Interview Estethica / 202030

Hello Carina, hello Magdalena, hello Max,

Before we start, can introduce yourself and your project to our readers. What do you stand for (To Estethica: How did the renaming come about?)

Carina: Originally launched in 2006 in partnership with the British Fashion Council, Estethica creates a creative space for responsible fashion. Estethica stands for innovation, inclusivity, vision and is considered a pioneer for sustainable thinking. Since its inception, brands such as Katharine Hamnett, People Tree, Carla Fernandez, Veja and Dr. Noki supported and launched the careers of designers like Christopher Raeburn and Clare Farrell, who later co-founded Extinction Rebellion, as well as pioneering platforms like Bruno Pieters' Honest by. Like the fashion, the individual projects have evolved and changed in the last two Berlin Fashion Week seasons. After the successful Fashion Open Studio program of the last seasons, the Estethica program, which is managed by Fashion Revolution Germany, is now being implemented. This season, however, the focus is more on practical support for the designers and the implementation of the collection - for example through mentoring sessions and connecting our Berlin upcycling network.

Max: Thank you very much for the opportunity to do this interview. We are very pleased that our long-time joint comrade-in-arms and close colleague Carina is also taking part. We stand for sustainability, namely for holistic sustainability, which includes all possible factors that define sustainability on an ecological and social level for a product or for processes, and we simply try to look as deeply and broadly as possible. We try to consider everything that has an influence, if it is relevant. That is, of course, the great complexity that is generally behind sustainability. And then we also stand for the fact that now and in the future it must be much more about cultural sustainability. About the sustainability of implementation, so to speak. And implementation happens through culture. We have a consumer culture that needs to change, we have a work culture that needs to change, we have a culture of conversation that needs to change further, and it is at all these levels, where human behavior is also defined by society and by cultural relationships with others and by the application of cultural modes, that sustainability actually comes into being. Before that, it's all theory that sounds nice on paper and is important for discourses to develop further. But to actually counteract climate change, we need to focus on culture. And we see the cultural and creative industries, which are particularly strong in Berlin, as a very important branch for translating all the findings of recent decades into a positive vision, i.e. into an implementation that is possible in everyday life.

What made the decision to found the format as part of the BFW?

Carina: It's less of a founding than a relaunch. After a break of eight years and for the first time in Berlin, Estethica performs - with new knowledge, new talents and new ideas. In doing so, we continue to challenge the industry to perform better. Due to its size and its influence on people and nature, the fashion industry faces immense challenges that need innovative solutions. And these can often be found where you haven't looked yet. Just as the voices we need to hear are not the ones speaking right now. We want to offer them a platform with Estethica.

Max: This was a very natural development. Based in Berlin, we have been developing the sustainability scene for many years, of course as one of many, but also as very relevant actors who have always made their voices heard for holism and inclusion from this natural environment, so to speak, it feels quite logical to us that we also want to bring together progressive thinkers and makers here with this important format and where we are always at the forefront of sustainability development in the sense of: What are really the right solutions, what are the problems and with which jointly developed (between science, politics and industry) approaches can we approach things. This all makes particular sense here in Berlin.

What successes have already resulted from your initiatives (you've been an integral part of Berlin Fashion Week for several seasons) that make you particularly proud today?

Carina: We are pleased that we were able to expand the connections with our partners 202030 - The Berlin Fashion Summit, MBFW, POOL and other partners and that the cooperation with the designers is getting deeper and deeper. Through the collaboration of various actors in Berlin, which also include the Berlin City Mission and the House of Materialization, we create better cohesion and appear as a unit to world. A spontaneous relief campaign for the designer Jean Gritsfeldt resulted in an extraordinary show at the end of the Berlin Fashion Week last season. This project is a sign of our network that we have built up in the meantime. And it shows what Berlin has to offer: that it's not just about finished products, but also about the way to get there.

