It was founded in 2019 by Kristian Jarmuschek to provide a new context and platform for viewing work by avant-garde brands operating at the intersection of fashion and art. This year’s selection of twenty Berlin-based labels was curated by Diandra Donecker (Villa Grisebach) and our very own Dao Tran. It showcases design from an art approach and positions fashion as wearable art, highlighting innovative materials, artisanal practices, and a sociocultural perspective.

From genre-defining icons like Esther Perbandt (Queen of Black), Fiona Bennett (Queen of Hats), and Claudia Skoda (Queen of Knitwear), to bold newcomers dressing Lady Gaga, Maximilian Gedra and Selva, these brands push the boundaries of how we view fashion and explore new possibilities. Selva’s work welded from upcycled car parts and Maximilian Gedra’s dress meticulously hand-made of 35,000 discarded buttons address fashion’s waste problem with a futuristic vision, while Plaid-à-Porter and Marie-Louise Müller do so by reviving heritage textiles and traditional techniques. Nadine Aurin confronts domestic violence and the gender roles and power structures that support it, Lilian Brade’s subversive work challenges taboos and traditional notions of beauty and femininity, while Danny Reinke stages a metaphor for consumer desire with an installation titled The Hunt, in pursuit of the mythical unicorn.

There’s a great opportunity at the on-site FASHION PASSION SHOP, featuring exclusive pieces from the participating labels (see complete list below). As FASHION POSITIONS puts it: Collect fashion, wear art.
There is also a special exhibit of Caroline Kynast’s photographic series titled MÄNNERSACHE, which explores masculinity as performance and creative construct.

For everyone who is lamenting the death of creativity in fashion, come see Berlin’s most cutting-edge independent labels at FASHION POSITIONS. One red thread between the selected brands includes the practice of slow fashion and a made-to-order approach. Where fashion meets art is craftsmanship, resulting in unique pieces born of artistic intent and created by artists’ hands. Not only is this a more responsible way to produce, it could also be a more responsible way to consume: when you think of buying fashion like buying art, and build a wardrobe like you would build a collection.

Participating Labels 2025:
ALEXANDER GIGL
CBUI
CLAUDIA SKODA
CRUBA
DANNY REINKE
ELODIE CARSTENSEN
ESTHER PERBANDT
FIONA BENNETT