BERLIN FASHION WEEK MAGAZINE #25 by Berlin Fashion Week Magazine

FALL/WINTER 2018/19 VOO STORE BERLIN OR WHERE TO BUY PRADA IN KREUZBERG GUCCI MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND / MCM WORLDWIDE CHIEF VISIONARY OFFICER SUNG-JOO KIM ON MILLENNIAL STYLE / FEMALE FORCE â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BERLIN ENTREPRENEURS POOL TOGETHER / SKATEBOARDING IS GOING OLYMPIC / BERLIN ART BUNKERS

Berlin Fashion Week Magazine #25

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Message WELCOME

from the Governing Mayor of Berlin Michael Müller

From 16 to 19 January 2018, life in Berlin will again revolve around fashion, lifestyle, business, and inspiration. As an innovation and creativity capital, Berlin provides a platform for established brands, newcomers, and progressive ideas uniting fashion and new technologies – yet more evidence that Berlin is a ‘runway’ for creativity and inspiration. Within the last 15 years, Berlin has evolved into one of the fashion industry’s standout venues by presenting a wide variety of trade shows and fashion events that serve as a business platform, a meeting point, and a mecca for inspiration. With #FASHIONTECH, Berlin’s unique networking platform for the latest trends in fashion and technology, Berlin offers an innovative insight into the f uture of the fashion industry. Designers, buyers, journalists, and fashion lovers are flocking to Germany’s capital city to show and e xperience new c ollections, compare notes, and take a look at the l atest trends. I would like to welcome the world’s fashion lovers to our city and to wish you an exciting time at Berlin Fashion Week and its many events, exhibitions, and parties. Inspire and be inspired!

Imprint PUBLISHER

CONTRIBUTORS

COVER

ADVERTISING

Anita Tillmann | Jörg Arntz

Chris Danforth | Renko Heuer

Voo Store Berlin & Friends

Advertising Director | Marco Gröning

Kate Lewin | Björn Lüdtke

Photographer: Maxime Ballesteros

Junior Advertising Manager | Alisa Neumann

Anne Philippi | Adriano Sack

www.maximeballesteros.com

+49 (0)30 62 90 850

TR ANSL ATION

ART DIRECTION

Wagemann Medien GmbH

magazine@berlinfashionweek.com

Francesca Gatenby

Sonnenstaub – Büro für Gestaltung

Leuschnerdamm 31 | 10999 Berlin

www.berlinfashionweek.com

Nivene Rafat

und Illustration

+49 (0)30 62 73 52 30

Sonja Marterner | Peter Großöhme

info@wagemann-medien.de www.wagemann-medien.de

PREMIUM E XHIBITIONS GMBH Luckenwalder Strasse 4–6 | 10963 Berlin

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Editor-in-Chief | Christine Zeine

Lena Brombacher

+49 (0)30 55 57 79 29 0

Managing Editor | Lena Brombacher

www.sonnenstaub.com

RADAR

Under – a unique dining experience below the waves The Danish architectural and landscape workshop Snøhetta has designed Europe’s very first underwater restaurant in the coastal village of Båly, Norway. The iconic building, which is half on the coastline, half sunken underwater, will also house a marine life research centre. The concrete box invites mussels to cling on to the structure and attract even more marine life. Featuring the look and feel of a James Bond film set, the project is a tribute to the Norwegian coast and allows guests to experience the country’s mysterious marine ecosystem – not to mention the fact that all of Snøhetta’s work is committed to social and environmental sustainability. The menu of this hidden gem focuses on seafood, but you will also find local specialties gathered from the woods, the garden, underwater and the beach. We can hardly wait for Under to open its doors in 2019. Underwater love!

www.snohetta.com www.under.no

What can you see in the photo: a flower planter? A seat for tired shoppers to relax on? Modern art? Please welcome the Uritrottoir – an ecological solution to combat indiscriminate outdoor urination in the city. The flower-pee-box is the brainchild of the two industrial designers Laurent Lebot and Victor Massip. In the lower section of the box liquid is absorbed by wood shavings or sawdust, as with a cat's litter tray. A sensor sends a signal when the collection unit needs to be changed. In line with the eco-friendly concept the contents can be composted. Thanks very much for the flowers!

uritrottoir.com

The Celebrity Interview Book Berlin-based Canadian reporter, broad caster, photographer and cultural critic Nadja Sayej has just released her first book presenting interviews with Susan Sarandon, Jean Paul Gaultier, Yoko Ono, James Franco, Isabella Rossellini, Patti Smith and more. ‘The Celebrity Interview Book’ is kind of a first volume of her ‘greatest hits’ – 21 unedited interviews, ‘raw material’ for her articles published in New York Times, Vogue Italia, Forbes, Paper Magazine, etc. A celebrity book from the ‘a n t i - c e l eb r i t y city’ Berlin, as Sayej calls her home of choice.

nadjasayej.com

Under © MIR and Snøhetta

Uritrottoir – the eco solution against wild peeing

RADAR

Magic carpet ride – the tapestry that visualises WiFi What is WiFi exactly? The Dutch media artist Richard Vijgen has created a carpet installation that reacts to radio signals by changing its colour and even pattern, thereby showing a visual representation of the wireless activity in the room. The carpet, which is partly constructed from conventional yarn and partly from t hermochromic thread, changes colour and appearance according to the signal. Based on the WiFi signals a panel behind the tapestry selectively heats it, causing the threads to change colour. Vijgen makes the invisible visible. Amazing!

richardvijgen.nl

Sharing is caring – cruise around Berlin Fashion Week with the e-scooter Car sharing has become a normal part of our everyday lives. Now a growing number of e-scooter sharing companies are also entering the fray. One such name is Emmy, an electric scooter ride-sharing scheme that operates not just in Berlin, but in Hamburg, Munich, Dusseldorf, Stuttgart and Mannheim. Emmy riders can also enjoy a real treat: a trip on the e-Schwalbe, a new, state-of-the-art edition of the former GDR cult scooter that’s now quieter, cleaner and more sustainable. This retro beauty can be easily recharged: just plug it into the nearest socket using the on-board charging cable under the seat. The innovative design and technology was created in partnership with Bosch, who have also launched their own sharing subsidiary, Coup, which offers electric scooters to hire in Berlin and Paris. Perfect for zipping between meetings at Fashion Week: simply grab an e-scooter, don your helmet and get cruising.

www.emmy-sharing.de | www.joincoup.com

R ADAR Wifi Tapestry © Studio Richard Vijgen 2017

Pentatonic – re-recyclable furniture made from human trash Jamie Hall and Johann Bödecker, founders of the London- and Berlin-based furniture company Pentatonic, turn problems into opportunities. The duo is obsessed with breathing new life into trash and going even further with the creation of highly innovative materials out of nothing other than everyday consumer waste. And while the majority of plastic bottles end their lives in the ground and in the oceans, harming innocent animals, Pentatonic uses this plastic – and also aluminium or glass – to design a patented modular interior system inspired by the automotive industry. You can get tables and chairs, but also glassware, made from smartphone screens or cushions made from old bottles. The future is rubbish. And look how beautiful it is! It’s a concept that makes more than sense.

www.pentatonic.com

THE RAVENING ART OF NEOTRIBALISM

Text by ADRIANO SACK Photos by MAXIME BALLESTEROS

COVER STORY

You can sit at a table in the bar area of Grill Royal, pop into a vernissage at the Dittrich & Schlechtriem Gallery or get stuck in a semi-legal bar in Neukölln, where the only source of warmth is some form of cylindrical heater – and the chatter of your fellow guests, of course. Berlin is a city full of unexpected encounters: millionaires, baby-faced communications students, supermodels, writers with pet dog in tow, ageing ladyboys (and their respectable lists of famous lovers), fashion designers, photographers, founders of political parties and, most interesting of all, even the occasional bore. Before you’ve even properly taken stock of the person opposite, you’re already deep in conversation. Outside, it’s thanks to the dimly lit streets (no major city west of Siberia is as dark); inside, it’s the famed Berlin attitude and the city’s history. The proletarian pulse, the banished bourgeoisie and the economic trauma of years of division have given rise to a classless society that would be unimaginable in any other European metropole. This is a place where the finest grammar school, the most frequented brothel or the most prestigious sports club is practically irrelevant. Even a famous surname can have little bearing. Although it must be said that having a famous writer as a father did little harm to the careers of authors Theresia Enzensberger and Simon Strauß. But by the time the first slightly wayward book launch is underway, the focus rests solely on the piece itself. In Berlin, it’s your accomplishments that count. How these are defined is, of course, dependent upon your age and your environment. It can be an enviable stamina for parties or an exceptional talent for content marketing pitches. Otherwise Berlin remains a city where the currency of classic, noneconomic attributes – sex, humour and beauty, as well as having MDMA residue in your handbag or the right trainers – is prized more than anywhere else. In recent years, the question of whether change, price rises and globalisation are beneficial or damaging to the city has become a regular topic of conversation among Berliners. Nowhere is this discussion more intense than in K reuzberg, a district long known as a place of resistance and subversion. “People used to live here,” reads a graffitied message of protest sprayed on the wall of a building just a few hundred metres away from the Voo Store that has evidently been too lavishly refurbished (the glass panes of the Bruno Taut apartment block, situated close to the Engelbecken canal basin, are regularly defaced or smashed in). The Voo Store, however, has managed to become a popular haunt for a new generation of Kreuzbergers, who come from all over the world and, more often than not, work in the creative industries, whilst still seamlessly blending into its surroundings.

