Another Fashion Week is coming to an end.
With shows over shows happening every day, take a look at SLEEK’s runway roundup.
Images Courtesy of Melisa Minca.
MELISA MINCA
Shoes. From floppy bows to heels all wrapped up with black duct tape, Melissa Minca brought much more than garments to her captivating show titled “In Recovery”. The audience was entranced before the first model set foot on the runway, looking around every corner of the venue, a rectangular courtyard covered in scaffolding, not knowing what was going to happen next. Once the show began, opening with one of the models folding themselves into a blanket on the floor at the front of the runway, where they stayed for the remainder of the show, the looks perfectly combined the performative ability of fashion with compelling silhouettes, allowing the clothes to transcend the boundaries of traditional fashion.
Images Courtesy of Bobkova.
BOBKOVA
Held at the striking Kronprinzenpalais, the Bobkova SS24 fashion show was a sea of flowers. Reflecting the high regard for nature in Ukrainian culture, as well as the designer’s love for gardening, the blush-y tones and cascading drapes in the collection mimic the unfolding of petals at the start of spring. The earrings and necklaces featured are delicate ceramics, handcrafted by a Ukrainian artisan, adorning the models in garlands of mallow flowers. The visible stitches and cuts in the garments emphasize the spirit of feminine strength that Bobkova captures.
Images Courtesy of Richert Beil.
RICHERT BEIL
Water sloshed across the floor of an ex-supermarket as the models for Richert Beil’s SS24 collection took to the runway, one with galoshes teeming with water. The array of strong footwear, along with the multiple textile experimentations featured in the garments aided in Richert Beil’s play on stereotypical gender roles. Many of the details such as pajama stripes and vintage horse gear were nods to the designer’s childhood. The progression of the looks spoke to the poetic ability of the brand, with the accessories such as bags made using books and pillows adding immensely to soft yet subversive choices made by the design team.
Images Courtesy of Milk of Lime.
MILK OF LIME
Milk of Lime brought the stars to this Berlin Fashion Week. Seated in a dimly lit planetarium, the audience was given the opportunity to be transported into the brand’s universe. Matted hair extensions and shredded fabric spoke to both the brutality and beauty of nature encompassed by the collection. Referencing the natural landscape, which is an ongoing inspiration for the brand who always looks to rural Germany and Belgium, the garments are one-of-a-kind.
Images Courtesy of Sia Arnika.
SIA ARNIKA
The models walked into the light. In six inch, metallic, butterfly wing heels, the models at Sia Arnika’s show walked out from behind a curtain and towards the glowing white light at the end of the runway. The fabrics were stark against this backdrop; with textile manipulation an integral part of the brand’s identity, it was only natural that the SS24 runway furthered staples seen in previous collections. Reflecting on the designer’s nordic roots, the collection also utilized colors such as bright baby blue and deep green to combine the modern and traditional from both her culture and life in Berlin.
Images Courtesy of WILLIAM FAN.
WILLIAM FAN
In collaboration with Mercedes-Benz, WILLIAM FAN revealed ‘CEREMONY’, a collection celebrating the celebration. From baptisms to weddings, family centered events are something highly valued to the brand’s designer, who grew up in Germany but has Asian roots. Exploring silhouettes with big volumes, as well as a large color palette inspired by the Pride flag, the garments are a commentary on Fan’s personal experiences and identity; the use of floral motifs throughout the collection are a note on the diversity of beauty.
Images Courtesy of SF1OG.
SF1OG
Light poured through the windows at the SF1OG show, giving the models an ethereal glow; dressed in neutral tones, they walked slowly around the venue, layered up in jackets, dresses, and bows. With elements like exposed basting stitches and silhouettes with emphasized shoulders, the pieces are a nostalgic nod to the designer’s time riding horses as a child. The influence of the countryside can also be seen throughout the collection and in the accessories which feature wooden and metal trinkets. Playing on the label’s genderless approach to design, the garment’s intricate forms accompanied by good styling made for expressive and eye catching looks.
