Berlin Fashion Week kicks off: international flair and local heroes
Berlin Fashion Week kicks off this Friday (30 January) against a backdrop of sub-zero temperatures. Over the next four days, the city will host a vibrant blend of established German mainstays, emerging local talent, and international names—including London’s own Lueder and Uganda-based Buzigahill.
The schedule starts strong on Friday with heavyweights such as Marc Cain, Ester Perbandt, and Danny Reinke. They share the opening-day spotlight with high-potential labels like Colors and Clara Colette Miramon. Meanwhile, Peruvian designer Marisa Fuentes Prado will debut the latest collection from her sustainable label, Maqu Lab, for an audience of local insiders and international delegates.
The guest list, curated by the Fashion Council Germany, features several notable figures from the UK and US retail scenes like Stavros Karelis, founder of London’s influential concept store Machine-A, David Smedley, head of buying at Chicago-based menswear specialist Svrn and Marcus Söderlind, CEO of Stockholm’s Nitty Gritty.
Alongside these retail leaders, the front rows will be packed with content creators and editors from global titles including Vogue, Pause Magazine, and Perfect Magazine.
Beyond the local buzz, Berlin's appeal this season is bolstered by a curated lineup of international heavyweights. A major highlight is John Lawrence Sullivan; the Japanese label, revered for its sharp, subversive take on traditional tailoring, will showcase as part of "Intervention." This guest showcase is orchestrated by Berlin-based PR powerhouse Reference Studios—the same agency that previously imported names like David Koma and Mowalola to the German capital. This year’s "Intervention" roster is equally ambitious, featuring Kenneth Ize and Dagger alongside the highly anticipated return of Berlin’s own GmbH.
The schedule further blurs the lines between runway and culture with a TED Talk lecture series and the tongue-in-cheek "Doofer Street Market Berlin." This pop-up, a playful nod to the iconic Dover Street Market, offers a curated fusion of high fashion and underground music culture. Meanwhile, the city’s homegrown "new guard" – including SF1OG, Richert Beil, and Haderlump –continues to prove that Berlin is more than just a creative hub; it’s a commercial contender. These brands have already caught the eye of top-tier international buyers, with Machine-A’s Stavros Karelis previously noting their rising global potential.
“The Berlin Fashion Week has become one of the most promising platforms worldwide for emerging design, fashion, and cultural experiences, and I am very excited to see how the Berlin-based designers have developed since the last season, which new concepts they are presenting, the context of their work, and what matters most to them,” Karelis said on his way to Berlin for the current edition of Fashion Week. “It’s mainly about discovery, dialogue, and the emotions they evoke in each of us, to create a connection with their work. There are many designers from Berlin on my favorites list, and I am very much looking forward to seeing their collections in the coming days.”
In total, Berlin Fashion Week will host approximately 40 presentations, concluding its winter run on February 2, 2027.
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