Why classless Berlin still has all the right ingredients for new trends

7 The fact that it has managed to pull off this balancing act is down to Voo Store founder Yasin Müdjeci and Herbert Hofmann, who has effectively become the face of the company, embodying a mix of aplomb and understatement. It’s also thanks to the sales assistants, who will happily talk to their customers about the latest Prada rucksack or the most recent, underwhelming documenta exhibition with equal expertise. And it’s also due to the fact that, despite all the scepticism towards the infamous ‘EasyJet Set’, the city has a long tradition of embracing (or at least nonchalantly accepting) the new and ultimately a bsorbing it. The first West Germans to arrive in post-WWII Berlin were not the picky parents of Prenzlauer Berg but draft evaders from West Germany. On the streets of Berlin, you can feel that the adoration for the city is now on the wane. Every season, some other place is lauded as the ‘New Berlin’, be it Los Angeles, Lisbon or Tbilisi. And who would expect otherwise? No one can stay the newest or the hottest forever – not even a city with low rent and extremely lax police. Tellingly, Berlin seems as un fazed by the current dirges as it was by the preceding years of endless praise (at times, the ever-exultant New York Times felt almost like another local paper based along the Spree). In his 1910 piece titled ‘Berlin – the Fate of a City’, Karl Scheffler claimed that the metropole’s isolated location far to the east made it a particular draw for those who were “strongminded, ravening and zealous for liberty”. And these people, as evidenced by the years that have since followed, are, in turn, drawn to one another. It was this inherent feature of the city that led fashion photog rapher Benjamin Alexander Huseby and designer Serhat Işık to launch the GmbH collective, one of the few Berlin-based fashion brands to achieve recognition beyond Germany’s borders. It is run by a loose alliance of friends who have come up with the catchy label neotribalism to sum up their strategy. Freunde von Freunden (Friends of friends) is a network that uses a slightly different structure but is based on a similar concept, and in recent years it has grown to become a successful agency that runs an ‘event space’ just a stone’s throw away from the Voo Store. The venue is situated within a loft-like apartment directly above what was once Chester’s, a h ipster club par excellence. On an evening here, you may encounter people such as Markus Shimizu, who cultivates Japanese mushroom cultures and sells them on to p remium restaurants, the Swedish food blogger Per Meurling or natural wine merchant Holger Schwarz. And then, a short while later, while the night away at the Voo Store in the company of casting director Affa Osman, stylist Marc Goehring, TV host Palina Rojinski or Viennese rapper Yung Hurn. The only people missing are Bill Kaulitz from the band Tokio Hotel, gallery owner Johann König, actor Lars Eidinger and Dandy Diary’s Carl Jakob Haupt. Last summer the latter three threw a party at the documenta in Kassel. Some were perplexed as to the supposed link between the gallery owner, the theatre star and the firebrand blogger, and wondered whether this truly was an ideal arrangement for everyone. But, as a lways, in Berlin, that’s not really the right question to ask: here experiment ranks above tried and tested formulas – which is itself a recipe for success.

COVER STORY

The laid-back style icon: Herbert Hofmann Creative Director & Head of Buying Voo Store Of the many dialects that can be heard on Berlin’s streets, in its bars or at its fashion events, Herbert Hofmann’s is certainly one of the quirkiest. A gentle sing-song that’s hard to place but which actually originates from Tyrol, the place he calls home. Although he is always immaculate ly dressed, it’s hard to think of Herbert as a fashion person, even if you’ve known him for years. He’s just too laidback. He has an incurable weakness for Nike – more often than not, your eye will catch a twinkling swoosh around his neck – and Marni, and he has delighted in seeing Jil Sander’s comeback. He’s also not shied away from re moving brands from his range that looked promising but which he thought were creatively disappointing. He’ll also do the same if he feels a corporation is making unreason able demands of its partners. Pathos is alien to him, but he sees fashion as a people business. If a partnership veers towards the rocks, he’ll simply walk away. Formerly at fashion PR company Agency V, Herbert Hofmann has not only left his mark on Berlin’s fashion scene: there is no travel guide in existence that fails to list the Voo Store under its recommendations. Visitors from South Korea won’t even think of boarding a flight home without a couple of its trademark brown paper bags, and the selection of items available in store, which range from very affordable basics to some extremely pricy designer pieces by JW Anderson, Raf Simons or, more recently, P rada, perfectly sums up the style of this city. Yet nowhere else in Berlin manages to embody this unique appeal more effectively than this boutique situated in a rear courtyard in Kreuzberg. However, everyone involved makes a particular point of avoiding the term ‘concept store’; for them, a store is some thing personal. After all, anyone can sell limited edition sneakers (if they are allotted some by adidas or Nike); a special interest magazine made by friends, a rocket blanket by Pendleton or a penis-shaped vase by Ettore Sotsass, however … now that takes individuality and humour. Even before his status rose to that of local hero, Hofmann was selling the work of his partner, Danish architect and de signer Sigurd Larsen. His concrete letters have become long-sellers at Voo, and his concrete tables in the store’s small café perfectly complement the shop’s raw look. The Voo Store is a key player on Berlin’s fashion scene: local designers are sold here when they’re right for the store’s range (and they have an effective production system in place). The list currently includes GmbH, Goetze and Mykita. But the store has never been about promoting Berlin labels at all costs, and that is one of the reasons why it has been such a success. Currently Voo Store is undergoing a minor but crucial transformation. Previous years have been spent . building up and running a very successful online store. “We put all our time and energy into online retail,” says Hofmann.

“We accidentally backed ourselves into a corner and needed to meet and increase our sales quotas.” The online shop is now being deliberately scaled down and customers are being encouraged to come to the store and discover items they’re not looking for.

I fall in love with Berlin all over again every time I come back here.

It may seem like madness for a business to voluntarily reduce its revenue and opt not for growth but for a unique customer experience. But, as it turns out, it does maximise the fun value as well as that much misused word: longevity. But things are by no means slowing down; Hofmann notices it every day in his store: “The most outrageous P rada pieces were immediately snapped up.” Don’t let the casual vibe fool you: the Voo Store takes fashion as seriously as it deserves.

How would you describe the ‘Voo Store look’? Does it even have one? There isn’t really one ‘Voo look’ and obviously our style continues to evolve. I always have a specific combination in mind when I see a design, but I’m often surprised at how clients and friends ultimately wear the pieces. I find it fascinating. Essentially, it should be a look that you still go back to a couple of seasons later. And you can’t really go wrong with casual pieces, either on top or below.

How has the store changed over the years? Over the last seven years, I feel we have become more mature and our selection smaller and more refined. We went through periods where we showcased something new or launched a new pair of sneakers every week. We asked ourselves who could (or would) be able to buy it all, so now we say no to even more brands and products. The offering is still a mix of products that are aesthetically coherent with those that don’t fit in at all but can be tailored to suit the general concept (the price tag is irrelevant).

Over time, has your fashion taste a) improved or b) gotten worse? My taste has gotten better because I’m now famil i ar with many more brands, but my own style is definitely plainer and more toned down. I think that’s something often perceived as deterioration.

What skills do you look for when you’re hiring (besides excellent English)? It really depends on the individual and how we get along. I like polite, friendly people and we try to find staff who love clothes and know their stuff but aren’t complete fashion freaks. It’s also fun to have people with different tastes in the store – it’s good to have an alternative perspective on the shopping experience. By the way, Micha, our Store Manager,

COVER STORY

speaks excellent Bavarian and is always on hand in case we don’t have any luck with English.

