Berlin Fashion Week: The Official First Brand Line-Up

Berlin, 8th May 2024 - With its progressive positioning, influential brands, and high quality of craftsmanship, Berlin Fashion Week has increasingly established itself internationally as a significant venue in the fashion calendar over the past few seasons. As a venue with its own distinct character, merging subcultural movements, art, design and music with fashion, Berlin Fashion Week clearly reflects its direction towards creative freedom and diversity.

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The Responsible Movement of Freedom, Inclusion and Creativity

Franziska Giffey, Senator for Economic Affairs, Energy, and Public Enterprises: "Berlin Fashion Week is much more than just a showcase for new trends - it is a platform for diversity which promotes community-building, innovation, and inclusion. The commitment to sustainability, outstanding quality of collections, and a unique brand mix make Berlin Fashion Week an important industry venue that embodies the values of freedom and tolerance like only few others once again this summer. I would particularly like to highlight the ongoing support for Ukrainian designers, who find a stage and a springboard to economic independence here. This support reaffirms our ongoing solidarity and our approach to promoting creatives with diverse cultural backgrounds."

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Berlin Contemporary: The Winners

For the fourth consecutive time, the 18 winners of Berlin Contemporary form the heart of Berlin Fashion Week. They were selected by an internationally composed panel of experts and each awarded a prize of €25,000. The concept competition, funded by the Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy, and Public Enterprises and organised by the Fashion Council Germany, has established itself as a strong stage for renowned brands and emerging new talents.

Among this year's newcomers in the competition are the Berlin-based and internationally successful label GmbH, as well as the brands Horror Vacui, Balletshofer, and the emerging designer Clara Colette Miramon. Once again, Mitya Hontarenko and Irina Dzhus from Ukraine present the collections of their labels PLNGNS and DZHUS. Experienced participants include SF1OG, Sia Arnika, MARKE, NAMILIA, RIANNA + NINA, Richert Beil, and Avenir. LUEDER and Kitschy Couture join for the second time after February, while ODEEH, Milk of Lime, and Haderlump return to the Berlin Contemporary program after interruptions, completing the diverse line-up. Some of the winners organise their presentations independently, while others utilize the NEWEST showcase format supported by the Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy, and Public Enterprises to showcase their collections at exceptional locations in Berlin.

Christiane Arp, Chairwoman of Fashion Council Germany and jury member of Berlin Contemporary, stated: "In the fourth season of Berlin Contemporary, we observe a steady increase in the quality of applications. We see our role not only in promoting but also in challenging young talents to constantly evolve and improve. The growing attention for Berlin Fashion Week, both nationally and internationally, confirms our direction. Our goal is for BFW to be perceived as the strong platform for emerging talents."

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On the Radar: More BFW Highlights

In addition to the Berlin Contemporary brands, other renowned names in the German fashion industry such as Marc Cain, as well as the W.E4. Fashion Day designers Kilian Kerner, Marcel Ostertag, Danny Reinke, and Rebekka Ruétz, will showcase their collections. Dawid Tomaszewski will also be part of the lineup in July.

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Intervention:

The internationally acclaimed format Intervention, curated by the Berlin and Milan-based communication agency Reference Studios under the leadership of founder and CEO Mumi Haiati, will take place again after its successful premiere in February. Details regarding the concept, participating brands, and location will be announced at a later date.

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Der Berliner Salon:

Curated by Christiane Arp, The Berliner Salon will once again present a selection of German design highlights as well as the finalists of the FCG/VOGUE Fashion Funds.

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SEEK:

SEEK is a trade fair, community, and stage for internationally relevant brands in Modern Classics, Streetwear, Sportswear, Denim, Sneakers and Footwear, Accessories, Lifestyle, and Heritage. (July 2nd-3rd, at Station Berlin)

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Neo.Fashion.:

Neo.Fashion. serves as a hub for the best graduates of fashion schools and young designers from Germany and the German-speaking region. Through "Best Graduates' Shows," exhibitions, digital presentations, and other show formats, "Fashion for Future" will be introduced to a broad audience. (July 2nd-3rd, location tba)

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202030 The Berlin Fashion Summit:

The Berlin Fashion Summit provides a platform for interdisciplinary discourse on sustainability in the fashion industry. (July 2nd-3rd, at Bikini Berlin)

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STUDIO2RETAIL:

The STUDIO2RETAIL program enables smaller labels, showrooms, and stores to showcase themselves to a broader audience, thus making the BFW visible throughout the city. An expert jury has selected projects that have been awarded a prize of €5,000 each by the Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy, and Public Enterprises: Black in Fashion (Buki Akomolafe and Emeka Suits), Lou de Bétoly with the showroom "private view," NEXT GEN Pop Up 2024 (organized by PLATTE.Berlin), "The Lissome presents: Slow Style Chronicle," and People. In addition, Berliner Sparkasse has financially supported the project "Effenberger Couture 5th Anniversary".

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The traditional public opening event, organized by the London and Berlin-based collective "deadHYPE", kicks off the events, which also include collection presentations at the showroom of distribution agency MELAGENCE.

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Registration for accreditation for the Berlin Fashion Week in July 2024 is now open. For the first time, a central accreditation form is available, simplifying the process for both professional visitors and organizers. Upon registration, all show and event organizers will be informed and can accordingly send out invitations. Accreditation is exclusively intended for professional visitors in a business context. Please register via the form. Further details on the procedure can be found directly in the form.

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Further information on shows and events will be announced in the coming weeks. The provisional version of the official BFW schedule will be available by the end of May.

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Presscontact:
Julia Branding

PRESS FACTORY GmbH

Fon +49 30 767 339 000

Mobil +49 151 623 131 92

julia.branding@press-factory.de