Highlights that Marked This Berlin Fashion Week Season
This season, Berlin welcomed Fashion Week with sub-zero temperatures and the kind of sharp winter air that seems to heighten the city’s creative pulse. For us, this season carried added significance, as EDGELINE marked its launch in Berlin on February 1st. Beyond the winter chill, the city once again underscored its growing international relevance. With politically engaged collections, experimental presentation formats and a distinctly independent spirit, BFW continues to strengthen its position as one of Europe’s most compelling platforms for progressive design.
RICHERT BEIL
Richert Beil didn’t just stage a runway, they orchestrated an atmosphere. Their presentation blurred the line between fashion show and immersive ritual, unfolding as a curated dinner experience where guests became part of the narrative. Latex met leather, rural codes clashed with urban provocation, and craftsmanship was laced with subversion. It wasn’t merely a collection, it was more a controlled collision of desire, irony, and precision, proving once again that in Berlin, the most radical statement is often delivered in a whisper rather than a scream.
LOU DE BÈTOLY
Lou de Bètoly delivered a vision that felt both feral and exquisitely controlled. Her pieces oscillated between fragility and defiance and intricate lacework colliding with sculptural silhouettes, couture-level craftsmanship reframed through a lens of subtle provocation. There was an intimacy to her presentation, almost conspiratorial, as if each look carried a coded message stitched into every seam. In a week defined by spectacle, Lou de Bètoly chose tension over noise and made it unforgettable.
GmbH
One of Berlin’s most politically articulate voices in fashion. The label merges the codes of club culture with migration narratives, queer identity, a distinctly anti-establishment stance, which had translated them into sharply tailored, body-conscious silhouettes.
What distinguishes GmbH is its rare ability to fuse sensuality with systemic critique. Tailoring is not treated merely as an aesthetic discipline, but as a vehicle for political expression. The designs oscillate between rigid structure and fluid physicality which are always charged with a subversive undertone. In doing so, the brand positions itself as an ideologically driven force within the international fashion landscape and as a defining voice from Berlin.
Presented at the monumental Kraftwerk Berlin, the A/W26 collection revolved around repetition, historical mirroring, and the anxiety embedded in cycles of power.
The title Doppelgänger pointed to parallel histories and to the newly circulating term Friedensangst (“fear of peace”), reportedly coined around anxieties within the arms industry over the potential end of war. GmbH framed the collection within a broader atmosphere of geopolitical unease.
Visually, the show unfolded as a tension between control and excess.
Thigh-high boots were sharpened to extreme points, almost piercing the space. Tailoring shifted between rigid banker austerity and liquid nightclub sensuality. Long coats flared dramatically in motion, while hip-hugging trousers suddenly broke into wide silhouettes. Black-and-white florals interrupted the severity of the looks, like disruptions within a rigid system.
The casting once again drew wide attention. Staying true to its community-driven ethos, GmbH presented a diverse lineup that embodied real Berlin identities rather than conventional fashion archetypes. Politics was not only worn, but embodied through presence, posture, and lived experience.
On every seat lay a printed poem, including a 1934 line by Bertolt Brecht warning that neutrality ultimately inherits defeat. It was an explicit gesture of historical resistance and a clear reminder that for GmbH, fashion is not escapism, but a form of confrontation.
After the Noise: Four Berlin Labels Reclaim the Meaning of Autumn/Winter
Berlin’s latest season unfolds less like a spectacle and more like a slow, insistent question: what does it mean to get dressed, whether it’s physically, emotionally, politically, when the world is so loud that nuance disappears? Across the city, designers responded not with easy escapism, but with precise, deeply felt visions that probe our relationship to knowledge, power, pleasure, and self‑determination.
MARKE
Opens this conversation with The Owl, an Autumn/Winter 2026/27 collection shaped by a quiet yet profound sense of helplessness in the face of today’s relentless circulation of information and misinformation. Referencing Minerva’s owl—ever watchful, grey in grey—the collection reflects on a world in which knowledge is endlessly accessible yet increasingly disregarded. Observing how content is consumed and shared without reflection, MARKE draws a parallel between our present moment and a pre-Enlightenment state, where belief eclipses reason and emotion overrides understanding. This tension finds further resonance in what the designer describes as a contemporary “Neo-Rococo” condition: an era marked by elitist posturing, performative hedonism, and a pastel-tinted digital escapism, while social unrest quietly gathers beneath the surface. These contradictions are translated into silhouettes that juxtapose early classical menswear - where individuality gave way to uniformity - with references to late Rococo decadence. Veils, tulle overlays, and dried flowers evoke fading excess and withering beauty, while a restrained palette of grey, black, and eggshell is punctuated by muted merlot and petrol. Crafted from Australian Merino wool, cashmere, silk duchesse, and layered virgin wool, the collection signals a clear evolution in MARKE’s language: slimmer, more controlled forms replace overt volume, seeking clarity amid chaos. Following last season’s romanticism, The Owl marks a turn toward sobriety, which is poetic yet grounded, not an escape, but an appeal to reflect, to question, and to reconsider our relationship with knowledge and with one another.