Magdalena: I think that because we started in 2009 with our first initiative, the Green Showroom in Berlin, we have already reached a lot of people through our events. That makes me personally proud that through the many events, and now also the 202030 - Berlin Fashion Summit, which we will hold for the fourth time in September, we are also giving Berlin Fashion Week a profile that other fashion weeks cannot have. From my perspective, Berlin Fashion Week is definitely the authentic green fashion week, because we have presented so many sustainable labels and the topic of sustainability is also discussed in other forums, but because of the fact that these conceptual formats take place here, which actually only deal with the topic and in a well-founded way, BFW is already something very special, which simply does not exist in the European context and also not with this history. 

Both 202030 and Estethica have set themselves the task of bringing together creative minds with a focus on sustainability/innovation via their platforms. Why is this type of communication between the different players in the industry so important?

Carina: You can only show what Berlin has to offer if you work together. In Berlin there are so many individual actors who can achieve a lot together. But for this, the conversation about sustainability does not have to take place in parallel but at one table. This way we can all work in one direction and drive positive change faster.

Max: We see this kind of communication - thinking freely, openly, creatively, even joyfully, and not simply evaluating the many challenges before us negatively, but tackling them and positively finding and implementing new solutions - as a very important basis for finally getting fundamental actions against climate change off the ground in this decade, which is so important. We see this communication of bringing together, but also of inspiring in the process and not only aligning ourselves with the facts, but also building positive visions and passions, as particularly important. With the idea of the "New European Bauhaus", the EU has emphasized that the cultural and creative industries play an important role in implementing sustainability in the coming years.

Has the cooperation on an (inter)national level in your own network changed as a result of the ongoing Ukraine conflict? If so, to what extent?

Carina: Yes, we quickly organized support with our network. We understand fashion as a mirror of society, which is why it is all the more important to respond to current events and not ignore them. This season we have worked with 4 Ukrainian designers and have now set up a mentoring program that will enable them to get more into the retail space. We have also networked them with photographers, consultants and other contacts from the scene and support them as best we can with logistics, production and sourcing problems so that they can continue their companies in the long term.

This isn't the first time you've been a BFW partner. What makes it so unique and what are you particularly looking forward to?

Carina: It's nice for us to see how the individual actors meet and how the formats continuously develop and deepen. The Berlin Fashion Week strengthens the cooperation among each other and we have built up a network that works together in the long term. Since the density of high fashion brands is not that high in Berlin, formats such as Estethica can also be used very well and expanded in the future.

Magdalena: The BFW lives from the many independent and avant-garde formats, but also from the very strong focus on sustainability, which is also presented here in other formats in addition to the 202030 - The Berlin Fashion Summit. The Esthetica presentation, which is now taking place as part of the Summit, but also in the classic formats, the topics are shown, discussed and great designers are put in the spotlight. That's what I'm also looking forward to and to the really great networking events that are organized by the Fashion Council, also supported by the Senate Department, because it's precisely at these networking events, like the Summit is in the end, and in the personal conversations, in the personal exchange that new connections, ideas and also new collaborations are created in the end and that's also important when you think about how business works. Business is also a kind of cooperation and a kind of collaboration, and it is important to support this and to provide the spaces and platforms for it so that it can happen well and fruitfully. When I look back at the history of BFW, I think that Fashion Week has changed a lot over the Corona period and the non-occurrence of the big trade fairs, and has taken on a new direction. On the one hand, other topics have moved into the foreground, where the foundations had already been laid, so to speak. So the fashion tech topic was already there before and was then played on again, also through presentations in the Metaverse, the topic of sustainability, of course, but also the promotion of young talents has moved more into the foreground, which I personally like very much and overall the BFW has also gained even more of an avant-garde touch or appearance. I personally find that very exciting as well. Also how the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week has evolved. I am now looking forward to discovering a new location. The Alte Telegrafenamt is well known for the clubs that have already taken place there. As someone who has lived in Berlin for a long time, I am of course familiar with such places from other contexts, which is of course always nice when you see them played with in a new way again. And I think that the collaboration has also taken on a different quality. We are better networked, there is more exchange, and you also notice that the topic resonates with others and that problems and the big questions of our time can only be tackled together. 

How has BFW changed in recent years? And how is the cooperation with the other partners, such as between you and also e.g. with MBFW?

