The format was organized by the Fashion Council Germany, aiming to offer an alternative to the traditional runway show – a space for expression, where designers could present their full creative vision in individually designed environments. A format that allowed for a completely new perspective on emerging talent. Numéro Berlin was on site and particularly impressed by two brands that should now be on your radar: DAGGER and Moritz Iden. Here, we introduce the two labels in short portraits.

DAGGER

Luke Rainy, founder of Berlin based streetwear label DAGGER, offered an intimate glimpse into his teenage years through his exhibition at RAUM.Berlin. His visual language was shaped by a small-town upbringing in Ireland, deeply influenced by the local skate scene and the imprint of financial hardship. As he puts it, “You’d maybe get one hoodie for your birthday if you were lucky, and then another one the next year. So your clothes would be very washed out, and you’d have holes in them — but you would love this hoodie to death.” This sense of attachment and worn-in authenticity is woven into his own designs. Each piece is meant to feel as though it has already lived a life, while still being a high-end product. We had a chat with him to get a deeper sense of his inspiration, background, and more.

MORITZ IDEN

Moritz Iden discovered the internet as a place of refuge at an early age. Digital aesthetics and the overwhelming abundance of communities and subcultures continue to shape his work to this day. We spoke with him about his inspirations, his aspirations, and the ways in which Berlin influences him.

CLARA COLETTE MIRAMON – CARE

Clara Colette Miramon’s show Care opened this year’s Berlin Spring/Summer Fashion Week. The collection explores care work — often carried out quietly, frequently overlooked, yet fundamentally essential.

“I started with the theme of hospitals and nurses from the 1960s. For me, that’s a metaphor for the emotional and physical labor women perform — in relationships, in their families, and to keep society running.”

A recurring motif in the collection is the spine, interpreted in multiple ways. The designer’s love of corsetry is clearly reflected in the use of orthopedic corsets, extensive lacing, and scoliosis braces.

“I find it super interesting to play with body shapes. I don’t think they symbolize oppression anymore. The woman I want to portray is very empowered — and part of that empowerment is being able to shape your body however you want.”

The show took place directly on Rosa-Luxemburg-Straße, right in front of the Volksbühne. Set against an installation of Pilates reformers and hospital beds, and featuring choreography by Franka Marlene Forth, the presentation offered a range of looks — from functional to strikingly poetic.

“The location made it possible to do a public show. Normally, our capacity is much smaller. I just think it’s really nice to be able to do this and help democratize Fashion Week a bit.”

LAURA GERTE – DESIRE/CHAOS

In her latest collection, Laura Gerte delivers a striking exploration of the dualities that define contemporary womanhood: pleasure and rage, decay and beauty, confidence and vulnerability.

“For me, these words perfectly describe what I call the feminine experience — living our lives in a constant state of emotional contrast, often shaped by the world around us. This isn’t a new phenomenon, but one that echoes throughout history.”

Known for her transformative designs that blend sustainability with bold self-expression, Gerte continues her investigation of empowered femininity through tactile contrasts and symbolic detail. Drawing inspiration from vanitas paintings, 17th-century dress, and 1970s punk, her collection is both emotionally resonant and visually daring.

Constructed from upcycled, recycled, and deadstock materials, the silhouettes shift between fluidity and constraint — a future-punk aesthetic grounded in emotional honesty. “While upcycling remains at the heart of my work, this season we explored new sustainable materials to bring the collection to life,” Gerte explains. “We used recycled and partially vegetable-dyed mesh from Italy, which allowed us to create ephemeral draping, alongside rigid toile canvas for an abstract interpretation of corsetry.”

Silk florals appear to bloom and wilt across distressed jerseys and sheer mesh. Corset-inspired canvas pieces are paired with raw edges, thick piping, and smocked silks — forming a visual and emotional metaphor for femininity as both armor and intimacy.

Creation, Gerte admits, is not always easy: “This season was especially challenging and filled with doubt — but that allowed me to unlock a deeper layer in my work. Being able to channel and transform that pain feels incredibly affirming.”

