Thomas Hanisch

ABOUT THE BRAND

Founded in 2013 after graduating from ESMOD Berlin, the label Thomas Hanisch quickly gained attention with two standout shows at Berlin Fashion Week. Known for bold, made-to-measure couture and sculptural, avant-garde silhouettes, the brand has dressed international icons like Lady Gaga. After years of working behind the scenes with private clients and building a distinctive creative language, this season marks a powerful comeback — a return to the runway with stronger vision, deeper emotion, and a renewed drive to push the boundaries of what fashion can be.

ABOUT THE COLLECTION

Thomas Hanisch celebrates his runway comeback after ten years and presents “Exos”, a collection inspired by nature and the animal kingdom. He is particularly interested in their protective mechanisms – such as horns, feathers, shells, and organic textures – which he uses as a starting point and translates onto a societal level: as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, protection is an everyday concern. The collection understands protection not as retreat, but as an active stance. The silhouettes, materials, and surfaces create a visual armor by enveloping, strengthening, and simultaneously making the wearer visible. Recycled leather from secondhand coats and jackets forms the foundation of the collection, while faux fur creates tactile contrasts. 3D-printed accessories appear futuristic and shield-like. Recycled plastic is used to create the illusion of feathers. The silhouettes are opulent and reference historical elements from the 17th and 18th centuries. Volume is shifted, exaggerated, and distorted to provoke a deliberate “deformation” of the body, challenging normative ideals of beauty and proportion. The overall aim is to show that protection and standing out visually are not contradictory, but can become a form of empowerment.

All images are available at the official Berlin Fashion Week MEDIA HUB.