Why are there so few Berlin-based labels in the Voo Store? We are currently working with nine Berlin labels and designers and also stock lots of magazines and books that are produced in the city. Unfortunately, many labels (and the businesses behind them) just don’t survive multiple seasons.

When do you find yourself falling in love with the city of Berlin again in spite of everything? There’s no ‘in spite of anything’ for me! I fall in love with Berlin all over again every time I come back here.

Do you think the Voo Store should have a larger selection of food options? Yes, we should. It was hard to find the perfect host for our Companion Coffee Café and every day we are grateful to have those guys here. But the local authorities had a hard time understanding why we wanted to sell coffee in a fashion store and whether that would even be possible.

Where is the best place in the city to find Tyrolian cuisine? The ‘Mitterhofer’ in Kreuzberg is really good, but my favourite is ‘Jolesch’. Every now and again, I make my famous K äsespätzle [soft egg noodles in a creamy sauce] at home, but it’s increasingly hard to find guests who get excited about eating such heavy food.

vooberlin.com

COVER STORY

On a mission: Rafaela Kacuni ´ c´ Publisher Badland Magazine

“The more fleeting our world becomes and the more our attention spans seem to shrink, the more important rea ding will become,” says Rafaela Kacuni ´ c, ´ explaining her decision to launch a print magazine in 2017. The many topics that feature in the first issue of ‘Badland’ include Bosnian artist Emir Šehanovi, modernist hotel architecture along the Adriatic coast, and a man who had a rip saw bent over his penis. (Is it fashion? Is it art? Does it hurt?). The idea of creating a lifestyle magazine about ‘the other Balkan’ stands to reason, especially in a place like Germany where right now the Balkans, a region not only of major historical importance but also rich in cultural diversity, is mainly associated with migrants and refugees. Born in Croatia, Kacuni ´ c´ studied fashion in Trier and Paris before working as Art Director at the Kemmler & Kemmler agency. The motto of the first issue of ‘Badland’ is ‘The Adriatic reimagined’. Why does it need reimagining?  There has been a growing interest in Croatia, but it was mostly about a superficial, touristic way of connecting with the culture. In our first issue, we go beyond this prevailing perception of the Adriatic and we explore new narratives and layers of meaning that shape the Adriatic coast as we see it today.

What are the clichés you want to get rid of? What are B alkan strengths that people notoriously underestimate?  We want to get past the nostalgia, collective stereo types as well as trauma, which is passed from gene ration to generation, and move forward with optimism. There is no greater strength than Balkan people’s bitter sense of humour and the power of their traditional healing methods.

The Balkans for beginners: where would you send people? What should they do there? I would send you on a route from Belgrade/Serbia all the way down to Pristina/Kosovo, crossing C roatia’s northern peninsula, Istria, on your way back to Berlin. Some of my favourite places in Belgrade include the ‘Kalenić pijaca’ food/flea market, the Drugstore nightclub, Zavičaj in S avamala (where you’ll end up eating and drinking much more than you ordered), and I would definitely pay a visit to the Laufer II Eugster gallery that exhibits and represents contemporary artists from B elgrade and the region.

Biggest Balkan style icon right now? I’ve always thought of Blanka Vlašić – an Olympic medal-winning high-jumper – as a style icon, even though most people only ever see her in sportswear. But she just looks sublime and extremely elegant when jumping over the bar.

How did you learn to create your own magazine? It was literally learning by doing, and with the support of Bus.Group (the design duo behind the magazine) and Sandra von Mayer-Myrtenhain (cofounder of 032c).

Why is it still necessary to print a magazine? In times where the average attention span is dropping thanks to our digitalised lifestyles, I believe it’s vital to read and look at printed content.

Do you have a special drug/recipe/hobby to survive the eternal, dreaded winter in Berlin? A big fluffy winter coat and work. I don’t really care about the weather. Winter can be as exciting as summer.

Is Herbert an easy person to work with? Even though Herbert’s dry and sarcastic humour (which I love) can be hard to handle sometimes, he is the most relaxed and humble person that I’ve met in the fashion industry.

thisisbadland.com

Kreuzberg darling: Yung Hurn Musician

Every city needs at least one young man like Viennese musician Julian Hurn. He winds his way through life and gives us Yung Hurn (as he cheekily refers to himself), along with a trail of devastation and infatuation. Not only is he an obvious hit with the women: young, straight men are captivated by him too. His lyrics usually revolve around cocaine and love in all its forms. More recently, he has undergone a transformation from a kind of Austrian ‘codeine rapper’ to a balladeer as frontman for his Love Hotel Band. His fans include Demna Gvasalia, Creative Director of Vetements and Balenciaga, and the Voo Store’s Herbert Hofmann. Herbert affectionately calls you ‘Little rat’. Why? It’s a secret.

He likes the fact that, as you’re Austrian, you can at least understand some basic words when he speaks in T yrolean dialect. What do you like about him? Everything. Herbert is like a role model for me.

He doesn’t quite know how to define your style of music. How would you describe it to people who haven’t heard it? Postmodern psychedelic pop.

You’re famous in Berlin for eating a steak bare-chested at Grill Royal. Why didn’t you lose the trousers too? At that time, Boris [Radczun] told me I couldn’t get completely undressed. Now he writes to me all the time on WhatsApp asking for nudes …

Is Berlin essentially a city obsessed with sex and drugs? Yes.

Which item perfectly sums up the Berlin style? Yeezys.

The best place in the city (beside the Voo Store)? Alexanderplatz.

What was the last thing you spent an obscene amount of money on? Jewellery.

What can Berlin learn from Vienna? Preferably nothing.

COVER STORY How does this ring work? I call it functional jewellery. There are three functional smells. You can choose between ‘attention’, ‘distraction’ and ‘concentration’. The metal is platinum because there is no oxidation. That’s why a hip replacement is always made of platinum. You can open the scented ring, put crystals inside and, as a result of a chemical reaction, smells are created and emitted through perforations. Every body changes the nature of a smell, so here it stays pure and remains the same from a–z. If you want attention without having to dress up, you put the ring on and people will swarm around you. Does the world need another perfume? No. Another ring? No. So we combine the two and add playfulness!

What does Berlin in January smell like? Of snow, hopefully! Snow can contain so many different smells. Just ask the people of Greenland.

How do you see your role in the fashion industry? In pushing boundaries. People want to be challenged. Experience is the next big investment. In a holistic way. It goes way beyond the colour of a dress. The thought of it and the smell of it become more interesting. The more technology is invading the world, the more desperately we want to know how our body and our senses operate. And, most of all, we want to have it for free. We need to challenge ourselves properly. Everything else costs money.

How can people learn how to smell? You have to start to implement the topic of smell and the process of smelling into your everyday conversations. Sit around and talk about how the world smells. What if we took smells a bit more seriously and tried to understand the treasure trove of information hidden within? That’s much more interesting than discussing looks.

Smell researcher: Sissel Tolaas Artist & Scientist

“When you come from a small island, you first have to conquer the world before you settle down anywhere,” explains Norwegian Sissel Tolaas, who grew up on the Lofoten archipelago. And she has also stayed true to her own motto, living abroad in Russia, Poland, England and Paris (to name but a few) whilst studying art, linguistics and chemical science. Her job could be defined as ‘artist and smell researcher’, and it’s the elusive nature of the role that makes it so fascinating. Her past projects include fragranced walls for a Dries Van Noten exhibition that captured the scents of Dries’ own garden. She also designed abstract historical artefacts with smells nanoembedded on the surface for the NGV Triennial in Melbourne, Australia. When touched, the objects emit smells that evoke the city’s past, present and future. Tolaas has also collaborated with jewellery designer Georg Hornemann, the result of which – a scented ring – was unveiled in autumn 2017 at the newly created Art Düsseldorf fair.

Of course you would say that! Listen, you have to be the change you want to see in the world. If we don’t do it, nobody will.

Herbert loves your candid advice. What was the last tip you gave him? Don’t FALL asleep! Don’t be afraid to take risks and be constantly curious. I asked him why all concept stores had to look and smell the same. The more you implement a personality or a fingerprint, the more people will want to come back. Even failure can be successful. I am often told I am too honest and direct. I guess it is a Scandinavian thing: the days are so short, we don’t waste any time! I tell Herbert, “Get a day when your store smells like dog shit! Surprise! Go beyond the notion of good and bad.” The Voo Store works very well. They can afford to take some risks.

