Next Round for the Berlin Fashion Week Concept Competition

After a successful edition in July, the Berlin Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises, together with Fashion Council Germany, is once again launching the Concept Competition for Berlin Fashion Week (from January 31st to 3rd 2025), building on the talent promotion of the past four seasons. The competition aims to strengthen the innovation and growth potential of the German fashion industry, the stationary retail and local designers in and from Berlin or Germany. Ukrainian fashion labels can also apply for the Berlin Contemporary category. For the first time, African fashion labels are also invited to submit their concepts to apply for the Berlin Contemporary prize.

Michael Biel, State Secretary for Economic Affairs, emphasized: "With the repositioning of Berlin Fashion Week and the successful implementation of the Concept Competition, there is a growing international attention for Berlin as a fashion metropolis. The Senate Department for Economic Affairs is providing a total of €500,000 in prize money for the competition to find the most innovative concepts for presentations and events. The winners form the core of the BFW Schedule. We are now going one step further for 2025 and, in addition to supporting Ukrainian brands, we will also be awarding prize money to one African fashion label. In order to further promote Berlin's claim as an international fashion stage with the most creative minds and talents."

Concepts can be submitted in two categories from13^th to 29^th of September 2024:

BERLIN CONTEMPORARY
The Berlin Contemporary category awards the most innovative show and presentation concepts that pursue a sustainable and inclusive approach and focus on particularly creative collections with international relevance. In addition to the concepts submitted, past collections will also be taken into account as part of the evaluation process. These will be assessed for their design standards, craftsmanship and commercial potential. The category is open to both established labels as well as up and coming designers.

The 19 most convincing concepts will each be awarded with a prize money of €25,000. In addition to fashion brands based in Germany, Ukrainian labels are also eligible to apply. Berlin Fashion Week is therefore continuing its support for Ukraine and Ukrainian Fashion Week of the previous seasons. Furthermore, for the first time, a concept by one African fashion label will be selected and awarded with €25,000 to present during Berlin Fashion Week.

STUDIO2RETAIL
The category STUDIO2RETAIL will award different event concepts that are open to the public and end consumers, enabling them to experience Berlin Fashion Week. The five most innovative B2C event concepts from Berlin fashion labels, stationary retailers and fashion-focused events will each be awarded €5,000. They will be judged according to the criteria of sustainability, innovation and diversity as well as their above-average media impact. A sixth prize will once again be provided by the Berliner Sparkasse this season.

The aim is to enrich the STUDIO2RETAIL initiative, which makes Berlin Fashion Week an experience for fashion enthusiasts outside the professional audience with an exciting store overview and an "open to public event schedule", with additional events. Past winners have shown how diverse Berlin's fashion industry is and how enriching the exchange between different communities can be through these events.
 

Once the application phase is complete, a jury of industry experts will select the winners, who are expected to be announced in October 2024.
 

Details on the conditions of participation via: BFW Concept Competition AW25