UNVAIN
If MARKE analyzes the fragility of reason, UNVAIN channels the same unease into something grittier and more corporeal. The label, founded in 2020 by Robert Friedrichs, unveiled its debut runway show with a self-titled Autumn/Winter 2026 collection at the Feuerle Collection, an interdisciplinary art space housed in a former WWII bunker between Southeast Asian sculpture and Imperial Chinese furniture. Deeply rooted in the raw energy of Berlin’s subcultures, UNVAIN translates brutalist references into an aesthetic that is architectural, elegant, and quietly defiant, articulating a contemporary uniform infused with restrained rockstar chic. True to its name—“not vain”—the brand pursues beauty beyond polish, embracing tension over perfection. Contrasts define its language: roughness meets softness, severity gives way to sensitivity, and familiarity drifts into estrangement. For its first runway outing, UNVAIN consciously rejects overt narratives or external themes, choosing instead an inward, distilled expression of identity. The collection unfolds through silhouettes that oscillate between sharp minimalism and sculptural construction, incorporating epaulettes, studs, transparent fabrics, leather, Napoleonic accents, and upcycled fur details in a dialogue between structure and vulnerability. Extending beyond the visual, the show was accompanied by an immersive scent installation developed in collaboration with RYOKO: models carried incense burners that released the fragrance gradually, culminating in a fully enveloping olfactory experience that deepened the atmosphere and reinforced UNVAIN’s multisensory vision.
HADERLUMP
Looks back to a singular icon to reflect on freedom, hybridity, and performance. With its Autumn/Winter 2026 collection VARIUS, presented at the historic Wintergarten Varieté, the label pays tribute to Marlene Dietrich and not only for her filmography, but for the way she lived as an uncompromisingly free woman, instinctively engaging with expectations and clichés while simultaneously defying convention.
VARIUS explores the legacy of Marlene Dietrich, a woman renowned for her fearless individuality and her ability to play with identity. The name VARIUS, Latin for different, various, diverse, recalls Wintergarten Varieté, one of the most significant variety theaters of the 20th century, where Dietrich is known to have performed in the early stages of her career. For HADERLUMP, this collection carries multiple layers of versatility. Dietrich was known for her shifting personas, moving effortlessly between glittering stage presence and a private life that, for the time, was distinctly masculine. She transgressed societal boundaries and used the stage as a space for experimentation, provocation, and free self-expression - a legacy that today serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving spaces where diversity can be lived and dissent made visible. The collection unfolded as a journey through the full spectrum of what the brand can be. After previous seasons, the AW26 show felt deliberately different. Velvet curtains framed the runway, while a mirror, serving as the central stage element, reflected the grandeur of the Varieté space. The models moved slowly and deliberately; in the finale, accompanied by a pre-recorded string ensemble, they lined up one by one on stage, forming an impressive final tableau.
VARIUS also spans the range from elegant gowns and traditionally feminine dresses to precisely cut trousers - most notably the so-called Marlene pants. Popularized by Dietrich and widely adopted thereafter, the term became established, particularly in Germany, as shorthand for a distinctive silhouette defined by a high waist, wide leg, and fluid drape. Pants in particular allowed Dietrich to assert control over her image; she refused to be seen merely as a showgirl, instead projecting sovereignty.
For the first time, HADERLUMP works with lace, combining it with leather, denim, and heavy wool. The interplay between softness and strength remains central to the brand and a defining feature of its aesthetic. The color palette moves within the brand’s familiar muted tones - grey, cream, brown, and black - accented by pops of red and blue. This season, HADERLUMP explores classic tailoring more than before, particularly in coats, blazers, and dresses, moving away from avant-garde and rustic influences toward a more refined and elegant expression.
VARIUS ultimately translates the language of a free woman in a time when freedom was fragile into a contemporary statement of self-determination; the HADERLUMP wearer bends, breaks, or plays by the rules but always on their own terms.