COVER STORY

Reinventing Kreuzberg: Yasin Müdjeci Entrepreneur, owner Voo Store & Luzia Bar

The first success that Yasin and his brother Kaan ever had was a basement club beneath a former Turkish café in Skalitzer Strasse. This was then followed by the (still) immensely popular bar/café Luzia, before the brothers parted ways. Kaan made his debut film ‘Sivas’, and Yasin turned the rear courtyard of an old locksmith’s shop into the Voo Store. Opened in 2010, the somewhat raw yet somehow beautiful space possessed no rigid concept: art, design, clothes and events all featured here. Today the Voo Store embodies Berlin’s new style like no other. Without a hint of regret in his voice, Yasin explains, “Over time, fashion just pushed everything else out the picture.”

What does ‘Voo’ mean? Nothing. We wanted a name that had no meaning or connections, except perhaps to ‘voodoo’. It’s just three letters. I’m still very happy with it. ‘Luzia’, on the other hand, sounds to some like a woman’s name; others think of a world- famous naked wrestler when they hear it – or the devil.

What is it that makes the store special? We let things be and don’t try to impose a rigid concept. We are always asking ourselves, “Do we like it?” and the store gradually became what it is today.

You sell Prada pullovers for € 800. Do you see yourselves as destroyers of the old, alternative Kreuzberg? Absolutely not. Kreuzberg is more than just gambling arcades and run-down kebab shops. And we’re not imposing; we’re located away from the street in a rear courtyard. It’s not about whether products are expensive or cheap. What matters is that they have value. It all starts with us being here in this spot. Kreuzbergers are happy to come to our store as it means they no longer have to go all the way to Mitte.

Is Herbert the heart or the brains behind ‘Voo Store’? I hope he’s both. I never like to separate the head from the heart.

Does he offer you fashion advice? No, and you know why? Because I already know what he would say.

The store is packed with visitors. Who is craziest about fashion? The South Koreans. We’re absolutely huge over there. Every Korean that comes to Berlin has to stop by our store.

vooberlin.com luzia.tc

It’s not about whether products are expensive or cheap. What matters is that they have value.

COVER STORY

Pioneer and buyer: Andreas Murkudis Owner Murkudis Stores

Andreas Murkudis opened his first store in a rear courtyard in Berlin Mitte all the way back in 2003, making his name as a true trailblazer. His sophisticated, handpicked selection of products and his store’s cool ‘non-design’ were way ahead of the time (at least in Berlin) and had a lasting influence on the industry. In 2011 he moved to a spectacular space in Potsdamer Strasse that was once used by the Tagesspiegel newspaper – just a few years before the street became the epicentre of Berlin’s art scene. Murkudis, who previously ran the city’s ‘Museum of Things’, may have become an institution, but his store continues to evolve. During Berlin Fashion Week, he will be showcasing up-andcoming label Ader Error, and later on, at this year’s Gallery Weekend, he will be hosting an exhibition of works by the American Lewis Baltz, one of his favourite photographers. Are you the godfather of the Berlin concept store? I hate concept stores. Every store has a concept: some are viable and others less so. It almost sounds as bad as ‘curated selection’. I’m just a good retailer. If you can still surprise people who think they’ve seen it all … If you can combine items that actually don’t go together (for example, we stock Nymphenburg porcelain and Lobmeyr glassware) … It won’t sell fast and it goes completely against conventional commercial wisdom. For 13 years, I’ve been the only one in the country selling German fashion designer Lutz Huelle. It took a long time before things started to take off.

Of the latest products for January, which would you say are especially irresistible? Great question! We have just under 8,000 products in our store. I’m not trying to be coy, but I think all of them are great. I would perhaps pick out Jil Sander’s very colourful loose-knit sweaters. And I’m delighted for the brand’s two new creative directors, Luke and Lucie Meier, especially as we’ve been stocking Luke’s own collection, OAMC, for years.

Are you a good salesman? I’m an abysmal salesman. But my background isn’t in sales; I used to work in a museum. I like to talk about products, but the act of accompanying someone to the till and then taking their money from them is not at all something I enjoy.

is amazing in itself, with its former home for the blind that now houses ‘Die Imaginäre Manufaktur’, the Lebensmittel Hillmann grocery store and, of course, Voo Store.

Which work of art from which Berlin museum would you most like to steal? Something abstract and American. Like a Clyfford Still, the one that used to hang downstairs in the National Gallery. And I like the Franz Gertsch piece, the one of two women standing in front of a mirror. I think he’s a brilliant artist.

What have you learnt from Herbert and the Voo Store? Our concepts are too different to say. I know lots of buyers, and he’s one of the nice ones.

On which street and in which city do you shop? Here actually. The only thing that interests me outside of this store are books. The Walther König bookstore on Museum Island is fabulous. And I like Kisch & Co. in Oranienstrasse. It’s so chaotic and you can find some great stuff, but you have to go looking for it. It’s nothing like what we’re used to today. And the street

Is there an item of clothing in your store that you would never wear yourself? For men or for women? A hand-painted Yamamoto coat. It’s almost a bit of a joke piece. You want to have it, but you know it might not actually sell. There always ends up being someone who wants it though. But I would never walk around in it. I’m more of an Aspesi guy.

andreasmurkudis.com

Host and food missionary: Dalad Kambhu Chef & Model

Edd’s is a legendary Thai restaurant in Tiergarten. For years, the eatery has been a popular haunt for art professionals, who would tuck into whole fried pike perch and papaya salad while gawking at the oversized stair lift in the basement. So, when the owners decided to move back home and Dalad Kambhu took over the restaurant, she knew she would have her work cut out. She had previously worked alongside artist Rirkrit Tiravanija, and in Stephan Landwehr and Boris Radczun (the masterminds behind Grill Royal) she found her ideal partners. She named the new venture Kin Dee, hung some more appealing artwork and designed a menu that was less dogmatic but every bit as irresistible as before. And Dalad herself is the most impeccable host: graceful and handson, even in the dining rush. How do you know Herbert? Actually, we met in Berlin at a Georgian dinner that ‘Freunde von Freunden’ hosted. I did have a non-sexual crush on Herbert. He had really cute shoes and apparently texted a mutual acquaintance, saying that I was a one “classy bitch” (I guess he thought I was cute too). What made you want to start a restaurant in Berlin? I have always had a deep love of food and always thought about opening a restaurant. After I cofounded a spot in New York, I started to cook with Rirkrit and we decided that we wanted to do something together; we thought Berlin was the right place to do it. As much as I love New York, I needed a bullshit break. What can Germans learn from Thai cuisine? Thai food is full of history, culture and a passion for eating. I guess I can say that Thai food is like the Thais. They are complex and fun: a mix of flavours and different levels of spice. Each dish has so many flavour characteristics and, on top of that, the Thais always share their food. Perhaps, after experiencing the real Thai way of sharing, there will somehow be fewer boundaries along the way. What is your work outfit? Typically work out pants (because it is so hot in the kitchen), sports shoes, a T-shirt and an apron. I get hot and cold very easily. And Nike should sponsor me! Herbert seems so skinny: does he eat enough? No, one can never eat enough. But then again, Buddhists would say we eat to live. Not live to eat. Maybe he is a secret Buddhist. kindeeberlin.com

COVER STORY

Tough, yet tender: Sigurd Larsen Architect & Designer

Sigurd Larsen arrived in Berlin in 2008, i.e. after the midcentury wave of famed Danish designers and before the immensely popular hygge lifestyle trend took off. In fact, the architect and designer has little to do with either. His designs mix toughness with tenderness, a combination that works well in all aspects of life. The Voo Store’s small café features his diminutive concrete tables, which are now widely considered modern design classics. His next project goes by the name Løvtag: a small cluster of treetop cabins in Denmark set to open in summer 2018 and offering guests an immersive stay in the great outdoors. Do you know anyone in Berlin who doesn’t own one of your iconic concrete letters? No, and if I discover one, I might show up with a concrete letter for their birthday.

How did you get here, why did you stay, what drives you crazy (and please don’t mention the city’s local transport)? I came for a job after I graduated in Copenhagen. Not long after, I started my office and then I stayed around.

In which architectural tradition do you see your work? Let's look into that shortly before I retire.

What is the project you are most proud of so far? We built a house in Copenhagen called The Roof House. It's all about daylight and how to get the most out of it. I love that topic.

Lesson Number 1 about architecture and design? Pay attention to it. It's really exciting.

In which famous building in Berlin would you like to spend the rest of your life? Sounds scary. Hope I'll never be confronted with that dilemma. Perhaps Stadtbad Mitte. Then I could at least swim and get some daylight.

What is your Berlin uniform? Clothes that still look fabulous after biking 6 km.

Three places you take every young, cute and hungry B erlin visitor to? The streets of Kreuzberg. U1 has a nice view. The Boros Bunker.

Is Herbert Hofmann the best dressed man in town? Obvs.

sigurdlarsen.com

Likes to keep it rugged: Laura-Maria Wulff Style Consultant & Stylist

Adidas, Vogue Germany, Dazed & Confused – Laura-Maria Wulff has a pretty impressive résumé. For the Kiel native, a stint at the Voo Store was an opportunity for self-discovery: after completing her degree in fashion design and spending three years as a buyer at Wood Wood, she came to Voo and worked in womenswear buying … and gradually came to realise that her calling actually lay in styling. Her verdict thus far: “It feels like everything suddenly makes sense.” Who was your first real fashion role model? And why? To be honest, I find it hard to pick out a particular role model. There are always women that fascinate me, but then it’s mostly a mix of personality and style. For me, Yoko Ono is an example of someone who has found the right balance. I think a person should be a bit sexy but still be themselves!

Which Berlin woman would you like to dress? Marlene Dietrich, if she were still alive.

Which item of clothing do you think should be banished from the city? I can think of quite a few. Fake leather leggings, for one, ideally together with fake Chloé Susanna Boots.

Are Berlin’s men better dressed than its women? Yes, but only because I prefer it when men have a more relaxed look. Men shouldn’t be too ‘fashion’. The men here in Berlin have managed to create a cool mix that combines casualness with an eye for style, e. g. sneakers with suit trousers and a bomber jacket.

What were you able to teach Herbert about women’s fashion? When it comes to shopping, women operate very differently to men. Women want to be convinced; men just want it to fit. We women go in search of individual items; we want something the others don’t have. We also approach fit and material differently. Clothes always have to flatter our figures. It’s not always easy for a man to understand what women want when they shop. And femininity doesn’t necessarily mean adding pink, frills, pearls or glitter.

If you could only sport one look for the rest of your life, what would it be? Probably Céline with a touch of Prada. I love the typical Céline woman: a bit lean, no make-up and with wide, elegant pants paired with sneakers and large earrings.

Name three places you take every style-hungry Berlin visitor to and why? There is a flea market held in Charlottenburg once every month. It’s a little insider tip: here you’ll find older women from the west of the city selling their prized possessions at decent prices. I also love Paul’s Boutique in Oderbergerstrasse and Ku’damm. Of course, it’s very traditional, but the major fashion houses like Prada and Jil Sander still manage to take you on a journey with their brands.

What is the political message that underpins your work as a stylist? What I love about styling is that there are no rules, no standards, no gender or skin colour. We should embrace ourselves as we are and not be constantly comparing one another.

Which work of art on display in Berlin would you most like to steal and keep forever? One of my favourite Picasso paintings is hanging in the Berggruen Museum: ‘Dora Maar with Green Fingernails’. For me, it’s both sad and beautiful at the same time: that’s what I love about it. And I’m sure it would look amazing in my future apartment.

What’s going to be your uniform for January 2018? Right now, I’m loving the schoolboy look: a checked slipover sweater with a miniskirt, but it shouldn’t be too girly, hence why I call it ‘schoolboy’. I’m generally into tomboy looks: checked knitted-wool pullovers with oversized shirts, knee socks, sneakers or rugged boots. The style is contrasted with a short skirt that adds a touch of sexiness to the whole thing. I love being a woman, and there’s no shame in showing it.

lauraloudd.com

COVER STORY

How would you describe the style of university students in Berlin? Very functional. When it’s cold in winter, they would come to class in ski outfits, and in summer, they would wear flip-flops and bathing suits. I was shocked. In France you don’t care so much about being cold or warm, you just try to look good. After eight years in Germany, I learnt about functiona lity and I’m grateful for that.

As a buyer for the Voo Store, you have travelled with H erbert to Milan, Paris, etc. What have you learnt from him on these trips? Very basic things. Like being nice and respectful to people. In my eyes, that is also part of the identity of Voo – not to be snobby. I think that always pays off.

Why did you call your blog starecases? And why is it for men? According to gender theory, there is no clear gender line anyway. Oh, we just picked two different words from a magazine. There is no deeper meaning to the word. And we never defined it as a menswear blog – it just turned out that way because we are two guys. There were times when we were very, very fluid. I had a vintage period, used to have lots of different hair co lours and bought much more from women’s departments.

Is there a man you admire for his style? Right now, it’s John F. Kennedy Jr. I adore his nonchalance. It’s hard to look good in simple gear. And he did!

Fluffy Prada and dad’s jeans: Thibaud Guyonnet Mens- & Womenswear Buyer Voo Store

Thibaud Guyonnet grew up in tiny Vollore-Montagne, a village with just 15 inhabitants situated in France’s Auvergne region, where his family runs a stud farm. After completing his high school diploma, he moved to Marburg and then Milan before ending up in Berlin, where he studied Italian and gender studies at the Humboldt University (it would be hard to think of a more contemporary mix). Guyonnet interned part-time at Voo Store and was eventually offered a full-time role. He now works alongside Herbert as a menswear buyer and also runs the starecasers.com fashion blog with husband-to-be Devid Gaulandris. You came here to study Italian and gender studies? What did you learn? I picked gender studies quite randomly. But it turned out to be really eye opening. I heard a lot of second degree discussions …

Does it add to his appeal that he died high on cocaine in a crash while flying his private plane? Not at all (laughs). But, of course, he had a differ ent bank account. And he knew how pretty he was. I am sure it does something for your self-esteem if you can get laid with a different girl every night.

If you were reborn as a piece of clothing, what would it be? Difficult. Maybe some fluffy Prada knitwear. I still wear my father’s Levi’s, which are 40 years old. They have little holes here and there, but I love them – they don’t do this cut and wash anymore. My father is still in good shape. He could still wear them, but I stole them from him.

What is your favourite sentence/phrase/saying in German? I’ll try to pronounce it properly. It’s one of my mother-in-law’s favourites. She never curses unless she is very upset and when she does, it sounds incredibly funny and cute: “Du blöde Kuh” [that’s “silly cow” for non-German speakers].

starecasers.com

Film activist and arm stroker: Antonia Coenen Film Director, Producer & Pro-Animal Activist

‘A Furry Truth’ is the laconic title of one of Antonia Coenen’s documentary films, but there can be no doubt about her aim: to put viewers and consumers off ever buying fur again. Antonia was born a Scorpio in 1976 in what she calls the greatest city on earth: Cologne. She is a film producer, a director and, since 2003, owner of Loupe, a production company based in Cologne and B erlin. Is there a moral distinction between using fur and leather? Fur and fur trimming are not obtained as byproducts of livestock farming. In other words, they aren’t sourced from the meat production process, which is where most leather comes from. Every year more than 85 million animals are raised and slaughtered just to make fur accessories for jackets and hats. Most of these are wild animals that aren’t suited to standard rearing. The raccoon dog, whose fur is the most widely used in Germany, comes from China. These nocturnal creatures are monogamous, i.e. they only ever mate with a single partner. On raccoon dog farms, the animals are kept alone in tiny cages in temperatures that can fall below zero, and are held there until their pelt can be harvested. It’s also true that many of these animals – raccoon dogs, minks and even foxes – are skinned alive.

I’m afraid to say that, from an ethical point of view, leather isn’t much better. In 2017, I made a film about German pig farming and I was absolutely horrified to see the practices that are still being used in Germany today.

What have you learnt from your research on consumption and morality? That haute couture labels are the worst offenders when it comes to production. In the factories close to Shanghai where we conducted our research, they were the labels that exerted the most pricing pressure.

How did you meet Herbert? What forms the basis of your friendship? I met Herbert through Pauline Hoch. She is my closest friend in Berlin and, back then, Herbert was her intern at Agency V. She told me how funny he was and that he was the best arm stroker she knew. I then met him at some point in Cologne at a store opening and we’ve been fondling each other’s arms ever since! So, I would say humour is definitely what connects us, as well as our mutual love of animals and men.

loupe.tv

The classic in a new light USM Haller erschließt revolutionäre Dimensionen integraler Beleuchtung: kabellos, dimmbar, energieeffizient. Eine wahre Innovation – lassen Sie sich inspirieren!

www.usm.com

The woman who transformed

INTERVIEW

into WOW! Anita Tillmann, PREMIUM GROUP Managing Partner, interviews Chief Visionary Officer, Chairwoman and owner of MCM Worldwide, Sung-Joo Kim

INTERVIEW

Anita Tillmann: You are one of the most celebrated businesswomen in Asia and have been awarded so many titles; lately you were honoured with an Honorary Doctorate from the renowned University of the Arts London for your achievements as a businesswoman and humanitarian. What drives you? Sung-Joo Kim: I’m not sure I deserve all these recognitions … I just want to stand up and speak out my conviction and have a positive influence on women and future generations. I am not money-driven but more mission-driven. That always drives me. That’s why my motto is ‘Succeed to Serve’.