VANESSA BAERNTHOL – VENEER

For Spring/Summer 2026, Vanessa Baernthol unveils VENEER,  a sculptural, site-specific presentation exploring presence, power, and the architectural language of clothing. Held at our home & gallery space Schlachter 151 during Berlin Fashion Week, the immersive performance blurred boundaries between installation and movement, voice and form.

Models stood motionless across the space until a soundscape activated a choreographed rhythm of instinctive gestures. The experience extended to film, capturing the descent of figures down the monumental staircase of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, juxtaposing softness and control within the grandeur of neobaroque architecture. Layers become symbols of strength, folding and unfolding with subtle tension. The palette draws from sage, ash, and obscured blacks. A clear echo to stone, metal, and memory. Key silhouettes included ruched corsets, asymmetrical layering, naturally textured silks, and metal puncture artifacts crafted with Mean Goddess.

Every look whispered quiet authority: sculpted, grounded, yet in motion. With this collection, Baernthol continues to challenge the runway as format, proposing fashion as living structure; and power as presence, not performance.

MILK OF LIME – CHIME 

Milk of Lime returned to Berlin Fashion Week after winning this season’s Berlin Contemporary contest, presenting a poetically dark and romantic SS26 collection titled Chime. In their third runway show, Belgo-German design duo Julia Ballardt and Nico Verhaegen explored dreamlike themes with folkloric undertones — referencing birds, botany, and the quiet transformation of coming of age in rural spaces. Refined tailoring met raw edges, while elongated, floating silhouettes set an ethereal tone.

The brand remains deeply rooted in Germany’s rural southwest — and intentionally so. “Sometimes it’s more inspiring to work with what you have than to have everything at your disposal and end up doing nothing,” the designers say. This deliberate distance from fashion capitals allows Milk of Lime to stay true to its ethos: slow craft, local production, and the sincere use of natural materials.

“Fashion can be such a bubble, so it’s nice when no one cares and you’re just the weirdo in town doing these things,” as Nico Verhaegen puts it.

Throughout the lineup, fine silver bells subtly chimed — appearing as daisy-chain necklaces, field-picked bouquets, embroidered handbags, and cascading knotted tops — giving the collection both a visual and sonic identity. The interplay of sound and silhouette built steadily throughout the show, heightened by ambient background noise and the raw texture of the active construction site where it was staged. The result was a fully immersive experience: tactile, atmospheric, and emotionally resonant.

RICHERT BEIL – MILIEUSCHUTZ

With Milieuschutz, Richert Beil offers a thoughtful meditation on change, memory, and responsibility. Presented in their new Kreuzberg studio — a former 135-year-old pharmacy — the collection balances grounded precision with romantic poetry. Sharp tailoring remains a core element, softened by rose intarsia knits, handmade lace, and lingerie-inspired details. Traditional Tracht elements are reimagined in latex, while uniform silhouettes anchor the collection in cultural continuity.

But Milieuschutz is more than just aesthetics — it’s a manifesto. Borrowing its name from the German term for neighborhood protection laws, it becomes a metaphor for defending values and craftsmanship in an industry driven by speed and content. Richert Beil resists that pace with garments that carry weight, history, and care. In doing so, they remind us that fashion can still be about meaning — about holding space for slowness, process, and the quiet persistence of personal vision.

SIA ARNIKA – SUMMER TIME SADNESS

Sia Arnika’s latest collection, Summer Time Sadness, draws on nostalgic, personal memories of an endless summer feeling. The show is deliberately a little messy, carrying a lingering sense of misfit — but all of it is intentional.

The garments cling to the body like sweat, and the fabrics feel as if they have already lived through a summer. Satin, sheer mesh, soft pleats, and fishnets evoke the nostalgic intensity of long summer nights — moments that always feel especially vivid once they’ve passed. The youthful urge to escape childhood and grow up is reflected in colorful pieces combined with shrunken silhouettes.

All of this is set against a minimal yet harsh backdrop — an asphalt floor in a vast space lit by fluorescent lights. This contrast heightens the feeling of misfit and strangeness, making the clothing all the more desirable.

