Highlights of the BFW 5 / 7

SF1OG

Rosa Marga Dahl and Jacob Langemeyer from SF1OG presented their collection at the historic Umspannwerk in Berlin Reinickendorf. Inspired by the vibrancy of marketplaces, the repeated Berlin Contemporary winners invited their audience to celebrate craftsmanship, local products, and the moment of encounter with them: They showcased designs with marketplace references such as aprons integrated into pants and skirts, patchwork shirts made from antique kitchen linen, and plaid shopping bags on T-shirts, all to the live music of the rock band Golden Hours.

Looks featuring leggings, culottes, and layered tops represented the diverse everyday lives of people and were paired with mini backpacks and shopping bags, created in collaboration with Eastpak from recycled materials.

"At SF1OG, we always build our collections from three material categories," explains Jacob Langemeyer. “One-third new sustainable fabrics, one-third deadstock fabrics, and one-third antique recycled fabrics and textiles. For spring/summer, we sourced antique linen from the years 1800-1900 as well as a variety of old plaid men's shirts that represent typical marketplace patterns. We enjoy playing with the merging of 'masculine' and 'feminine' silhouettes to offer a new perspective on 'menswear.' We deliberately put these terms in quotes because we believe that fashion should evolve towards a more inclusive approach, away from traditional labels. The collection included several marketplace-related details that allow garments to be transformed into bags. Further exciting texture contrasts, intricate knit pieces, and pockets integrated into various garments reinforced the lively and artistic spirit of the collection.”

The presentation of the SS25 collection was complemented by a live performance by the rock band Golden Hours. Their dark, tension-filled, and sometimes hypnotic rock 'n' roll sounds accompanied the models as they walked through the market aisles. The casting, curated by Casting Director Kyra Sophie Wilhelmseder, reflected the diversity and authenticity found in the bustling corridors of a market. The selection of models emphasized real, diverse characters and broke with the conventional norms of the fashion industry, showcasing a variety of body types, ages, and backgrounds.

In addition to the artisanal looks of the collection, there were four exclusive backpack and bag models, made in collaboration with Eastpak from reused materials.

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KITSCHY COUTURE

Designer Abarna Kugathasan uses the fashion of her label Kitschy Couture to tell transcultural, very personal, and often socially critical stories—not without a stylistic wink here and there. Her debut show in February was surprisingly the most festive of Fashion Week. This season, the repeat Berlin Contemporary winner invited her guests to the Stadtbad Neukölln, where she celebrated a bride with her collection 'Artificial Paradise'—a bride who, freshly married to herself, goes on a honeymoon and, amidst lotus blossoms and plastic palms, lingers on a giant swan in a Berlin pool, indulging in immigrant nostalgia.

In keeping with the setting, Abarna Kugathasan showcased deconstructed swimwear, lingerie-inspired dresses, bright harem pants, and kimonos made of lace and satin, accompanied by hand-sewn silk roses and dolphins on bags and made of rhinestones. The show concluded with a slim-tailored and mermaid skirt in bright turquoise—a celebration of the label's positivity, inclusivity, and free spirit.

“We‘re sending greetings from our Artificial Paradise! After our bride got to marry herself at her splendidly sugary wedding, she is now heading off to her tropical honeymoon getaway. Newly married to herself, she has flown off and is enjoying an escape from reality. Drunk on love and immigrant nostalgia, her paradise lies in an artificial realm, where contrary cultures collided and fused into one. Tropical heat, inflatable palm trees and foamy lotus flowers collaged into the sanctuary we long for. We were seeking shelter but transcended borders and artificially cured our homesickness. We built this fantasy because we couldn‘t bear to lose our homes. Come in and be swallowed by our immigrant nostalgia, indulge in collaged memories and gaze upon our sacred hybrid universe.” 

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HORROR VACUI

In Latin, "Horror Vacui" means "fear of empty space." Contrary to this definition, Anna Heinrichs showcased mainly colorful and pattern-rich looks, featuring ruffles, drapery, or smocking, all exuding a highly romantic vibe.