You celebrated an MCM weekend bash in Berlin lately and, big news: MCM is moving its creative focus to Berlin, how cool is that! Please tell us more about this move. Luxury fashion has always been dominated by Western markets. Asia is becoming the biggest luxury market in the world. These consumers are much younger than before, and that’s why millennials – particularly the Chinese and young Asian generations – are now shaping the entire luxury industry. They have deep po ckets from rich parents and are exposed to social media. When they choose luxury products, function comes first. As a German brand, we are proud to follow the Bauhaus principle: ‘Form follows Function’. Berlin has a new energy with freedom and young entrepreneurship that well represent the new Bauhaus movement in the 21st century. We’re proud to carry the German flag and make Berlin our new home.

How important are digital strategies for your company’s sales and communications? Digital strategies are essential. The company has embarked on a digital transformation project that spans all our operations: physical retail, online, mobile, and digital marketing through social media. We have to be customer-oriented and a mobile/ e-commerce-driven business, where offline will seamlessly interact with online. The first phase of MCM’s digital transformation will be completed by the end of next year.

How would you describe the process and what does MCM stand for today? How does the brand position itself in the international luxury market? MCM represents New School Luxury for the 21st century. My vision is for a unisex, ageless, seasonless luxury brand for the global nomad lifestyle. It’s all about personality and lifestyle, and giving consumers freedom and empowerment to mix and match their outfits. It’s not about top-to-toe fashion often dictated by the brands.

”WE’RE PROUD TO CARRY THE GERMAN FLAG

MCM has become an i nternational symbol of millennial style. How does this generation define luxury these days?

The millennial generation is very different from our mature generation. They aren’t passive consumers and they don’t want to be dictated to by old, traditional luxury values. They are independent, intelligent and want more freedom and much more travelling. Time management and mobility are critical to them. They want value for money, functional and durable products that they can wear in their own ways. As I said before, as a German brand, function leads the design. MCM offers a wider range of price points. We aim to be more fun and dynamic than other luxury brands.

AND MAKE

BERLIN AS OUR NEW HOME.“

Going back to 2005 when you bought the brand – with whom did you share your vision? When we acquired MCM in 2005, we were latecomers to the market. We want to succeed and compete with the three major existing giants in the current luxury space. To achieve our goal, we need to have speed, accuracy and content, as millennials are very discerning. We have to be smarter to compete with these global giants with more tech-driven infrastructure and good engineering, and through my three authentic missions: women’s leadership and empowerment; transparency in business operations; and inspiring the next generation.

How did you explain to your customers that MCM is the new black? What was your marketing strategy? We created products for a new global nomad lifestyle. The hands-free backpack is one example; MCM reinvented the backpack trend for a new generation. The major K-pop artists, such as Rain, started carrying our backpacks, and that was the start of this trend throughout China, Asia and led to it becoming a strong global trend.

You invested 100 million dollars; today the annual sales are 600 million dollars per year and the products are sold in 40 countries around the globe. How hard did you have to work for the success of MCM? Very hard. My priority was to invest in the brand equity building. When I acquired MCM, I cleaned up the market by closing the license business and shutting stores in secondary positions, which cost a lot of money. I then reopened stores in key cities. I invested in the creative direction, R&D and quality, in terms of manufacturing and engineering. I invested hugely in customer service, as customers now need an intensive, individual, 360-degree experience. MCM is now sold in 40 countries in 500 retail locations: one third are DOS ( D irected owned stores), one third are operated through high-end department stores and speciality stores, and the

INTERVIEW

remaining third operate through travel retail channels. By 2020, we expect to reach US$1 billion in turnover. We’re entering the Japanese market now and we’ll be entering South America from next year. The Middle East will also be a big potential market. And, of course, mobile/e -commerce will be a key channel from next year.

Being a female leader is not the typical job position for a woman in Korea. What price did you have to pay to achieve this? A very heavy personal cost! Korean society is patriarchal; my parents tried to force me into an arranged marriage in 1985, but I refused and they disowned me. My brothers inherited my father’s multi-billion dollar business unit. In Korea, women from high society are not supposed to work in business. In fact, the Asian business environment used to be dominated by male chauvinism, with Big Boys clubs and corruption, often associated with heavy drinking parties. It makes it ten times tougher as a woman to survive in this kind of business environment. Even though there were endless personal challenges, the obstacles didn’t hinder me. I put all my strength into thinking about a smart strategy re how women can win with women’s unique strength for today’s knowledge-based economy and the internet revolution era.

In terms of entrepreneurship: what is the difference between male and female leaders? Women have stronger emotional intelligence (EQ). They tend to be more gentle and caring, and more intuitive, especially in the multi-cultural environment. Their leadership style is more about horizontal-based ‘soft power’, and they have greater inner strength and tenacity. I don't believe that women are better than men; rather that we all need to learn to harmonise our skills and competencies and complement the different genders.

In your company you have a lot of women working for you, including your daughter, who works for you too. Do women benefit from their emotional intelligence? Of course. I have approximately 1,500 full-time employees from 35 nationalities, and more than 80% of my staff are women, including top directors and middle management positions. I want them to succeed in my organisation. They do well because fashion is a consumer-facing service industry with roles in sales, merchandising and marketing. It clearly shows how beneficial women’s leadership can be in a multicultural and mobile/e-commerce-driven environment.

Speaking of Corporate Social Responsibility, what measures did you take with your company? Corporate Social Responsibility is compulsory. As I mentioned before, I am not money-driven but more mission- driven, and my motto is ‘Succeed to Serve’. Ten percent of my company’s net profit goes back to society, and I support 50– 60 NGOs around the world, with a focus on women’s and children’s concerns. CSR is the company’s ultimate goal.

Who is your motivator/role model? My lifelong role model is my late mother; she was a devoted Christian, helping widows and orphans all through her life.

How do you see Berlin, what do you like about the city? Berlin is an exciting mix of tech, art and dynamic entrepreneurship. When the Berlin Wall was torn down East Berlin met West Berlin. The way districts like Mitte have emerged after reunification is notable. Instead of just catching up with the Western part, they did it in their own way. For example, there are buildings with graffiti all over the walls, but when you enter, the spaces are mostly edgy and unconventional and so intelligent. Mitte area’s underground art and music have re-emerged in a most exciting creative space, which represents the new millennials’ cultural movement very well. The city of Berlin represents freedom and dynamism. As many fashion trend researchers say, the luxury market used to centre on Paris, Milan and New York, but the future luxury centres will be Berlin, Seoul and L.A. Berlin will be a leading force. It’s the most exciting city in the world. I’m looking forward to locating our headquarters in Berlin in a few years’ time to lead this exciting new creative and cultural movement together.

mcmworldwide.com

SUNG-JOO KIM & MELISSA DRIER (German Correspondent, WWD) @ #FASHIONTECH BERLIN “The Journey and transformation of a global luxury brand into the digital era” 16 January 2018 | 14:00 FASHIONTECH BERLIN | Kraftwerk Berlin Köpenicker Strasse 70 | Mitte | fashiontech.berlin

BUSINESS

FE M ALE F RCE by ANNE PHILIPPI

Berlin entrepreneurs pool together

BUSINESS

Chris Stricker HÄBERLEIN & MAUERER

Monika Sprüth & Philomene Magers © Robbie Lawrence; Leyla Piedayesh © Yves Borgwardt

Monika Sprüth & Philomene Magers SPRÜTH MAGERS

Leyla Piedayesh LALA BERLIN

We are entering the era of the ‘new business woman’: anyone keen to find out what that means should listen to Gruner + Jahr Chief Executive Officer Julia Jäkel: “Today women offer each other support with an intensity we’ve never seen before.” Sharing infor mation with other women delivers success: trading swipes leads nowhere. According to Forbes, today’s female managers do quite a lot differently. They think digitally and in networks, not in gender identities. They’ve stopped listening to those critical inner voices. Their c apacity for empathy makes them more unstoppable ... and the world

of politics is already taking note of these new formidable females. Last year Brigitte Zypries, G erman Federal Minister for Eco nomic Affairs and Energy, published her ‘Strong women, strong economy’ manifesto: 300 female decision-makers and start-up founders met to discuss the issues that were important for new businesswomen today. The first observation to come out of the event was that digitalisation helps women; pointless stints in male-dominated corporate worlds don’t. Zypries hopes to encourage female entrepreneurs with sophisticated network ing skills and a zeal for risk-taking.