TIMBERLAND® x BALLETSHOFER – DRESS LIKE YOU MEAN DEPARTURE

At Berlin Tempelhof, BALLETSHOFER’s DRESS LIKE YOU MEAN DEPARTURE reimagined travelwear as a statement of intention. At the heart of the collection was the latest evolution of the brand’s collaboration with Timberland. What began with the tailored 3-Eye Authentic Boat Shoe in 2024 and progressed with last season’s elevated Moc Toe now arrives at its next refined chapter: a handcrafted Boat Shoe Mule in premium black leather, finished with BALLETSHOFER’s signature layered tongue in deep blue.

This shoe was more than a functional accessory — it embodied the collection’s ethos: classic construction, modern spirit, and movement with purpose. The garments mirrored this language. Sharp wool suiting, parachute-volume trench coats, and hybrid tracksuits fused tradition with innovation. BALLETSHOFER and Timberland are not just revisiting icons — they are shaping a vision where craftsmanship meets clarity.

In a culture defined by ease, this was a reminder: move with intention.

MARIE LUEDER – SLⱯY


Marie Lueder presented her S/S 26 collection SLⱯY during Intervention by Reference Studios, merging fashion, theatre, and myth. Inspired by the legend of Saint George and the Dragon, the collection reimagines the tale as a meditation on transformation and vulnerability. The dragon becomes a metaphor for power structures and internal fears, while the hero’s triumph comes not through violence, but through softness and change.

Tailoring is infused with symbolism: twisted jersey shields, talismanic fastenings, scorched textures, and armour-like silhouettes blur the line between protection and expression. Collaborations with Dye House Tintoria Emiliana, artist Eben Weile Kjaer, and movement and sound direction by Oscar Khan deepen the narrative. Custom UGG footwear, styling by Tati Cotliar, and a cast of actors and artists underscore the show’s hybrid, performative nature.

SLⱯY doesn’t offer resolution, but rather reflection — on what we fight, what protects us, and what we must shed in order to evolve.

DAVID KOMA – I LOVE DAVID

David Koma’s I LOVE DAVID is both a declaration and an exploration — a meditation on iconography, introspection, and modern masculinity. Presented during Intervention by Reference Studios, the collection unfolds as a triptych of references: the celebrity magnetism of David Beckham, the sculptural ideal of Michelangelo’s David, and the designer himself.

Low-rise distressed denim and shearling-lined leather outerwear nod to paparazzi-era bravado, while rhinestoned T-shirts riff on tabloid culture with winking self-awareness. Classical silhouettes are reimagined through draped tees and lace aprons, transforming the male body into a baroque canvas.

Koma’s signature tailoring returns, this time embellished with sequins, plexi discs, and hibiscus blooms rendered in couture-grade embroidery. Garters, belts, and brooches blur the line between utility and ornamentation.

One striking detail: flip-flops styled throughout, collapsing the boundary between polish and play, elegance and ease. Now in its third menswear season, the Koma man emerges more nuanced than ever — playful yet poised, tender yet self-assured.

HADERLUMP – EXLIBRIS

With Exlibris, Haderlump transformed the Haus der Visionäre into the opening page of a new narrative — a collection that treats clothing as personal emblems. Instead of chasing fleeting trends, this season focuses on lasting presence.

Sharp-shouldered jackets, laced blouses, and fluid skirts shape silhouettes that balance strength with quiet softness. Coarse linen, aged leather, and muted tones evoke the tactile charm of weathered books, while collaborations with Liebeskind and Caia Cosmetics bring the idea of individual authorship into the present.

Exlibris stands for garments that feel intentional, personal, and built to endure.

GMBH – IMITATION OF LIFE

With Imitation of Life, GmbH unveils its new SS26 collection at Berlin Fashion Week — a deeply personal tribute that pieces together fragments of childhood and family ties. Rather than surrendering to moral collapse or violence, the collection stands as a quiet act of survival — of holding onto tenderness amid the ruins.

Contrasting elements — sharp, uniform cuts paired with flowing, unrestrained silhouettes — blur the line between constraint and softness, creating looks that feel like small declarations of hope in restless times.

It’s a collection that reflects the process of working and living through a period marked by the most abject forms of horror and collapse — and the attempt to emerge on the other side.

SF1OG – SS26

With SS26, SF1OG ventures deep into the hidden corners of romance. On an abandoned construction site in West Berlin, creative director Rosa Dahl staged a collection that drifts between fragile longing and raw unraveling.