BALLETSHOFER
This thread of self‑interrogation and resistance continues in BALLETSHOFER’s contribution to the season, which shifts from runway to screen. With The Perfect Candidate the brand introduces a short film that slows the relentless tempo of the shows to a poised, unsettling pause. Set in a stark, futuristic office inspired by the architecture of Nicholas Grimshaw, the film follows four young graduates as they wait for and undergo a high‑stakes job interview, their tailored BALLETSHOFER silhouettes echoing the sharp precision of corporate dress while quiet disruptions in cut and fabric hint at resistance beneath the surface. Over the course of the interview, gestures repeat and language begins to fail; what first appears as seamless composure gradually fractures, revealing tension, vulnerability, and the invisible demands of a culture that prizes productivity over personality. Directed by Mischa Gurevich, The Perfect Candidate treats time like an elastic material—stretching and contracting each moment so that every glance, hesitation, and breath feels amplified—inviting the viewer to question where performance ends and authenticity begins. More than a narrative of success or failure, the film positions BALLETSHOFER’s collection as a quiet act of defiance: a study in stillness, control, and the radical possibility of preserving one’s inner life in a system that asks everyone to look, move, and speak the same way. As the characters falter under the interviewer’s cool, almost mechanical gaze, their BALLETSHOFER uniforms become armours that cannot fully conceal doubt, desire, and the quiet urge to step out of line. In this charged stillness, the film transforms a simple interview into a mirror for our own lives, asking how much of ourselves we are willing to surrender to belong.
Words: Katharina Proessl
Between Discard and Structure: ZGENERATION’s First Collection
ZGENERATION made its debut in Paris with a first collection presented outside the traditional fashion calendar, setting the tone for a brand that prefers alternative paths over established formats. Founded Iranian designer Mohammad Amin Pooreskandarian and Shiva çan, ZG operates between fashion, art, and performance, with a focus on transformation: materials, bodies, and stories.
The brand introduced its first collection through a body of work built entirely from second-hand garments, sourced and reconstructed in Paris. The silhouettes moved between the everyday and the sculptural, combining hand couture, embroidery, and traditional techniques with more experimental, futuristic forms. Discarded fabrics were cut, assembled, and reassembled into precise pieces designed to sit comfortably on the body, regardless of gender. You could see the football shirts, the curtain fabric, the gaps between what something was and what it became.
The collection explored the idea of rebirth. Not as a symbol, but as a process, giving older materials a second life without disguising their history. This approach culminated in the final look: a monumental dress-like costume made entirely from red roses. Dense, physical, and slightly overwhelming, it closed the show with an image that was both romantic and unsettling.
Designed by Helio Chen, the set of the show brought nature and technology into direct conversation. Flowers ran through an otherwise sterile, futuristic space, giving the impression of a laboratory where organic life is examined rather than romanticised. Sound was replaced by a live harp performance, shifting focus to movement, craftsmanship, and the relationship between bodies, garments, and space.
Rooted in queerness and inclusivity, ZG approaches fashion as a space of freedom rather than definition. The collection avoided fixed references to gender, allowing garments to exist in relation to the body instead of identity labels. This openness reflects both the designer’s background and the brand’s ongoing commitment to creating safer, more representative spaces within and beyond fashion.
Beyond the runway, Mohammad’s work extends into direct community action. The brand collaborates with be-cosmo, a Paris-based organization, hosting monthly creative sessions for children from low-income communities, teaching them to transform discarded materials into something new. ZG operates on a model of small, intentional production: ten pieces released monthly, with custom options available, all made in Paris within one to two weeks.
Words: Sara Vukosavljevic
15 Pieces that dare to get hairy
Whether crafted from real human hair, faux strands, or surreal interpretations, the 15 daring designs in this list may leave you scratching your head.Below are our editors' hairiest picks.
€2,414
€551 EUR
€6,111
€539
€1,009
Monique Fei, Merkin jockstrap with human hair
€362
€2,100
€19.00 - €35.00
€930
€305
€480
Berlin Fashion Week: Who are the brands that pushed boundaries of design & storytelling?
Berlin Fashion Week AW25 was once again a playground for those breaking the mold. A platform where the city’s most daring, unconventional independent designers brought their visions to life. More than just fashion, it was about provoking, challenging norms, and delivering a message that will remain carved. From viral moments that made noise on and off the runway, to collections that transcended design and became a full-on experience, the stakes were high. Bunkers, train stations, abandoned car parks, and the techno mecca of Berghain—each space amplified the raw energy and cultural commentary of the collections. These brands aren’t just showcasing clothes; they’re sparking conversations and pushing boundaries. Here are EDGELINE’s favorite brands and moments of the season.RICHERT BEIL - FIERCE HOMAGE TO MOTHERHOOD
Richert Beil’s latest collection, “MUTTER”, wasn’t an abstract take on motherhood. It was about the unfiltered, unpolished reality of care, exhaustion, and endurance of today. Jale Richert and Michele Beil didn’t dress up the concept in sentimentality. Instead, they pulled it apart, exposing the raw edges of responsibility and the quiet resilience it demands.