And Berlin is the place where Zypries’ plans are coming to fruition. If you’re looking for women with successful, tech-savvy business ideas, this is where you’ll find them. G allery owners Monika Sprüth and Philomene Magers, who have been running their global art network from Berlin for several years, and Chris Stricker, whose agency Häberlein & Mauerer has long had international brands on its books and was one of the first to recog nise the relevance of the digital world, taking blogging seriously when it was still dismissed as a ‘trend’, are just two examples. There’s also L eyla Piedayesh, founder of Lala Berlin,

BUSINESS Verena Pausder FOX & SHEEP

Susann Hoffmann & Nora-Vanessa Wohlert EDITION F

a label that embodies the language and radi ance of cosmopolitan Berlin and was discov ered by Suzy Menkes. Piedayesh is the kind of ‘new woman’ who no longer thinks in genera tions. At one of her fashion shows, she arranged her runway models in three age groups that ranged from eleven to seventy-two. Piedayesh knows how to network, and she’s not the kind of person to hang around: she has been known to make decisions in a matter of seconds. Verena Pausder, creator of children’s app ‘Fox and Sheep’ (and also voted ‘Young Global

Leader’ by the World Economic Forum), also had no desire to wait around for permission or goodwill from her male colleagues, ex plaining, “Women generally seek out far too much feedback and so my first piece of advice is just to get going. Have the courage to make a start.” Alongside her burgeoning start-up, Pausder also found time several years ago to launch her ‘Ladies Dinner’ project. It has since grown to a network of between 50 and 60 women who “trust one another implicitly”, according to Pausder. ‘Edition F’, one of the most successful digital platforms for women,

has a similar objective. A short time ago, Nora-Vanessa Wohlert and Susann Hoffmann started ‘ Female Future Force’, a bespoke support service for female entrepreneurs every where that includes digital coaching specially tailored for at-home learning, public speaking and presentation training, leader ship skills, creativity management and design thinking. The lone warrior attitude is also alien to Outfittery’s Anna Alex and Julia Bösch. After all, it was their empathy for men that led the

Susann Hoffmann & Nora-Vanessa Wohlert © Jennifer Frey

Julia Bösch & Anna Alex OUTFITTERY

PREMIUM PHOTO CREDITS: MAXIME BALLESTEROS – SEEK PHOTO CREDITS: DANNY SOMMERFELD

16 –18 JANUARY 2018 BERLIN

T H E FA S H I O N AUTHORITY

www.premiumgroup.berlin

BUSINESS

Annika & Swantje van Uehm SAVUE

Lea-Sophie Cramer AMORELIE

women to launch a concept five years ago that has since proven to be a huge draw for investors. They recognised that men in particular don’t find shopping a pleasurable experience, and that handpicked outfits offered them a way to avoid the torture of going to the shops. Swantje and Annika van Uehm, on the other hand, be came increasingly aware of the fact that women (themselves included) were less inclined to buy cosmetics and beauty products without know ing the exact ingredients. With ‘Savue Beauty’, they launched their own site for niche natural cosmetics from around the globe: green, or ganic and cool. After “many tears and s leepless

nights”, the right inspiration helped them get off to a perfect start. Lea-Sophie Cramer is some one else who decided to follow her intuition at just the right time, which led to the launch of her successful sex toy shop ‘Amorelie’: “I was on a train from Munich to Berlin and spotted 15 people reading ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’. That’s when I realised that the bestseller had mass appeal. When I went in search of the toys used in the book, I couldn’t find a nice shop that sold them.” And so Cramer set one up herself. As the saying goes, ‘If it doesn’t exist, create it.’ It’s a motto that should be emblazoned on the T-shirts of this new generation of entrepreneurs.

www.haebmau.de www.spruehtmagers.com www.lalaberlin.com www.foxandsheep.de www.editionf.de www.outfittery.de www.amorelie.de www.savuebeauty.de

Photo credits: MaxiMe Ballesteros

10 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 12 february

Zenith Hall www.premiummunich.com

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INTERVIEW

THE MINIMALIS T Damir Doma,

Founder & Creative Director of the Damir Doma brand

by CHRISTINE ZEINE

Christine Zeine: What was your first thought when Fashion Council Germany invited you to present your Fall/Winter 2018/19 collection with an exclusive runway show in B erlin? Damir Doma: To be honest I was immediately very excited. I had an initial conversation with Fashion Council Germany and, over a couple of days, a few more, so within one week we developed the idea of presenting my Fall/Winter 2018/19 collection in Halle am Berghain. I am in love with that location. I am known for choosing special locations for my shows and I believe that the Halle works perfectly with my aesthetics. My work has always been a mix of sensitivity and sophistication paired with a rough and unfinished element.

How important is it to change your sphere of activity from time to time? First of all I believe it’s very legitimate to do so; I think we have reached a point in fashion and in communication where we should no longer limit ourselves to a certain place or time. I strongly believe that I can – and should – do what is right for my brand at a certain point, and in this case it means presenting my collection in Berlin.

How do you manage to combine digital and analogue strategies? I don’t distinguish between the two; I don’t think it’s about choosing one or the other. I believe that they are mutually complementary and enhance each other. Above all it’s not about analogue or digital; it’s always about the content and social media, e.g. is just a new platform for the brand.

How important do you think it is to engage digitally with your customers? I think it’s extremely important to engage with your customers in general. Through platforms like Instagram, Facebook but also our website we have the opportunity to get to know our customers really well. We are able to have a conversation, which is interesting for me as a designer, too.

Having the hall at Berghain as a location is ‘so Berlin’. What are you most looking forward to with this home fixture? I totally agree. This location is so Berlin. It’s modern and rough; it’s unfinished but it’s perfect as it is. I can’t wait to see my collection within the space and I can’t wait to hear Baker&Baumecker filling the space with sound.

Taking an external perspective, what has changed about Berlin as a city of fashion? I feel it’s becoming independent and, at the same time, it’s more connected than ever. I believe that the founding of German Fashion Council was a very big step in the right direction.

What do you especially like about Berlin? I personally enjoy the feeling of space. In the last 12 years I have lived in Paris and lately in Milan, where it always feels crowded and somehow packed. So coming to Berlin I always feel free and at ease. Additionally I find that Berlin has a great art and gallery scene.

Born in Croatia and raised in Germany, Damir Doma studied fashion in Munich and Berlin, where he graduated in 2004 (with magna cum laude, just mentioning). A fter gaining experience in the ateliers of no lesser fi gures than Raf Simons and Dirk Schönberger in A ntwerp he relocated to Paris to launch his first collection in 2007. Three years later he presented his first women’s ready-to-wear collection. Since 2015 the Damir Doma headquarters have been based in Milan, where he also presents his runway shows. During Berlin Fashion Week Damir Doma will show his Fall/Winter 2018/19 collection in the context of the new event format Fashion HAB presented by Mercedes-Benz at Berghain, initiated by the Fashion Council Germany.

What do you most look forward to when you are back in Berlin/Germany? I look forward to having German food / drinks and spending time with G erman people.

Is there any chance we can get you to relocate your headquarters back “home” to Germany? We moved our headquarters from Paris to Milan about 2.5 years ago as I wanted to be much closer to the factories and mills. I think it’s very important for my creative process to work close to the source and, as well as that, I am in love with Milan as a city; but at the end of the day you never know, maybe I’ll be back one day.

You have plans for a new store for 2018. Please tell us more about that! That’s true; we are opening our first store in Asia and more precisely in Shanghai, just before Chinese New Year. I developed the store concept together with Andrea Caputo Architects. Basically the idea is to open a few stores in China within the next two years.

www.damirdoma.com

DAMIR DOMA RUNWAY SHOW Fashion HAB presented by Mercedes-Benz 17 January 2018 | 20:30 Halle at Berghain | Friedrichshain By invitation only!