The fierce rush of teenage yearning collides with delicate craftsmanship, indie echoes, and subtle nods to the early 2000s. Lace, corsetry, and leather blend into silhouettes that feel both exposed and defiant — a tender rebellion clad in sharp seams and whispered memories.

OTTOLINGER – HEIDI

Heidi is your cooler, older sister. Ottolinger presents its Pre-Resort ’26 collection as part of Reference Studios’ intervention — marking a return to their hometown, Berlin, after several seasons in Paris. This is an ode to the kind of woman who’s lived fully, loved too hard, fallen harder, and learned how to rise without losing her softness. A rule-breaker, so you wouldn’t have to be afraid of breaking the rules yourself. She’s wild, wise, and impossible to pin down. If anyone embodied that energy, it was definitely Kim Petras strutting down the runway as the show’s opener.

Heidi represents what it means to lead with sisterhood. She shows you that strength doesn’t need to shout, that tenderness can be invincible, and that independence is a practice, not a performance. She’ll lend you the good jacket, the insight, the lip gloss — and teach you how to land when you fall.

It’s not about perfection. It’s about presence. Soft and sharp. Gentle and untouchable. This is womanhood.

COLRS – JUMPING FENCES

COLRS returns to Berlin Fashion Week with its Spring/Summer 2026 collection, presented as part of the NEWEST by Nowadays program. The show captures a moment of raw, romantic rebellion — inspired by teenage abandon, the thrill of crossing boundaries, and the feeling of freedom on hot summer days, both literal and emotional.

Hazy nostalgia and vintage Americana infuse the collection with the spirit of a sun-soaked, reckless summer: half-worn bleached denim and sun-faded textures, beat-up Vans, laughter in the heat, military canvas, and silkscreened motifs — all set to the sound of João Gilberto playing softly on a stereo. “You do it because you love it, and if you don’t do it with love then don’t do it at all, because then someone else can do it,” designer Zec Elie Meiré says.

GERRIT JACOB – GAME OVER 

Gerrit Jacob’s Collection 07, GAME OVER, confronts the brutal economics of creative survival. The myth of endless inspiration has vanished; what remains is burnout, disillusionment, and a fierce will to keep going. Money — not as power, but as pressure — becomes the collection’s central motif: distorted prints of 500-euro notes, 20-pound bills, and 5-dollar denominations bleed across denim, leather, and jersey. Wealth is no longer an aspiration — it’s exhaustion made visible.

Presented as a film installation in collaboration with director Simon Kounovsky and featuring a haunting voiceover by Coucou Chloe, GAME OVER blurs the line between beauty and breakdown. UV-lit, scattered with fake money and burnt-out avatars, the space becomes a dystopian stage.

In a world where value is fiction, Gerrit Jacob reminds us: creation is resistance.

IOANNES – BETTER GROW THORNS THAN THICKER SKIN

Ioannes’ latest collection, Better Grow Thorns Than Thicker Skin, explores how people often grow numb in times of uncertainty, leading to a loss of sensitivity. Founder and designer Johannes Boehl Cronau advocates for boundaries that remain reactive and alive, rather than shutting down. As he puts it, “The collection is born out of that paradox: how to stay soft and strong at once.”

Presented in the Orangerie of Schloss Charlottenburg, the show was set against a breathtaking backdrop inspired by the moment between dinner and party — half-finished glasses left behind, evoking the feeling that a celebration is just about to begin.

After studying in Paris and London and achieving international success — even winning over global stars — Johannes Boehl Cronau has returned to Berlin, and we’re thrilled to welcome him as part of Berlin Fashion Week.

“For a long time, I felt I had to prove myself abroad — to find the right context for what I do. But Berlin has changed, and so have I. There’s a new openness in the city, a readiness to host fashion in a more experimental and emotionally intelligent way — one that’s accessible to the wider industry, not just the microcosm of fashion students and local enthusiasts.”

NETZWERK – DESIRE PATH

For their debut runway show, the collective netzwerk invited guests from fashion, art, architecture, music, and design on a day trip to San Gimignano Lichtenberg — two brutalist towers by bplus.xyz / Brandlhuber+, flanking a green hill transformed into an otherworldly runway.

