warhammer-40k-space-marine: A TALE OF TWO BERLINS

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

Lupe Fiasco performs in Berlin (image from flickr)

It's nearing midnight, somewhere in Berlin, and it's drizzling with rain. The taxi pulls up outside what looks like an abandoned courtyard. Once you push through the gates, a crowd can be spotted huddled in the far corner. On the expanse of whitewashed wall above them, 'Vans Party' is projected, the only clue that something vaguely organised might be going on here. There is much confusion about how one gets into this thing, but once inside and wristbanded, you enter a labyrinth of wide corridors, crammed with hip-label and vintage clad boys and girls, beers in hand, chatting over the music coming from somewhere, in the darkness. Off to the left there's a room displaying Vans trainers. Further along, there is a chaotic bar where only waving a white wristband in the face of the guy serving will get you a drink in a timely manner. If you elbow your way through further then you realise where that beat you've been feeling since you entered is coming from. It's a vast warehouse, even fuller than those corridors. Everyone is bopping away to hip hop stars Lupe Fiasco and Mos Def. I sense that by day, lots of the crowd here have been hanging out at Bread and Butter, the huge tradeshow for contemporary and streetwear brands which is on at the moment in the city.

From Livin Cool

Fast forward ten hours or so, and Dorothee Schumacher's AW12 show is well underway in the Mercedes Benz venue at Berlin Fashion Week. The label has 53 stores across Germany and many more across the world. So there is, naturally, nothing niche about the collection. This is stuff which will sell to women across a range of ages and tastes and situatiosn. There are some great trousers with stripes down the the side, or made in silky pyjama fabrics. There are big furry hats, which seem to be an everywoman's version of the one Miuccia Prada showed for AW11.

Schumacher

Later on, the Laurel show, with its sequined, feathered and tasselled party dresses, furry accessories and good coats, confirms my theory; that Berlin Fashion Week, is about the side of Germany we are most used to hearing about, rather than that scene I got a teeny glimpse of last night. It makes complete economic sense. And that is no bad thing at a time when every industry has to show that it can prop itself up. Women from Germany, and further afield, will buy the clothes shown at fashion week. This IS an unusual phenomenon because most of the time, the collections shown during fashion weeks will not be worn by the vast majority of women, they are mere fantasy.

Laurel

Two other labels I saw yesterday, Rena Lange and Kaviar Gauche had more edge. Bridalwear designers, Kaviar Gauche, began with a model/ priestess swinging incense down the catwalk. Smoke billowed around as the collection unfolded- that robe theme continued with swishing gowns in the lighest, and often most transparent, of fabrics- to the glee of the Daily Mail today. The SS12 Under the Sea theme was picked up in sea anenome dresses, which unfortunately fell apart as the model walked. But there were jewel encrusted bodices which gave a luxe element.

Kaviar Gauche

Rena Lange was by far the most colourful show of the day with doses of hot pink and tangerine as well as splashes of bright blue. Print combinations were rather clever. There were still plenty of sure sellers; little tweed suits and work-ready tailoring.

Rena Lange

As I explained before, this was my first visit to Berlin and these are just my impressions of what the German fashion scene is like. Of course, every country and city has its different cultures, you only have to look at East London vs. West London to see that. But in Germany, the separation of the two seems extreme. It's fascinating and perhaps shows how fashion rellects society on a wider level. Germany has a turbulent recent history; it's only been a country as it is now for 20 years or so. It would be stupid to think that there wouldn't be a sociological reaction going on because of that which wasn't refelcted in fashion. The fact that Berlin Fashion Week is sponsored by one of the country's biggest car manufacturers, Mercedes Benz, ties it into that notion of Germany's economic success- it is almost singlehandedly keeping the Eurozone afloat. But then there is this whole other scene going on, which cannot be ignored.

P.S Many thanks to Mercedes-Benz for taking me to Berlin- it'd be fab if you had accessible wi-fi in your lounge so I could have blogged this straight from Berlin yesterday!

A TUMBLE FROM A DAY IN BERLIN: