Fashion between Humanity and Technology

Berlin, 14.07.2026

Berlin Fashion Week SS27: A Look at the New Collections Opens Up Perspectives on the Most Pressing Issues of Our Time

The futuristic high-tech architecture of the ICC exhibition center or the ornate Baroque setting of Charlottenburg Palace, the stylish Fotografiska museum and the elegant Hotel Adlon: Berlin provided unique urban backdrops for the 53 runway shows of Berlin Fashion Week from July 2–5. Yet while the city itself occasionally became the subject of the brand‘s collections—such as Sample030, which evoked Tempelhof Airport's history as a place of encounter—many designers offered a melancholic urban exodus.

Andrej Gronau, for example, presented the garden as a place of constant transformation, presenting floral screen prints and earthy natural tones combined with vibrant tropical blossoms. Marie-Louise Müller also transported audiences into an „escapist garden“, while rebekka ruétz translated mysterious weather phenomena into versatile, ever-changing silhouettes.

The relationship—and tension—between environment and technology, humanity and machine, shaped the collections of IMPARI and esther perbandt, who presented a digital capsule collection created with the brand's new proprietary AI. Taskin Goec, meanwhile, connected the centuries-old tradition of shadow theatre with the contemporary workflows of an increasingly digitalized world. Haderlump Atelier Berlin approached the theme of work from a different perspective, exploring interpersonal dynamics and social order through the lens of traditional hospitality. KOLYA BOGATYREV likewise examined the codes of uniforms and formal dress.  Rather than portraying people as workers, UNVAIN focused on the individual as a character, presenting a richly sculptural collection that explored the intersections between clothing and body, performance and personality.

Other collections looked beyond the external appearance to the depths of human emotion: Kasia Kucharska's latex designs, enhanced by trompe-l'œil effects, suggested the distinction between objective and perceived reality, while the Nigerian label Fruché used distorted silhouettes to question body image and self-perception. Malaikaraiss, celebrating her 15th anniversary with this show, likewise embraced imperfection, transforming it into beauty through fluid silhouettes and striking color contrasts. Milk of Lime explored the hopeful space between destruction and renewal, while SF1OG examined the many shades between good and evil. The Japanese brand John Lawrence Sullivan also embraced contrast, balancing strength with fragility, reason with desire, beauty with repulsion.

Several labels reflected on the theme of memory, including MARKE, whose collection was inspired by Virginia Woolf's fictional character Orlando, and Nowrubi, which presented its collection as a multisensory concept. WILLIAM FAN explored a different kind of remembrance: collecting and preserving—souvenirs, which inspired sculptural tailoring and elaborate material treatments. Selva Huygens' avant-garde upcycled designs drew on the optimistic futurism of the Space Age, while Marina Hoermanseder presented her own unmistakable interpretation of a space-inspired collection.

Firmly rooted in the present were collections that explored changing concepts of gender and identity: Mariusz Przybylski opened up new perspectives on masculinity through fluid lines and precise tailoring, while clara colette miramon focused on hyper-feminine symbols such as flowers and mermaids. Laura Gerte drew inspiration from a feminist manifesto by poet Mina Loy, while the Danish label Martin Quad referenced the self-portraits of American photographer Francesca Woodman.

The Nigerian brand Orange Culture addressed another form of resilience, recalling the stilt settlement of Makoko as a symbol of humanity's ability to adapt and persevere under difficult living conditions. Uganda's BUZIGAHILL looked back to the 1960s and 1970s, when East African nations gained independence. Mexican label BARRAGÁN likewise explored questions of identity, freedom, and self-determination, and skatewear brand DAGGER situated its collection within the formative years of adolescence, celebrating the many first experiences that shape the journey into adulthood.

GmbH delivered the week's closing statement with its final show at the Kronprinzenpalais: Designers Serhat Işık and Benjamin Huseby drew inspiration from Berlin couturiers of decades past, creating an elegant visual language characterized by restrained colors and sophisticated tailoring. At a time of growing right-wing movements, their tribute to Berlin's once-thriving fashion culture—destroyed by the National Socialist regime—also serves as a reminder of history. Celebrating its tenth anniversary, GmbH had been named the winner of this year's FCG/VOGUE Fashion Fund. The €50,000 award, presented jointly by Fashion Council Germany and Vogue Germany, was funded this year by cosmetics brand KIKO Milano. The Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises additionally supported the realization of the runway show.

Beyond these thematic explorations, several aesthetic tendencies emerged across the collections. Designers including WILLIAM FAN and Laura Gerte favored pleated materials, while labels such as BUZIGAHILL and SF1OG presented hybrid trouser designs that merged tailored pleats with jogger silhouettes. In Berlin, fashion continues to reveal itself both as a carefully crafted surface—and as a profound cultural practice.

We would like to thank all partners of Berlin Fashion Week for their support: Epic Drive for providing an exclusive chauffeur service that transported industry guests comfortably and safely between events; Hotel Zoo Berlin for hosting events in its elegant spaces and accommodating our international guests; Lefty for its support as an influencer marketing platform; Martini for refreshing drinks; and Airbnb for its exciting new partnership with Berlin Fashion Week.

All imagery is available for download via the official Media Hub. There you will also find further information on the runway shows and presentations, the accompanying program, and the international guests. The next Berlin Fashion Week will take place from January 29 to February 1, 2027.