Photography by Laura Scheffer.
School may be out for summer, but we asked the fashion students from Berlin’s Universität der Künste about what it’s really like creating in Berlin, what they have planned afterwards and how the weird and wonderful quirks of the city shape the way they view fashion.
Tim Süßbauer, 23, Germany — I hate my birthday, I hate my parents and I do drugs / That’s what he(gel) said
Who is the most-stylish person you’ve ever seen in Berlin? A guy in my neighbourhood. I see him from time to time on the street or in the subway – always dressed on point.
Will you be staying here? I don’t really see myself in Berlin long-term. The fashion industry here is too small and doesn’t focus on traditional craftsmanship like in Milan or Paris.
What will you miss about Berlin? The people and places have their own energy – which you can’t really find in any other European city. The diversity of people and styles combined with acceptance and tolerance is great.
Alessandro Gentile, 25, Italy — Psychedelic Beatcore
Where do you find inspiration in Berlin? The diversity of this city is what most inspires me. To see how freely people here live reminds me of the infinite ways of expressing oneself thought clothes.
What’s the biggest distraction in the city? I care a lot about my projects and seeing how much is going on in this city mostly just pushes me to do more. But if there is anything that can distract you in this city, it’s the clubs and parties.
Who is the most-stylish person you’ve ever seen in Berlin? The tall, bald bouncer at Kater Blau and Wilde Renate – I don’t know his name. To me, he looks like he can make fun of himself and be serious. He’s very polite, but also a “don´t-you-ever-try-to-fuck-with-me” kind of person, all at the same time.
Will you be staying here? I love this city, and my dream would be to put down roots here and have my own fashion label, being part of a positive change for the fashion industry. But I also want to see more of the world before that.
Dominik Musewitch, 22, Germany — HI, I’M HERMA / SpeedyShine
Where do you find inspiration in Berlin? In my collections, I am treating political or social subjects. I am trying to break down the binary fashion understanding of male and female, as distorted proportions in my outfits eliminate connotations concerning gender and which leads to a more playful handling of clothing. To get to a concrete concept, I need a lot of nights with friends, alcohol and discussion. These panels, where opinions, experiences, ideas, etc. get discussed, enable me to question existing conditions and make a statement with my work.
What’s the biggest distraction in the city? I do not have the feeling that anything could distract me.
Anything you’d like to add? Once, a great woman gave me a piece of advice which inspired me, and among other things, made me the person I am today. “If you have a plan A, everything is good. If you also have a plan B, your plan A is meant to not work out. So it is important that you always put 100% of your energy into plan A.”
Vi Nghiem Tuong, 24, Hungary — Conspicuous Performance
Where do you find inspiration in Berlin? In Berlin, very creative and very active people surround you. The art scene is quite experimental. I find it inspiring to see the possibility for collaboration and to have the space and support for new projects.
What’s the biggest distraction in the city? The biggest distraction is that the weekend starts on Thursday and then somehow lasts until the next Thursday.
Who is the most-stylish person you’ve ever seen in Berlin? Those women in yoga pants holding yoga mats in the middle of the day, during the week, and walking to class with a super smoothie in their hand.
Will you be staying here? I still have to learn a lot, and find my place in the industry. It is very hard to balance life and work – especially when you want to do your own thing or work for a small business. I have to think globally, but my wish would be to stay or to return to Berlin to pursue a career in fashion.
Anika Joy Braun, 21, Germany — It’s about a love story between a human and artificial intelligence
What’s the biggest distraction in the city? The biggest distraction is getting my life in order, while also going to university.
Who is the most-stylish person you’ve ever seen in Berlin? Frederik.
Will you be staying here? I‘m not thinking about leaving Berlin – for now, it’s the city I want to stay in.
Laudris Koehne, 23, Germany — When virtuality becomes reality
Where do you find inspiration in Berlin? Usually in the U-Bahn when I look around and start thinking about stuff that interests me.
What’s the biggest distraction in the city? Everything in the city can distract me, but actually it’s probably the best thing that can happen to me, because it allows me to let my thoughts fly around and stimulate my creativity by combining ideas which I would never combine, if I would be focused on one thing
Who is the most-stylish person you’ve ever seen in Berlin? Laura.
See more from the students’ collections below:
All photography by Laura Scheffer.