Fashion Week in Berlin 2011

Berlin Fashion Week is the highlight of the fashion calendar in Germany, one of our members Katrin Hermanns gives us the insiders scoop on what it is like backstage.

I had the great opportunity to join as a stylist the catwalk presentation of a young fashion label from Hamburg to the Fashion Week 2011. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week has been in Berlin for the 8th time, always with a great success. The Fashion week was presenting collection of the Autumn/Winter collection. It is getting harder and harder to find a hotel that has rooms available in that week.

The focus of that label, that has been popular in Germany for 2 years, is punk combined with elegant elements. The label is very strong in leather combined with blanks and Swarovski stones, designed in a harmonic look.
The head designer asked me, to dress and prepare the 10 models and to match suitable outfits and fancy accessories for them.

So far so good. The rather peculiar part of my job was that we had to style the girls in the kitchen of the venue, because of lack of available space. It was very crowded with all the people backstage, the catering company and the clothe racks full of Denim, Leather and accessories.  This all combined with a good portion of delicate smell from the kitchen activities.

It must have been the perfect working atmosphere for the chefs, who were preparing the salmon for 700 invited guests watching beautiful young girls in light clothes!! The catwalk slot for the models was booked for midnight and a couple of hours before it went totally crazy, because of models who did not fit in the skin-tight leather trousers or who were running late in the make-up lounge. The make-up trend this year showed lips in bright colors.

However, that little bit of stress in the air helped to get organized and to deliver on the spot. Nobody of the crowd outside sitting along the catwalk realized the adrenalin and excitement backstage.

Everybody worked automatically together, the first models had to walk twice and we waited for them backstage with the second outfit. The outfits were put in cloth bags labeled with the name of the model. With the right mixture of adrenalin and concentrated work backstage the show became a great success for all who were involved in the team.

I could put money on it that the nerve cracking atmosphere was similar at the shows of Michael Michalsky, Patrick Mohrs or Boss which presenting their new collection as well. They were my personal highlight of the fashion week, because they presented a very impressive and strong collection, with lot of contrast and geographic prints.

The collection of Schumacher, another popular German designer, was neo-pop classic and one of the strongest shows for me.

In summary it was definitely an exciting experience and I would do it again any time.