With her runway debut, the Berlin Contemporary winner also celebrates the tenth anniversary of her brand. Heinrichs chose the colonnade at the Museum Island as the runway, whose numerous columns symbolize for the designer the enduring power of love—a central theme in her collection.

Your collection is named "Love's Continuum" and pays homage to love. What inspired you?

The love story of my parents, who passed away last year. The title not only refers to their romantic bond but also their coming together despite and with different, even opposing cultural identities.

Translated from Latin, Horror Vacui means "fear of empty space". Far from shying away, you boldly embrace fabrics adorned with elaborate patterns across nearly all your looks – a distinctive trademark. 

Which materials, colors, and patterns take center stage this season?

Alongside Horror Vacui classics like cotton poplin, I've utilized many silk taffetas, twills, and satins. The entire collection features fabrics I've used over the past decade for Horror Vacui. Colors range from pink, yellow, and blue to violet and white. This season, I'm also incorporating black for the first time, perhaps as an intuitive nod to mourning. The silhouettes are flowing and feminine. We've seen your signature Millefleur, but there are also monochromatic looks.

All designs are handcrafted with incredible detail, reviving almost forgotten craftsmanship techniques like Honeycomb Smoking, Froschgoscherl, and scalloped hems. Which looks are your favorites?

One of my favorites is a skirt crafted from thousands of individually hand-stitched hearts. Another standout is the patchwork pieces featuring a sailship motif, composed of over 100 different fabrics from the past decade. The sailship is a central motif in quilt art, such as among the Amish, symbolizing the voyage to America, migration, and transformation. It signifies carrying a cultural identity to a new place, where one passes on their heritage while embracing new influences, thus creating something entirely new. My maternal grandfather's ancestors were German Mennonites who migrated to Pennsylvania and present-day Ukraine.

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DZHUS

Less like a traditional fashion show and more like an art performance, Irina Dzhus' presentation at the Kabbalah Center, set against a backdrop inspired by the Last Supper, was truly unique. Throughout the presentation of her collection “ANTICON,” the Berlin Contemporary winner was ever-present, reading texts written on the legs and arms of the models, dancing, and – in a manner characteristic of her and her brand – transforming her versatile and emotional designs live.

The Ukrainian designer transformed a look consisting of a white bandeau top and slim-cut trousers into a restructured halter dress in rainbow colors with paw appliqués. She also sculpted the brim of a floor-length coat into a halo-like face covering.

Every detail of your looks carries a profound message. What inspired you to create "ANTICON"?

The collection explores the "Utopia codes" created by humanity to achieve happiness, while also addressing sociocultural conformism and personal existential traumas. It delves into the correlation between the natural desire for self-discovery and the urge for homecoming. The collection also explores the essence of home, the spectrum of its meanings, and the determining factors, particularly from the perspective of migration and adaptation.

What stands out this season, from a fashion perspective?

We desaturate the rainbow and encode it in blank, quilted surfaces. Leaving the garments’ outer layer pure, we embellish pockets and lining with rhinestones and jewellery, commemorating my  own experience of escaping the war through a tribute to the heartbreaking Holocaust stories. The labyrinth leitmotif is dedicated to the Sinai wanderers driven by a spirit of homecoming.

Unexpectedly vibrant colors emerge in the rainbow gradient on the underside of the unisex looks. Why?

This 'secret' splash of pigments amidst the total white collection carries a life-asserting message, suggesting an insight as a route to home, joy, and therefore, fulfillment. 

What are your favorite pieces? 

While white sartorial trousers transform into an iridescent corset, questioning gender-focused tailoring, we incorporate wearability into homeware objects. A tablecloth set with serving appears to be a flat-cut cape, while the crockery functions as sartorial details. Finally, a multisegmented-star-shaped oversized necklace is rearranged into either an edgy hat or voluminous modular sleeves referring to the colour circle.

Did you work on a special collaboration this season? 

As a brand with a Ukrainian soul, we consider it our duty to support our people with jobs in this challenging time. Thus, despite the label’s relocation to the EU since the beginning of the war, our collection was fully produced by Ukrainian craftswomen. The same priorities rule when it comes to collaborations, and most contributors of DZHUS’ collection have either have Ukrainian roots or work remotely from Kyiv.

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