Netzwerk champions ethical production and contemporary slowness, offering made-to-order garments crafted from natural materials in collaboration with a regional network of artisans. Designed by Lotti Defant and Paulina Meyle, with support from Fiona Gohrke and Moritz Alte, the collection draws inspiration from archival outdoor gear predating synthetic fabrics, reimagined for modern life through intricate cuts and functional layering.

Sixteen looks moved deliberately across a rugged, parkour-like landscape — a tension-filled set created by Anton Defant and Ansgar Kellner. As dusk fell, the scene was enveloped in a haunting soundscape of storms and classical echoes, composed by Anton & Jakob Defant and Joshua Böke.

This subtle yet radical departure from traditional runway formats signals a compelling new voice in fashion — and we’re eager to see where netzwerk goes next.

BYREDO’S KANTHA COLLECTION CALLS A NEW BAG ITS OWN: THE WHOO  

The Whoo bag is dedicated to everyday practicality yet has the finest design: It’s made of calf leather that has the potential to age beautifully, has one of six different colored stones as a decorative element, and features a hand-embroidered adjustable leather strap, making it a perfect fit for wearing across the body or over-the-shoulder. But the refined details don’t stop on the outside–the inside is embellished with a hand-drawn illustration. A love message to Indian ancestral stitching and leather craftsmanship, that’s The Whoo bag, which is available in select Byredo stores from February 25th.

REFERENCE STUDIO’S INTERVENTION FEATURES GMBH, LUEDER, ANDREJ GRONAU & KASIA KUCHARSKA  

Berlin, Milan & Paris-based communications agency Reference Studios did it again: hosting the INTERVENTION for the third time, a platform for designers during the Berlin Fashion Week to showcase their latest designs. This year’s event will take place on the premises of Kantgaragen, a former car park built in 1929, and the designers who will present their fashion at the INTERVENTION are highly presentable. On one hand, the winners of the Berlin Contemporary Prize, GmbH, LUEDER, and Andrej Gronau. On the other hand, award-winning Kasia Kucharska carried the day at the FCG/Vogue Fashion Fund in 2024.  

On Feb February 2nd, the INTERVENTION will fill the whole day with a diversified program: Besides the fashion shows of the style-wise very different designers, a jazz concert sponsored by Levi’s will take place, as well as performances and workshops organized by UGG to connect the visitors between the shows. Art, fashion, and emerging talents will make the INTERVENTION an unmissable event at Berlin Fashion Week.  

THE PURE AND PRISTINE COLLECTION BY LORO PIANA INTERIORS DEBUTED AT PARIS DÉCO OFF  

The new Loro Piana Pure and Pristine collection is an ode to softness and simplicity. Sleek, curved shapes are paired with high-quality merino wool, while modern, velvety variations of linen fabrics combined with soft rugs create a calm, organic overall aesthetic. Among the collection’s highlights is the freestanding, both functional and decorative, Trama bookshelf. Crafted from fabric panels and walnut wood, its narrow gaps allow a touch of light to pass through. Designed by Francesca Lanzavecchia, Trama is an unusually multi-textural interpretation of a bookshelf. Additionally, the collection includes various sofa and armchair designs, coffee tables, a hand-knotted rug, and more. 

A SMILING BAG: THE PEEKABOO SOFT SMALL  

Known from the Women’s Spring/Summer 2025 runway, Fendi’s Peekaboo Soft Small bag has now been introduced officially to all bag-lovers with a video by film director Emir Eralp. Underlined by the song Little Man by the Swedish electronic music band Little Dragon, this bag has its great moment. Three young women are strolling around Rome with a Peekaboo Soft Small on their shoulders or in their hands, fetching up in a cinema and enjoying their time. The song’s driving synth-pop beats make this video a joyful, diverting experience.  

And the bag? It’s just as lightweight as the video. In the words of Silvia Venturini Fendi, FENDI’s Artistic Director of Accessories and Menswear: “The leather is soft and it’s like it’s smiling when you open it. This bag smiles. It’s more accessible, more revealing of what’s inside. It’s like an identity card for the person wearing it”. 

