Jury-Voices: “Berlin lives and breathes fashion!”

© Maxine Stiller
© Maxine Stiller

Berlin Fashion Week is not merely a showcase of garments; it is a reflection of the city's vibrant culture, creativity, and the collaborative spirit that defines its fashion landscape. Renowned fashion experts from Germany, who served as jury members for the Berlin Contemporary and Studio2Retail competitions, share their insights on what makes Berlin Fashion Week and its protagonists truly exceptional.

What does Berlin Fashion Week stand for? 

“Berlin as a city has a very distinct culture, strongly influenced by its many international and diverse residents. Great young designers who are driven by their passion for bringing their ideas to live. This is reflected in Berlin’s and not only Berlin’s but German’s fashion of today. It is a very warm and collaborative spirit and I have the feeling that we are all working on a new movement together. For me it stands for freedom and self-expression.” 

Christiane Arp, Chairwoman of the board of Fashion Council Germany (Jury Member Berlin Contemporary)

What defines the Berlin style? 

“Berlin's style is very free and I wanna call it 'real' - we mix and match and include vintage like not many other cities. It feels very forward-thinking now while it seemed oldfashioned a few years back.”

Herbert Hofmann, VP Creative & Buying, Highsnobiety (Jury Member Studio2Retail)

What is special about the designer mix in February 2024?

“It was fantastic to see the originality in the design submissions for 2024. Rather than conforming to accepted norms of creating collections, the designers are starting with their values and using their creative voice to demonstrate identity, aesthetics, and spectacle in awe-inspiring ways. Berlin Contemporary brands stand for authenticity, equity, creativity and care.”

Dilys Williams, Director, Centre for Sustainable Fashion (Jury Member Berlin Contemporary)

Why is fashion the perfect fit for Berlin?

“Berlin is considered a hub for creativity and artistic expression. Berlin has a thing for being edgy and unconventional in its fashion choices.”

Marvin Mario, Content Creator and Stylist (Jury Member Studio2Retail)

What makes the Berlin Fashion Week so unique?

Berlin Fashion Week is unique because it focuses on emerging talent, more than any other big fashion week. It’s also unique because of its laid-back, cool, and friendly vibe.
Berlin lives and breathes fashion!”

Dries Vriesacker, Co-Founder and Creative Director ENFNTS TERRIBLES Magazine (Jury Member Studio2Retail)