The show opened with the sound of a crying baby, setting a tone that felt less like a fashion spectacle and more like a quiet breakdown disguised as routine. Mothers walked the runway with their children, but there was no softness in the presentation, just the weight of responsibility. Clothes reflected that tension: precise tailoring met latex, decorative leather stitches pulled at fabric like a barely held-together reality. Silhouettes felt either too tight or too loose, an oscillation between control and surrender.
The setting only deepened the impact. Presented in an abandoned bunker in Kreuzberg, a former shelter for mothers and children during World War II, the space carried an unshakable presence, with a lone holy angel statue at the heart, symbolizing nurture and protection, blurring the line between comfort and burden, much like the collection itself..
GmbH - LIVING A DUAL REALITY
What does it mean to exist between two parallel worlds? GmbH’s FW25 collection, From Another Reality, didn’t just ask the question, it embodied it.
On the runway, the collection unfolded like two opposing forces in conversation. The first half exuded a dark, restrained elegance. The long black fur coats, sharply tailored leather jackets, hooded blazers, and lace-wrapped necks, all anchored by formal ties and knee-high riding boots. It was a vision of quiet power, rigid and regal. Then, the shift: a surge of raw intensity. Vivid red overcoats, bomber jackets inflated like armor, and tops bearing the words “Refuse To Trade With The Enemy” and “The most dangerous anger is built in someone who has good heart” turned clothing into statements.
As the two worlds collided, the haunting voice of Norwegian poet Gunvor Hofmo filled the space with her 1947 poem “From Another Reality”. How can two people can live through the same moment yet perceive it entirely differently? The soundtrack echoed the collection’s core tension, where past and future, control and defiance, exist side by side.
This collection marked a significant evolution for GmbH, showcasing a more introspective and emotionally resonant approach to fashion, deeply rooted in personal history and poetic expression.
KASIA KUCHARSKA – LATEX MEETS THE LEGACY
The atmosphere of the show was as futuristic as the designs themselves. A stark, minimal runway, lit by hypnotic, pulsing LED installations, set the tone, creating an environment where the boundary between the organic and synthetic blurred. Kasia Kucharska’s FW25 collection was one of the standout moments at Berlin Fashion Week, capturing attention with its bold vision and innovative craftsmanship. For this season, Kucharska revisited her roots, focusing on artisanal techniques while continuing to challenge the boundaries of materiality. At the heart of it all remains her dedication to creating clothing that not only alters how women look but shifts how they feel.
Kucharska’s trademark approach to material innovation was on full display as she sculpted latex into more recognizable forms. This season, she ventured further into uncharted territory by abandoning traditional stitching. Dresses were constructed entirely through the bonding power of latex, a functional ornament that connected pieces and redefined the concept of construction. The latex-resin used in the collection gave shape to bras, boots, and bags, evoking the sense of wet paint left to harden, as if the pieces were still in their raw, transformative state.
The juxtaposition of elements reinforced Kucharska’s vision of a future where natural and artificial coexist, pushing the boundaries of fashion while maintaining a deep connection to craftsmanship and self-expression.
HADERLUMP - READY FOR THE RIDE?
One of the standout moments? A model walking the runway as a “dad” carrying a baby trolley. An arresting and playful image that broke the mold of traditional runway shows and added a layer of meaning about family, care, and the passing of time. Haderlump’s unique take on bags and suitcases as sophisticated accessories felt like reimagined travel essentials: coats and blazers were deconstructed and rebuilt, offering a fresh perspective on familiar wardrobe staples.
The impeccable production of this young brand and its small team, combined with the label’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, using upcycled materials and eco-conscious design practices, made SOLIVAGANT not just a collection, but a powerful statement about fashion’s role in connecting us all.
PALMWINE IceCREAM – THE VIBRANT DEBUT
PALMWINE IceCREAM made its bold debut at Berlin Fashion Week, bringing a fresh, electrifying energy to the city's fashion scene. The collection, presented in the iconic Berghain, completely contrasted venue’s dark, gothic vibe with its vibrant palette of green, pink, and brown. Aptly named “Life Moodboard,” the collection blended hand-dyed upcycled leather with deadstock materials, making a statement this season and was a heartfelt tribute to a friend who inspired its concept, delving into the connections between the past, present, and future through fabric, form, and emotion. “The loss of a close friend profoundly shaped this narrative. "Losing someone so dear made me reconsider time and its preciousness - how we use it, with whom we share it. Despite sharing so much, I was left wishing for more memories, more moments of beauty," Kusi shared.
