.
I am confident that Berlin Fashion Week's new formats and responses from national and international opinion leaders are guiding us in the right direction. The positive feedback has reassured me in our vision, and we plan to build upon this great foundation.
Berlin Fashion Week's international success owes much to the talented designers showcased in formats like Berlin Contemporary, Der Berliner Salon, Intervention, and Studio2Retail. These events highlight the great design talent present in Germany.
"When we launched the event 18 years ago, the stage for designers to communicate fashion did not yet exist.”
With the implementation of the “Berlin Contemporary” format as part of the concept competition funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises in 2023 and the ongoing war in the Ukraine, we aim to continue our support for Ukrainian designers.
Each season, we have awarded 25,000 Euros to four talented recipients. Therefore, the designers had the chance to join the Berlin Fashion Week schedule and showcase their collections in a fashion show. We look forward to continuing our support for Ukrainian Fashion Week and welcoming Ukrainian designers on the runways of Berlin Fashion Week.
The Berlin Contemporary competition selects 18 established and emerging brands that convincingly demonstrate style, craftsmanship and a concept with international commercial potential. Chosen brands are awarded a cash prize of 25,000 euros to stage a fashion show, plus support with communications and show design, as well as valuable network connections and contacts in sales and PR.
The winners of this year's edition who participated in the February 2024 event were: Avenir, Dennis Chuene, Kitschy Couture, Lou de Bètoly, Lueder, Malaikaraiss, Marke, Namilia, Olivia Ballard, Rianna + Nina, Richert Beil, SF1OG, Sia Arnika and William Fan from Germany, as well as the Ukrainian brands Bobkova, DZHUS, Glück Clothes and PLNGNS.
How important is the fashion industry to Berlins economy and how does the current budget allocated to Berlin Fashion Week compare to previous years?
Berlin Fashion Week and the fashion industry are significant economic factors for Berlin.
Over 25,000 people work in almost 5,000 fashion-related companies, generating around 5 billion Euros in revenue annually. Therefore, the fashion industry plays a crucial role in the economic growth of Berlin. Following the departure of the previous main sponsor, Berlin Fashion Week’s orientation and organisation had to be changed.
The Berlin Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises invests approximately two million euros per season into the various formats of Berlin Fashion Week.
Despite only beginning our collaboration in January 2023, we have already taken a significant step towards the success of BFW.
How do you envision the funding and support structures for Berlin Fashion Week evolving in the future?
We strongly believe in fostering programs for emerging talent and are convinced that we need to provide a platform for promising design talent in Germany. We aim to further establish Berlin as the capital of emerging talents and are proud that, thanks to our previous measures, Berlin has found its place in the international fashion week calendar.
In addition, we strongly believe in fostering programs for emerging talent and are convinced that we need to provide a platform for promising design talent in Germany. Therefore, starting in 2025, we aim to bring more partners on board and expand our portfolio of partnerships to secure funding for future programs. Our values of inclusion, diversity, innovation, and sustainability form the foundation of Berlin Fashion Week.
Size and age diversity was noticeable in most of the shows at Berlin Fashion Week this season. Castings such as that of William Fan, who, keen to demonstrate that his clothes are designed for everyone, chose many of his models "straight from the streets of Berlin".
On the runway, dominated by the colour black, an array of undertones emerged, celebrating the diversity of identities and perspectives that enrich the social and cultural fabric of Berlin.
This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.ES.