Carina: A few seasons ago there were far fewer sustainability panels and discussions at Berlin Fashion Week. In the meantime, the topic is getting a lot more attention and the exchange about a more environmentally friendly and fairer fashion industry is becoming more and more intensive. Sustainability has meanwhile become an integral part of fashion week and will be even more important in the future.

What are your expectations and wishes for the future of BFW?

Carina: Above all, we wish that we have a uniform location that is a permanent home for Berlin Fashion Week and that this also takes place at the same time. The fragmentation of events makes it harder to bring all stakeholders together. We need exactly this one place where we as an industry can work together on solutions. In addition to our previous partners, we are very open to new collaborations that help us to advance the visibility of the individual labels.

Magdalena: I hope and wish for the BFW that it finds its way back to greater international appeal, but also that what has now developed in the Corona crisis is not lost. 
So if Berlin before Corona was also strongly characterized by the business trade shows, I find that what has since been added to smaller (creative) independent formats, avant-garde designers, the Fashion Week, which takes place in the city, with the Studio2Retail concept and the high-quality networking events that take place - all of this should please be further strengthened and carried even larger to the outside and of course sustainability should be the big theme and also the USP for the Berlin Fashion Week. It is laid out here, also by the fact that we have done events on the topic here for many years, it is really part of the identity and an authentic orientation of the whole BFW. I think there are also ideas on how we can continue to work strategically with Fashion Week and we would be very happy to stay in contact and exchange ideas. 

BFW is committed to sustainability. Do you see that your formats are at least being heard by industry representatives? Are there any results/formats/cooperations that may have arisen from 202030 and Estethica?

Carina: Industry representatives have clearly heard us. In addition to experts, the public is also involved. It was important to us to include them right from the start, because the consumer determines what is on offer and it is therefore a very relevant target group for us. We are also very happy with Estethica and Fashion Revolution Germany to be among the first members of VORN - The Berlin Fashion Hub and will celebrate this together at Berlin Fashion Week.

Max: In any case, we see that the signals on the topic of sustainability, which are also coming out of Berlin Fashion Week from various corners, are being heard. It is classically difficult, especially for the German-speaking textile and fashion industry, which is very conservatively positioned on many levels, very focused on retail, on volumes and rather basics, i.e. less an emotionalized fashion market and often more a pragmatic clothing market, to have an impact on this market. But the time is ripe for this. You can see from the framework conditions that are also being translated into new regulations and laws on a very large scale, such as the EU textile strategy, that this is naturally also building up pressure. You can also see that the industry has now simply realized that this is actually the only way forward for them. There is still a great deal of uncertainty about how, above all, how the necessary investments can be made over the next few years, but there is actually no longer any doubt that sustainable development is necessary. Whether there are concrete results from the 202030 - Summit or Estethica is difficult to judge, but the talks have completely turned around. We have much easier access to speakers and representatives of companies in Germany, but also worldwide, who deal with these issues. So, demand and urgency within the industry have advanced significantly. And we assume that we will be able to manifest significantly more cooperation with industry in the next 2 seasons. That what has so far taken place more in background discussions, can then, ideally, already see concrete formats for Berlin Fashion Week in January 2023.

Where do you still see extreme potential and need for action? What has developed positively in recent years?

Carina: We see a need for action above all in international communication in order to sharpen our identity as a fashion week recognized worldwide and to present a uniform image. The eco-fashion topic hits the zeitgeist, but we still have to act more actively so that we can meet the climate targets.

Max: In any case, we see that the signals on the topic of sustainability, which are also coming out of Berlin Fashion Week from various corners, are being heard. It is classically difficult, especially for the German-speaking textile and fashion industry, which is very conservatively positioned on many levels, very focused on retail, on volumes and rather basics, i.e. less an emotionalized fashion market and often more a pragmatic clothing market, to have an impact on this market. But the time is ripe for this. You can see from the framework conditions that are also being translated into new regulations and laws on a very large scale, such as the EU textile strategy, that this is naturally also building up pressure. You can also see that the industry has now simply realized that this is actually the only way forward for them. There is still a great deal of uncertainty about how, above all, how the necessary investments can be made over the next few years, but there is actually no longer any doubt that sustainable development is necessary. Whether there are concrete results from the 202030 - Summit or Estethica is difficult to judge, but the talks have completely turned around. We have much easier access to speakers and representatives of companies in Germany, but also worldwide, who deal with these issues. So, demand and urgency within the industry have advanced significantly. And we assume that we will be able to manifest significantly more cooperation with industry in the next 2 seasons. That what has so far taken place more in background discussions, can then, ideally, already see concrete formats for Berlin Fashion Week in January 2023.

Which trends in sustainable fashion should we focus even more on in the future? What challenges do you see?

Carina: Collaboration, inclusion, diversity and ACTION. One of the most important topics is not just to talk about future topics, but to do business. Although when it comes to these topics, I would rather speak less of trends that come and go and more of social developments that are long overdue.

Magdalena: I am always reluctant to talk about trends when it comes to sustainability, because it's a development that simply can't be stopped and is urgently needed. The way trends pop up and then disappear again should not and must not happen for the topic of sustainability, not even for the various aspects of it. There are, of course, developments in the field of sustainability where some aspects are coming more into focus and one could possibly say that there is a trend. At the moment, the discussion is very much centered on the topic of circularity. There is a lot of discussion in the industry about this and how to get raw materials back into the real cycle against the background that we know that about 1% of materials are recycled. That is simply nothing. The second topic, which is also coming more to the fore again and is also (always) quite important, is social conditions. Large organizations have been talking about this for more than 60 years; the fair trade movement is actually that old, but of course there are also movements coming in through legislation, for example here in Germany. We still see other issues in the area of digitalization of brands. This is a very large and innovative area, because there is also great sustainability potential in the digitalization of supply chains and, of course, the question: What does the topic of sustainability and also social, cultural sustainability actually mean in the metaverse? What is that actually? How do you take hold of that in the digital space? This is a continuation or mapping of our societies and lifestyles in the real world as well. That means it will also spread even more in the digital space, and here, too, it's worth considering criteria and behaviors that go hand in hand with the issue of sustainability. 

The challenges are the same. After all, we now live in a business-oriented, capitalist society. That means that the big goal is to make money with the fashion industry, and that is also our goal. Fashion should have a positive impact, and it does, because if it works well in business terms, it gives many people a good salary and simply provides them with a livelihood. That is precisely the goal, which is why the three pillars of ecological, social and economic sustainability have been defined. We are also adding cultural sustainability, because this pillar of sustainability is also needed to implement the many rules, thoughts and ideas. The great challenge will be to organize cooperation. Because even if we know that it is important and that major problems can be solved better together, it is still not easy; not even in the communication culture. And that's where it simply needs support. It takes platforms to see each other, but also guided discourse with each other. 

And finally, what's next? What can we look forward to from you - as part of Berlin Fashion Week in September 2022? What would you like to achieve in the next few years?

Carina: Next week we will show Estethica Upcycling Lab, Estethica exhibition 'What lies ahead' at 202030 Summit and presentation 'In Solidarity' with focus on our 4 Ukrainian brands. There will also be exciting Estethica Talks together with our partners 202030 Summit, MBFW and Pool. These different formats are aimed on the one hand at specialist audiences but also on the interested public. The complete program can be found at www.estethica.com. We look forward to numerous registrations and to getting to know you personally on this occasion.

Magdalena: Next up, of course, is the 202030 - The Berlin Fashion Summit as part of Berlin Fashion Week next week. Here we have invited almost 50 speaker:inside to talk about the question "How do we reach fashion with a positive impact?". We have a track where we present novel materials. It's also again about the digital world and how sustainability manifests itself in the digital space and also many aspects of modern collaboration. 
In this track there are also two exhibitions; one is the Esthetica exhibition "Esthetica Rooms" where young sustainable talents will be exhibited (on display), and the "All Goods" exhibition where five Dutch innovators will present great new materials and technologies. And last but not least, there is also "The Berlin Fashion Hub", a networking reception where the team of "Forn - The Berlin Fashion Hub" will give an update on this important project, which we will report more about at a later date. This is something we are very much looking forward to and also to the further Fashion Weeks with initiatives on the topics of fashion, sustainability, innovation and digitalization, to anchor them and communicate them loudly to the outside world. 

Thank you for the exciting interview!