After a week of shadowy, industrial designs, PALMWINE IceCREAM stood out with its upbeat, colorful silhouettes that energized the crowd. It was certainly one of the most unexpected and exciting highlights of the week, drawing attention and cementing itself as a brand to keep an eye on. As Berlin’s techno culture infused the atmosphere, Kasi Kubi’s vibrant designs brought a fresh breath of air, marking a pivotal moment at the close of the fashion week.
MAXIMILIAN GEDRA – OOO
Maximilian Gedra’s latest haute couture collection, “THE OFFICE,” takes corporate wear to a level you’ll never catch on your 9-to-5. It is a unapologetic homage to executive “uniforms”, reimagining the structure and formality of traditional office attire and tailoring through a couture lens. Gedra takes the familiar elements of corporate fashion: sharp suits, tailored blazers, crisp shirts, and pushes them into the realm of artistic expression, transforming them into extravagant, sculptural pieces. This tribute to the office environment becomes a commentary on the often rigid, conformist nature of corporate life, with Gedra using couture to strip away its usual coldness and instead celebrate its potential for individuality and creativity. Besides jaw-dropping constructions and exaggerated silhouettes, we can’t go without highlighting the two pieces that absolutely blew our minds: the two dresses, one made out of 26 000 safety pins, and the other from 10 000 hand-sewn upcycled buttons. Gedra surely knows how to leave a mark.
MARLON FERRY - HOPE, TRAUMA, REBIRTH
Marlon Ferry’s latest collection, presented at Berlin Fashion Week, delved deep into the theme of transformation, emphasizing the strenght of the human spirit. Set in the stark, industrial backdrop of a bunker, the show reflected the tension between destruction and renewal. Using a blend of latex, silk, chiffon, and cutting-edge technologies like VR and 3D printing, Ferry's couture pieces embodied the journey from trauma to rebirth. This avant-garde exploration, combining traditional craftsmanship and futuristic innovation, symbolized unity and resilience in a fractured world. Ferry’s boundary-pushing designs reflect a deep commitment to redefining the language of haute couture.
The collection also delved into the emotional power of archetypes, with pieces like "The Child" and "The Mother" representing the duality of human experience. The first encapsulated purity and vulnerability, while the latter explored themes of protection and nurturing strength. These looks, brought to life with experimental textures and avant-garde silhouettes, further deepened the collection’s narrative, elevating the show beyond fashion.
LUEDER - PLAYING WITH POWER
Marie Lueder has never been one to shy away from confrontation, whether it’s with tailoring, politics, or masculinity itself. For FW25, she delivered yet another charged collection that dissected power, authority, and the fluidity of identity through her signature sharp-yet-disrupted aesthetic. Suiting, a long-standing foundation of her work, was once again reimagined, this time through exaggerated, almost armor-like silhouettes that spoke to both strength and vulnerability.
But beyond the garments, Lueder’s collection made a statement, the one that was impossible to ignore. The now-viral slogan tee, emblazoned with "Men Are So Back," became the ultimate symbol of her ability to blur satire and sincerity. It wasn’t just a tongue-in-cheek reference to internet discourse; it was a deeper exploration of masculinity’s shifting place in society. In interviews, Lueder has frequently referenced Trump and the political climate, drawing attention to the tension between control and chaos. An undercurrent that ran throughout the collection.
This season, Lueder once again cemented her place as one of the most thought-provoking voices of the Berlin Fashion Week. By fusing tailored craftsmanship with conceptual depth, she created a collection that wasn’t just about dressing bodies but dressing narratives, power struggles, and cultural anxieties.
LOU DE BÈTOLY - FASHION MADE FROM COLLECTED OBJECTS
Lou De Bètoly’s AW25 collection was a masterclass in transformation, turning everyday discarded materials and objects into high fashion. Imagine bike reflectors collected over three years built into a halter top, vintage nightgowns reinvented into sculptural gowns, and chicken feathers from her parents’ garden woven into handmade knits. It’s upcycling with a twist—where even the most overlooked objects become part of a surreal, couture narrative. “I start with the material, then build a story around it,” De Bètoly shared, showcasing how repurposed elements like leather jackets and silk blankets can hold as much beauty and allure as the most coveted fabrics. The designer also teamed up with eBay to source vintage treasures and Dickies for deadstock fabric, further enhancing the collection’s unique narrative.
See the full article and conversation with Lou De Bètoly here.
Words: Sara Vukosavljevic