Images Courtesy of RIANNA + NINA.
Having started out as a small boutique in Berlin, RIANNA + NINA revealed their SS24 collection, demonstrating the label’s identity. With the use of carefully sourced vintage fabrics and attention to detail, the designers created loose, flowing silhouettes perfect for the summer season. It is clear to see the love for textiles and vintage art within the garments, each of which are collectors’ pieces. Within the collection, lace and florals cascade down long dressed and along hems of jackets. Targeting clients who are done buying into the mass market luxury, the one-of-a-kind looks tell tales of the past in a contemporary light.
Images Courtesy of AVENIR.
AVENIR
Defying gender norms with meters of hair extensions, AVENIR’s SS24 collection titled ‘Synthesis’ delves into the divides societal gender roles have created by first examining something that unites us all: body hair. This intimate subject allowed the brand to blur the boundaries of femininity, placing the audience in a space of unease as they took in shoes and shirts spilling with artificial hair; this also created a feeling of sameness. The recycled materials used to make the collection including denim and shirting fabric were a reference to the liberation of women; the way in which the models held themselves as the walked down the runway was with an unquestionable air of confidence, and clothes embody this feeling, in a way, of a satirical, prophesied last laugh at gender-based oppression.
Images Courtesy of Namilia.
NAMILIA
A choir sang Handel’s Hallelujah as the audience cheered at the figures dressing in mourning attire at Kronprinzpalais; adorned in lingerie, crosses and rhinestones, both the models and the crowd were set to attend the funeral of a sugar daddy. The theme of Namilia’s SS24 fashion show, ‘In Loving Memory of My Sugar Daddy’, delivered exactly the type of over-the-top drama one would expect. If they were tired from the long week of running from show to show, this funeral zapped some life into guests, with people dancing in their seats to the techno beats which the first models walked out to. The show left attendees longing to get glammed up, shed some fake tears, and pick up a big check; unfortunately for them, no sugar daddies were harmed in the making of the show. Tragic.
Images Courtesy of Litkovska.
LITKOVSKA
Litkovska’s ‘On Air’ doesn’t represent the light and the delicate, but rather the strength one feels when they are feeling good in their outfit. Working with cut-outs and re-structuring traditional garments, the collection spotlights the importance of self-empowerment. The jewelry, which nodded to the shepherds of the Carpathian Mountains and their traditions, added another element of refinement to the looks. Acting as a representation of modern Ukrainian fashion, the label’s high standards of craftsmanship allows for a graceful delivery of their everyday luxury-wear.
Images Courtesy fo Olivia Ballard.
OLIVIA BALLARD
Known for always staying on the cutting edge of Berlin style, Olivia Ballard furthers her established narrative, exploring the body, with her latest collection. The label has become ingrained into both the fashion and nightlife scenes in Berlin, but for the designer, these often overstimulating worlds don’t effect the meditation that is her creative process. The fabrics featured in show, wrinkled through the use of textile manipulations and draped in intricate folds across the models’ bodies, distorted the human form, intriguing the audience.
Images Courtesy of Haderlump.
HADERLUMP
Revolving around a mock-up atelier, the Haderlump SS24 runway removed typical notions of what an upcycled collection has to be from their garments. Adding metallic fixtures to well-known streetwear silhouettes, the label worked with used materials to create something entirely unique. One of the best venues of the week, the industrial setting’s wall to wall concrete emphasized the clean structure of the pieces. Inspired by the designer’s love of building as a child, this collection celebrated the efforts that go into making each garment, with all of the members of the team walking out at the end of the show.
Images Courtesy of Clara Colette Miramon.
CLARA COLETTE MIRAMON
In the label’s first presentation, Clara Colette Miramon showcased her new collection all the frills that come with it. For the untraditional girly-girl, the playful garments included tanks, knits, and puffers. Bows decorated many of the pieces, which were all lacy or lace-up. In pastel, candy-like shades, the models walked over a white fluffy carpet. Always drawing inspiration from subculture and pop culture, the designer considers womanhood and interprets it through her own lens.