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Designer: SIA ARNIKA, photo credit: Tristan R\u00f6sler<\/p>\nDesigner: SIA ARNIKA, photo credit: Tristan R\u00f6sler<\/p>\n
Chanel, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Burberry: worldwide, the names of designers from Paris, Milan, NYC and London roll off the tongue. Meanwhile, you may never have heard of Namilia, SF1OG, LUEDER, Richert Beil, Sia Arnika or Gerrit Jacob, let alone spoken of them, yet these Berlin labels are gaining traction outside Germany. As the scene evolves from a hub of niche labels into a leader of sustainable and avant-garde fashion, Berlin style is hitting the international runway.<\/p>\n
Scott Lipinski, CEO of the Fashion Council Germany (FCG), believes labels that embody and communicate the typical Berlin DNA tend to resonate and take off abroad. Brands he believes do especially well \u201cdraw on subcultural codes, for example, reflecting Berlin\u2019s club scene in their fashion\u201d. That might be the case, but it\u2019s also important for the city to \u201cshowcase a wide range of brands and styles, because Berlin\u2019s fashion landscape is highly diverse\u201d. In other words, while the city\u2019s style is more than clubwear, brands that capture club culture are the ones that take off.<\/p>\n
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Scott Lipinski, photo credit: Patrycia Lukas<\/p>\n
Perhaps this is best encapsulated by the success of Berlin-based Danish designer Sia Arnika. Her pieces have been worn by Julia Fox and FKA twigs, while Charli XCX went viral wearing a white cut-out top, black short-shorts and boots from the brand to her 32nd birthday party: a quintessential BRAT aesthetic. More and more, celebrities embrace designs from Germany\u2019s capital. Having launched his label in 2021, Gerrit Jacob has dressed many chart-topping musicians in signature bold, airbrushed designs, including Rosal\u00eda, Dua Lipa, A$AP Rocky and several K-pop groups. But he too insists that Berlin style \u2013 and culture \u2013 is about more than just the club scene. Jacob notes that Berlin has long held cultural significance, stating, \u201cfrom music to film and fine arts, the city has been an important part of many movements. Clearly, the club scene is its most potent cultural export, alongside many important fine artists.\u201d Like Lipinski, he links Berlin\u2019s style successes to those that capture the capital\u2019s cultural DNA. \u201cFashion always has to be seen in the greater cultural context,\u201d says Jacob. \u201cInternational appreciation for the fashion [from Berlin] can also be seen as part of a greater appreciation for the city\u2019s other cultural exports.\u201d<\/p>\n
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GERRIT JACOB lookbook<\/p>\n
As the city becomes ever more international, Berlin fashion naturally receives more international recognition. But there\u2019s also significant drive from within Germany to platform its designers. \u201cCertain Asian countries are absolutely fixated on German brands,\u201d says Lipinski, who works under that assumption at the FCG. One of the ways they address this shift is through their Berlin Fashion x International initiative, implemented with the support of the Berlin Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises. \u201cOn delegation trips, most recently to Tokyo and Seoul, we bring along exciting labels that take part in on-site workshops on the specifics of the local business culture and visit other designers and stores to gain deeper insights into the local scene.\u201d He described how, during one of their most recent trips, buyers from major retailers such as Dover Street Market Ginza and Isetan reviewed the collections of German brands. \u201cIn particular, designers that present at Berlin Fashion Week are closely observed by these key players. Looking ahead to 2027, we would like to expand this initiative to additional markets.\u201d<\/p>\n
What happens if this or a future government ends up deciding that fashion is no longer a priority?<\/p>\n
Despite the future looking bright, Jacob issues a warning: \u201cI do think there are some dangers when it comes to heavy reliance on government funding.\u201d Referring to the Senate funding being put to use by the FCG, he reflects on the flimsy reliability of funding in any area of the arts, which has seen widespread slashing. \u201cWhat happens if this or a future government ends up deciding that fashion is no longer a priority?\u201d he asks. Indeed, funding is not without its long-term risks. Ideally, for brands, funding is more of a springboard rather than a long-term strategy.\u00a0 Lipinski positions his vision of the FCG with his words on Berlin Fashion Week: \u201cthe brands that present there continue to grow steadily\u201d.<\/p>\n
Lipinski does comment on some of the challenges facing the Berlin fashion scene, noting that \u201cin addition to general financial challenges, which young companies often face at the beginning, and which are certainly not eased by the current economic climate, there is still sometimes a lack of visibility.\u201d Worldwide, the names of Berlin designers don\u2019t yet roll off the tongue. That kind of reputation takes time. More than that, it also requires stores and media outlets to accept invitations to engage with Berlin-based labels, something Lipinski sees improving by the year. \u201cEach season of Berlin Fashion Week, we\u2019re now welcoming representatives from stores such as Selfridges, Printemps and Machine-A, as well as media outlets like VOGUE Business, Forbes and Business of Fashion.\u201d<\/p>\n
One thing is for sure: the tributaries of Berlin\u2019s unique style are flowing into a more international fashion mainstream. But whether their influence loses momentum under the constant threat of culture cuts or gathers speed on the world\u2019s runway remains to be seen. Either way, Berlin\u2019s fashion landscape is changing. Perhaps the real question is: can a style that\u2019s all about subculture truly remain so once it reaches the mainstream?<\/p>\n