BERLIN FASHION WEEK 2019
Thanks to all the brands for their hospitality during my visit.
Berlin Fashion Week 2019 was a turning point for ‘If Not Now Then When?’ as it focused on a completely different field of design. INNTW was born through the desire to break down barriers and bring creatives together, therefore it was a natural step to open the platform to other creatives. The current areas of focus are interior design, architecture and furniture design, however following Katie Greenyer’s talk at the November 2018 event I realised the potential for 2019.
Berlin Fashion Week was a strategic first move towards fashion as this city is well known for being youthful, fresh and forward thinking. I aimed to meet young creatives to see whether INNTW could be a useful tool for them. Additionally, I also hoped to learn more about the current push towards sustainability and how it has influenced this creative industry. Is it just a current ‘hot topic’ or does the passion for sustainability really have depth? Obviously, I was looking to discover the latter!
Welcome to the urban jungle that is my spirit city, the beautiful and brutal Berlin!
INNTW was invited by ‘Premium Group’ to attend a number of trade shows all with slightly different focuses within the fashion industry. ‘Show and Order X Premium’ and ‘Seek’ focus on brands and retailers and it was a real pleasure speaking with the designers in particular. We talked about their ambitions and how they aim to differentiate themselves in order to stand out in a highly competitive industry.
‘Fashion Tech’ is a show that looks towards the future with particular focus on technology and how it influences design. It was great to get involved with interactive installations and to hear more about how technology can support a creative business. Technology can not only be used for the development of a final ‘product’, it also allows creatives to fully research their client requirements and outside influences that may impact their business. For instance, if you aim to create a sustainable product, it’s incredibly important to be able to research your supply chain to ensure that what you’re telling clients is accurate. The focus on technology and its ability to support design reminded me of the work by a number of Japanese designers on show during Milan Design Week. I hope that technology advancements will further connect the globe in order to help us work together for a more sustainable future.
INNTW attended Berlin Fashion Week alongside ‘Ugly Dot’, an eco-conscious and budget friendly fashion brand. In order to gain a better understanding of ‘Ugly Dot’ I decided to interview them…
HOW IS ‘UGLY DOT’ DIFFERENT?
We wanted to bring back to the consumer imperfection, sustainability but also simplicity, a breath of fresh air, and a sense of going back to basics. We quickly realised the overwhelming amount of sustainability information the consumer has and how hard it is to find what is out there. Also, we noted how many people feel paralysed by trying to be perfectly sustainable.
WHAT IS THE GOAL?
This resonated with our brand and so we decided to go back to basics once more and create a simple website where people can learn, gather and share information on sustainable products/events/people/places without the pressure of having to be perfect all the time. We think it’s better to do better and not perfect.
WHY DID YOU START THE BRAND?
Ugly Dot is the brainchild of three Portuguese friends. We realised that things were becoming too perfect, sterile, filled with filters and with focus on making quick money rather than long term sustainability. While these thoughts were running through our minds, we drew a big circle. An imperfect, rough, quick, circle and so Ugly Dot was born.
WHAT DID YOU LEARN AND GAIN FROM BERLIN FASHION WEEK?
We learned that the sustainability aspect of Berlin Fashion Week was focused on the brands and the materials/methods they use to create their clothes, but then the organisation had a lack of simple sustainable practices at their events. We were given plastic cups and straws, and then with a sudden change of weather we were given disposable plastic ponchos. One thing we would have advised would be using a biodegradable poncho, metal straws and metal cups. We enjoyed the Berlin Fashion Week very much but wish to see these small things implemented in the future.
It was a pleasure to meet with Thimm Hoth during Berlin Fashion Week. Hoth kindly took the time to talk INNTW through his collection and key influences. He was an enthusiastic and inspiring designer who clearly lived and breathed his work. Inspired by the minimalistic design style of the Bauhaus, Hoth used sharp cuts, geometrical patterns and straight lines within his designs. INNTW was very interested in the way that creative industries can influence each other, and it reinforced the need for fluidity within creative industries. As soon as a door is shut to one, there is a barrier for creativity to grow. Berlin is a great city as it has the buzz of creativity but without the same price tag that comes with similar locations such as London and New York. This results in the ability for creatives to test new ideas without the same concerns about the consequences of failure.
It was an honour to attend this year’s ‘Fashion Week Finals’ and to meet such an eclectic mix of design enthusiasts and influencers. Located in the Haubentaucher, an urban venue in the Friedrichshain district of Berlin, the outdoor pool became the focal point with the runway located in the centre. INNTW would like to thank Cocaine Models for the invitation to see brands such as ‘Nil & Mon’ and ‘Lin Art Project’ showcase their designs. The show predominantly focused on streetwear and urban fashion that was fun and didn’t take itself too seriously.
It was interesting to note that there was a significant turn in the weather, and this resulted in all guests being given plastic raincoats to protect themselves. Although the runway was focused on sustainability, it felt wrong to be a spectator draped in disposable plastic. I think this was a perfect example of how far we have to go to ensure that single-use plastic is the same as smoking a cigarette indoors. Step one is bringing light to the issue and step two is making sure that everyone makes an active change to their lifestyle.
FWF photography is by and the property of Posh Foto | @posh_foto
During our time at the show we met with a number of creatives, most notably Unicat, a music duo who we hope to see perform next time we visit Berlin!
In summary, INNTW thoroughly enjoyed being part of this side of the design industry. It was a fresh look at how other design industries work and how people connect together. It was refreshing to encounter such an open and fun group of musicians, fashion designers, models and more. It was even greater to see that INNTW may have the opportunity of hosting an event in Berlin in the future too.
Special thanks to www.fashion-week-berlin.com
