Dandy Diary’s Carlo Jakob Haupt and David Kurt Karl Roth. Copyright Paul Aidan Perry, 2014
Internationally renowned bloggers Dandy Diary are bored with Berlin fashion. They declared at the last Berlin fashion week that there were only a couple of shows they wanted to see, and even those would be better off showing in other countries. Rather than making empty complaints, the pair decided to do something to expand the remit of the fashion scene as they see it. Their five-day-long series of invitation-only events, April 7-11, named “#dandydiaryspace” (hashtagged for maximum effect #bloggers), hosts events from all corners of the cultural spectrum, showcasing fashion’s influence beyond the biannual white tent.
The opening event was an exhibition of Hood By Air collaborator and photographer Kevin Amato, plus the launch of limited edition collection of HBA x Kevin Amato shirts. Sleek dropped by the space and readied its hashtags to talk to Amato and the bloggers about international subcultures, sensitive streetwear and, of course, whether or not Berlin is “over”…
Sleek: Why did you decide to set up #dandydiaryspace? Dandy Diary/Jakob: Well, mostly because we were a bit bored. We always see so many cool things when we travel around, but it’s not the same here in Berlin. We decided that we couldn’t complain if we can’t do it better. We do a party for Fashion week, but in between, fashion isn’t really there in Berlin. We wanted to do something out of that schedule.
Dandy Diary/David: Our goal with #dandydiaryspace is not only fashion, but also other cultural aspects like music and art. We also wanted to bring an international flavour to Berlin, for example with the Paris avant-garde streetwear label ASSK who are doing an installation here on Thursday.
S: It seems like you have chosen events with on streetwear in particular. Why is this area particularly suited to Berlin? J: New York is leading the world in streetwear. The whole trend started by the Hood By Air crew is huge now. If you want to have a contemporary approach to fashion now you have to include them.
KA: But actually, this isn’t just streetwear, it’s something new. It’s not hip-hop, pavement-stomping New York Street style. It’s more sensitive and intimate. Germany and Europe in general get it, but Americans hate me.
S: Why do you think Europeans are more attracted to your work? KA: I hope to find out!
DD/J: I think it’s authentic and real. It’s rough, and straight with you.
DD/D: His photographs say a lot about the world he’s living in, in the private intimate environment where these people are living.
S: How did you decide to do this collaboration with Hood By Air, Kevin, and then launch it here? KA: Well I’ve been working with Shayne [Oliver, from HBA] since about 2006 on the visuals, casting and photography of his fashion label. It was never put in stone, but just an organic thing that naturally happened between best friends. It evolved almost as a movement, alongside musicians like Mykki Blanco and Princess Nokia.
DD: We met Kevin in London, after the Kokon To Zai show, but we have also all worked with Brooke Candy, so everyone is really connected.
Kevin Amato. Copyright Paul Aidan Perry, 2014
S: It’s interesting that the scene is so internationally spread out, even though it might appear to be quite NYC-centric. KA: Absolutely. London has made a huge transition with streetwear that’s made it spread all over Europe. Instagram and Tumblr are also really important.
DD/D: That’s the things about subcultures and tribes of today – even if you’re spread out over the whole world, you can still see what everyone else is doing through social media.
S: Dandy Diary, do you think this is what makes you particularly tired of Berlin? DD/J: Yes, definitely. Berlin is disappearing. All the good, promising designers from Berlin go abroad. They try to get away!
DD/D: Or they show here but they don’t sell here anymore – you just get the feeling this place is going down. Berlin is urban, it has a massive nightlife and rough, real stuff, but the fashion elite want to have this glamorous world. Basically, the fashion here doesn’t represent what the city is about.