At some point, the things we used to find old-fashioned started to intrigue us again. Floral upholstery that could have come straight from our grandparents’ living rooms is appearing on runways, someone seems to have brought a digital camera to every party, while vinyl records are actually being played again rather than left to gather dust on a shelf. The funny part is that nobody really had to convince us any of it was cool again, because somewhere along the way, as everyday life became increasingly digital, we simply started to long for anything that reminded us of living again.
And it’s not necessarily about wanting to live in the past. What seems to draw us back is everything that comes with it: the grain of an imperfect photograph, the ritual of turning a record halfway through an album, or the traces of another life found in a vintage piece. Even an old floral sofa suddenly has its charm precisely because it has already been around for a while. We are letting things show their age again and, more importantly, appreciating them for it. Rather than buying something new simply because it resembles the past, there is something far more appealing about finding, keeping and rediscovering things that already come with a sense of nostalgia.
Courtesy of LIEBESKIND Berlin.
Photographer and content creator Melanie Kieback, better known as Vanellimelli, has made this appreciation for vintage part of her visual language. A long-time collector with an eye for objects that have already lived a little, she brings that sensibility to From Berlin with Love – Mel’s Edit, her new campaign with LIEBESKIND BERLIN. Fittingly, it takes us to a Berlin Schrebergarten. These little garden plots have been part of German city culture for well over a century and remain particularly characteristic of Berlin, filled with sheds, flower beds, outdoor furniture and belongings accumulated over years. Time seems to move a little slower here, which is precisely part of their appeal. Once carrying a rather uncool, suburban reputation, Schrebergärten are being appreciated again for all the character they have kept along the way. Between overflowing flowers, clashing upholstery and a tiny old television, the campaign taps into that feeling without turning the setting into a retro stage set. Very little looks as though it was chosen because it belongs together, yet somehow it does.
Handbags might be the perfect example of how some things only become more beautiful with time. The ones we keep rarely look exactly as they did when we bought them, as leather softens, develops its own patina, corners wear in and old receipts inevitably disappear into some forgotten pocket. The longer we carry them, the more they become tied to particular places, days and memories. A good bag moves between wardrobes, jobs, cities and different versions of ourselves, often looking better once it no longer feels completely untouched. Two familiar LIEBESKIND BERLIN silhouettes therefore make a natural fit for Mel’s Edit, both returning this season without losing what made them recognisable in the first place.
Courtesy of LIEBESKIND Berlin.
Just in time for autumn, LIEBESKIND BERLIN is bringing back two familiar shapes for Mel’s Edit. Gloria II returns on 6 October in Satchel M and Satchel L, this time in glossy leather with a Two-Tone effect in Bordeaux, Olive and Roasted Coconut. There is plenty of room for a laptop and everything else a day might require, while adjustable sides, comfortable handles and the signature front pocket keep things practical. Kayla comes along in two sizes too, with the smaller Satchel S made for days when carrying half your life around is thankfully not necessary, and the roomier Kayla Original for those when it is. Its familiar zip detailing remains, joined by new seasonal shades including Roasted Coconut and Two-Tone Bordeaux. Both are classic enough to work with pretty much anything, although this might also be the season to wear them against all those florals, checks and nostalgic prints we have just fallen for again.
And really, there are worse times to rekindle things with an old favourite. Autumn brings coats back into rotation, weekends spent browsing flea markets and vintage shops, and that first stretch of colder evenings when cooking at home, putting on a record and settling in for the night starts sounding genuinely appealing again. A change of season usually makes us want to switch things up a little anyway, only this year that does not necessarily mean looking for the next new thing. It might be much more fun to look backwards, pull old favourites into the present and wear them differently, whether that means giving something already loved another life or taking a future classic out for its very first brunch. When everything around us is constantly rushing towards whatever comes next, finding new ways to love what already feels familiar might be exactly the kind of change we need.
From Berlin with Love – Mel’s Edit by LIEBESKIND BERLIN launches on 6 October 2026.