FOTOGRAFISKA BERLIN INVITES TO GO ON A CREATIVE JPURNEY WITH FRANK OCKENFELS 3 

“My favorite thing that ever happens is when people tell me, ‘I had no idea about your work, I don’t really know your work, I’m not sure I even like your work – but it inspired me to go get a journal and start doing something.’ With that, for me, I’m done.”, said photographer and artist Frank Ockenfels 3 once. And soon, his work could inspire even more people in person. From January 30th, Fotografiska Berlin opens its doors, leading to Introspection, an exhibition showcasing the creative work of Frank Ockenfels 3. He is famous for his expressive portraits and got David Lynch, Milla Jovovich, David Bowie, and many more in front of his lens. The use of means such as scissors, ink and charcoal, give his portraits an unusual, collage-like look. This unconventional approach is also transported in the exhibition, which should not just introduce the artist, but also inspire the viewers to follow the individual path of their own creative journey.  

DAN–CONCEPTUAL ARTIST CARLO ZANNI’S NEW EXHIBITION  

Banquet Gallery presents DAN, the first solo exhibition by Italian conceptual artist Carlo Zanni at the venue, running until March 1st. The exhibition showcases Zanni’s recent work across paintings, sculptures, and a digital performance, addressing themes of consumerism, identity, and anxiety within a “forever war” context. Central to the exhibition are Zanni’s Check-Out Paintings, abstract canvases that delve into the emotional complexities of online purchasing. Using emojis, these artworks bridge digital culture with traditional art forms and invite contemplation of modern anxieties and desires shaped by eCommerce. Also, Zanni debuts the title work DAN, an installation of laser-engraved MDF boxes featuring distorted Amazon Prime logos created with an early version of DALL-E. The internet performance, My Shameful Sweet Spot Between Distress and Hilarity, rounds the exhibition off and hints at the absurdity of consumer culture in a political context.  

ZALANDO INTRODUCES MARINE SERRE’S CAPSULE COLLECTION 

Seductive red, soft leather, confident and sexy cuts—this is Marine Serre‘s new capsule collection. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, her Sempre Legati SS25 collection is being expanded with the Red Airbrushed Leather Capsule, available exclusively on Zalando. A rich, deep red tone runs throughout the entire eight-piece collection, along with the recurring moon symbol. It’s Marine Serre’s trademark and subtly featured as an airbrushed monogram. The capsule includes an elegant, tailored leather coat, a cropped boxy leather jacket, straight-leg trousers, and a form-fitting shift dress, complemented by a crescent-shaped mini handbag and a more spacious one. Offering something for both men and women, the Red Airbrushed Leather Capsule is now available on Zalando and can be worn by everyone on Valentine’s Day and any other day.  

“I am grateful for the trust of secretary of the state Michael Biel and Fashion Council chairman of the board Christiane Arp, as well as a new quality of collaboration between all parties and stakeholders of Berlin Fashion Week. Such alignment will help us push things forward in the long run.”

The mission is to establish an innovative platform for both national and international designers seamlessly integrated into the official calendar of Berlin Fashion Week. ‘Intervention’ unfolds through meticulously curated progressive runway shows and presentations, hosted in a former department store—a true gem of post-modernist architecture located in the heart of Berlin-Neukölln.

Starting on February 5th, the opening day of Berlin Fashion Week, the new format is characterized by an intersection of innovative installations, retail-centric pop-ups, captivating showcases, and more. These elements breathe new life into the iconic space, creating an immersive experience for attendees. The ‘Intervention’ lineup includes Berlin debuts by Gerrit Jacob and back2back (by Marcelo Alcaide & Yolanda Zobel).

Special guest Shayne Oliver assumes a significant role, with the top floor hosting a runway show for his Anonymous Club collection. Simultaneously, the ground floor transforms into his art-centric pop-up concept ‘MALL OF ANONYMOUS,’ not only showcasing the spatial brilliance of Anonymous Club but also introducing an array of additional brands, including London-based prodigy Olly Shinder with a special collection refucked by NOVACAINE.

In a partnership with Berlin Contemporary, Intervention presents LUEDER’s inaugural runway show in Berlin on Wednesday, February 7th. The show will be held at an alternative venue.