
Summer Fashion Week storms Berlin from July 2-7.
The sound of Sekt corks popping on July 2 across the city heralds the start of Berlin Summer Fashion Week, which, as always, promises to span from the sartorially sublime to the ridiculous. We have, of course sifted through the best events on offer, and although most are intended for fashion industry professionals, you are not worth your salt as a Berliner if you let that stop you.
Topping our list and open to all is Exberliner’s own TOAST & JAM vintage fashion fair, which takes place on July 6 and 7 in Neukölln’s grand Heimathafen. After all, why be fashion-forward when there are so many great clothes from every decade of the 20th century? Some 40 stalls offer top-quality vintage clothes and accessories from some of the best collections and stores around Berlin and beyond. And if you need inspiration for how to style your classic garb, make sure to check out the fashion show at 7pm on July 6 – the only Fashion Week catwalk that those of us without VIP or industry passes will be allowed to approach.
Bread & Butter remains the go-to tradeshow for denim lovers, but if you are feeling more zen, Premium, which is celebrating its 10th birthday this season, is far more streamlined and less hectic. Its little sister showroom Seek is where to go see what hipsters will be wearing this time next year. Mercedes-Benz will of course be pitching its runway tent at the Brandenburg Gate – our tips for shows to blag tickets to (or stream live online) are Swiss menswear designer Marc Stone; Berlin minimalists Hien Le, Perret Schaad and Vladimir Karaleev; tomorrow’s big stars at Designer for Tomorrow (hosted by Stella McCartney); and, for pure showmanship (and a rocking afterparty), the Michalsky Stylenite.
Curvy Is Sexy, Berlin’s first plus-size fashion trade show, is finally proof that not only skinny lettuce-nibblers care about style. If you are an eco-conscious fashionista, the Eco showroom at the Adlon hotel is a must, as is the event on July 7 at The Upcycling Fashion Store in Mitte, where you can meet leading designers in the field from London and view their collections.