Berlin Fashion Week is a Pioneer in Sustainable Fashion

As sustainable fashion comes further into the forefront of many consumer’s minds, we look to see how fashion week embraces or rejects sustainable ideas. So far, we have seen a few examples of sustainability at Milan Fashion Week and Paris Men’s Fashion Week, but Berlin has by far done the most for sustainable fashion in the fall/winter 2023 cycle so far.

Courtesy of Therapy Recycle & Exorcise

In Milan, we saw a collection of jackets made from repurposed sailboat sails from Paul & Shark. There were also a few ethically produced lines that focus on low impact and organic materials, such as those from Canali and Corneliani. Paris Men’s, similarly, has plenty of brands that focus on well produced, lifetime pieces, such as Lemaire. 

Courtesy of Paul&Shark

In Berlin, however, there is a litany of examples. Therapy Recycle and Exorcise put on a show completely made of second hand, vintage, or recycled materials. SF10G presented knitwear made of recycled and biodegradable materials. Not Just A Label similarly showed their work with recycled materials. Lucas Meyer-Leclère presented an exhibition of hand painted vintage garments. 

Courtesy of Therapy Recycle & Exorcise

 Because of the innovative nature of this festival, there were also numerous multidisciplinary events including panels and art shows. For example, they hosted the 500KG CO2 Virtual Reality show, which examined the future of upcycling in the digital sphere. It’s a  little out there, but hey, it’s Berlin.

The city, whose fashion week is less popular than its Italian and French counterparts, is nevertheless building a name for itself as a fashion week precisely because it is embracing experimentalism, edginess, and sustainability. It is not encumbered by tradition because it is newer than Paris and Milan, and combined with Berlin’s edgy, punk culture, it is the perfect playground for designers who want to expand and evolve the world of high fashion.