I M A K E S

GO ROUND

by CHRIS DANFORTH

Â© Gucci Cruise 2018

THE WORLD

TREND

FA S H I O N ’ S L AT E S T M I S S I O N IS GET TING BACK IN TOUCH W I T H S U B C U L T U R E Whenever you think of masterpieces — be it a sculpture, painting, build ing, book or any other design — that for any reason has grown to be widely recognised, you have to accept that validation of the one or the other is al ways laid upon the eye of the observer. With the rise of social media, anyone in any place around the globe can learn to be an expert on any topic. And any item is able to generate hype – as long as enough people make it into one of the most wanted pieces ever, whatever the reason. Why? Be cause the way we learn, live, commu nicate and express our selves has changed immeasurably over the past 50 years. Information is more readily available than ever before. For any t opic you can think of, it’s more than likely that hours upon hours of web sites searches, forums and tutorials can easily be scanned and every ques tion can be answered. In this way, it’s easier than ever to challenge the real masters – and in a certain way it’s good they did, because the results simply speak for themselves! The following brands kicked down traditional doors and broke the rules to establish themselves as a tour de force in their respective fields, before earning validation from the upper echelons of the industry that once panned them. In 2001, also in New York City, up start skate label Supreme issued a limited collection of skate decks, beanies, t-shirts and more. The gear featured a repeating all-over print that bore some undeniable similari ties to Louis Vuitton’s storied mono gram print. Other brands have cer tainly pulled similar moves before this, including Stussy, who bootlegged a number of high fashion logos from

Chanel, Louis Vuitton and others, but Supreme’s homage collection was rel atively quickly quelled with a cease and desist letter from Louis Vuitton’s lawyers. Alt hough the drop was culled legally, some select pieces were still sold in-store by the brand.

himself. The Italian fashion label even backed Dapper Dan – born Daniel Day – in re-opening his boutique in New York City, going so far as to fur nish the space with upscale fabrics for him to create his signature garments.

Hender Scheme is one of those curi ous Japanese brands that insists on making products of the highest pos sible quality, with no real regard for cost or labour. The only thing that matters is creating the absolute best products possible. Eventually, Hender Scheme’s artisanal sneakers made from vegetable tanned leather develop ed something of a cult following, plus many were intrigued by the fact that the brand was taking iconic sneaker silhouettes like the Vans Era and From 1982 until it closed in 1992, Nike Air Jordan IV, then recreating Dapper Dan's Boutique on 125th Street them with premium materials, with in Harlem, New York City, was re- out permission from the big brands imagining off-the-rack offerings from themselves. Evidently, adidas thought Gucci and Louis Vuitton, making they could learn somet hing from the one-of-a-kind DIY garments worn by work happen i ng in Hender Scheme’s the likes of Mike Tyson and Rakim. Tokyo atelier, and so an official col Dapper Dan eventually established laboration was penned, to include himself as a sort-of king of hip-hop made-in-Japan versions of the NMD, fashion, and fans were happy to travel Micro Pacer and Superstar. from far and wide to place personal orders, either getting custom pieces The red thread between these events that were unique or asking for ver is of course validation. Established sions they had seen on their favourite groups are learning from and work rappers and drug dealers. ing with the smaller entities they have inspired, and both parties gain Adding insult to injury, Gucci was authority in turn. Barriers are being later accused in 2017 of copying one broken down throughout the industry, of Dapper Dan’s designs for Olympian and the seemingly unthinkable is now Diane Dixon – a puffy-shouldered fur commonplace. Reactions were scepti bomber originally emblazoned with cal when early images leaked show Louis Vuitton monograms. In response, ing a Supreme x Louis Vuitton col Creative Director Alessandro Michele laboration, but the partnership is a clarified that it wasn’t a copy, but very real manifestation of changes rather an homage to the tailor’s work. that are happening in the industry. The gatekeepers of the fashion world In September 2017, The New York have a responsibility to teach and em Times b roke the news on Gucci’s col power those who come after them. laborative collection with Dapper Dan Fast-forward 16 years, and Supreme was invited to the Parisian runway, to play a part in Louis Vuitton’s Fall/ Winter 2017 presenta t ion. That’s right: a decade and a half after being sued by Louis Vuitton, Supreme was tapped by the French fashion house for an official collaboration, which in cluded nearly the same skate deck de sign that was red-flagged in court by Louis Vuitton years earlier.

TREND

HOW B R AND LOGOS C R E ATE LOYAL FOLLOWE R S by CHRIS DANFORTH

French designer Charles Frederick Worth is widely credited with creating what is now considered the first fashion label, being the first to use live models to showcase his garments to clients, and the first to sew branded labels into his clothing. In the late 1850s, Worth’s fashion salon soon became a d estination for European royalty and high s ociety in general.

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As consumers, we inherently come to trust brand labels over time, from our favourite car manufacturers and drinks brands to many of the biggest and most successful companies in the world, who have staked their p rosperity on logos. What are the most recognisable trade marks that immediately come to mind? McDonald’s golden arches. Nike’s swoosh. Apple’s bitten s ilhouette. At first, brand names were signs of quality; a maker’s mark that g uaranteed quality control, as well as an internal reassurance to our selves that we were investing in a quality product. Over time logos have taken on deeper meanings, and in 2017, the brands that we wear, eat and consume are a rguably the biggest status symbols. In this way, it’s hard to refute the

ssertion that loyalty towards brand a n ames has never been stronger. Consu mers also have more choices than ever before, but choice naturally tends to breed competition, creating an adversa rial landscape between brands. How you spend your dollars says a lot about you, whether you eat at McDonald’s or Burger King, whether you wear Adidas or Nike, whether you drink Coca-Cola or Pepsi, and brands are always trying to outdo one another. [Brands are the new religion.] Logos are arguably some of the biggest status signifiers today, especially in the world of fashion, where visually strong emblems, badges and insignia are a pre requisite for building a dedicated fol lowing. While everybody and their dog wants to be a graphic designer these days, some roles that have traditionally been keystones of the couture industry, pattern-makers for example, are less in demand in today’s world of Instagramdriven, streetwear start-up brands. Getting to the point, oversized branding was a big trend this year, and in some ca ses it seems that these brazen logos are

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being substituted in place of truly origi nal designs that are worthy of recogni tion. Balenciaga – the hottest brand of Q3 2017 according to Business of Fashion – created a street style sensation by simply embroidering the brand’s name in sansserif font on a curved-brim “dad cap”. Nike splashed dozens of m ini-swooshes all over the upper of the iconic Air Force 1. Gucci – the second hottest brand of Q3 2017 according to the same BoF list – took the same exaggerated logo that we saw on the Italian fashion house’s t-shirts and hoodies and slapped it on the side of the chunky R hyton sneaker for full effect. Vans re-imagined the ‘Old Skool’ with prominent text branding, breaking up the otherwise plain low-top silhouette. Perhaps most surprising is the fact that the trend has taken hold in high f ashion. Traditionally, established fashion labels have built a reputation on materials pro venance and second-generation patternmakers, but even Louis Vuitton couldn’t resist stooping down to embrace a range

of all-over print items in collaboration with Supreme. Specifically in the '90s sportswear cate gory, a few brands in particular were able to leverage their signature logos, creating an irresistible appeal to nostal gia. Kappa’s side-striped tracksuits be came huge again, as did Champion’s re verse weave garments and the easily recognisable ‘C’ logo, in addition to th rowback labels like Ellesse and Kangol. Lyst even reported that, accumulatively, searches for Kappa, Champion and Fila increased 460 % year on year. In another context, the idea of an over sized logo could easily be dismissed as kitsch and tasteless, but 2017, big logos were cooler than actual innovative designs, and this only helped reinforce the tribal mentality that is sweeping through streetwear and sneaker culture. The brands that we wear arguably say more about us than any other purchasing decisions we make.

L O G O L A N D

MCM X KÃ&#x2013;NIG GALERIE DER BERLINER SALON

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Lala Berlin ÂŠ Vitali Gelwich, Model: Ann Kuen/Muga management, Styling: Jessica Klomach, Make-up: Yvonne Wengler

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FUTU FASH Digitalisation is a mindset

by BJÖRN LÜDTKE

THE RE OF HION FASHIONTECH

Digitalisation is the internalisation of the fact that networking has become matter of course – a change of mindset. It doesn't only have obvious ‘digital’ repercussions, e. g. that collections can now be bought by smartphone or over social media channels. Or that editors and buyers are in the spotlight, running successful Instagram accounts and transforming into influencers. Ahmet Mercan, Head of Global Consumer Pro ducts at Red Bull and General Manager of AlphaTauri, a collection from Red Bull, res ponds to the question: “How are products de signed nowadays?” as follows: “Pioneering tech nologies will change consumers’ requirements, opening up new fields within the industry. In the fashion sector innovative textile technolo gies will make it possible for us to dress fashion ably without making any compromises. In fu ture, why should a consumer choose between the latest fashions and functional clothing, if it’s possible to offer them both in one piece?” The question “How will we buy products in fu ture?” is answered by Steffen Liese, Head of Re tail EU at Urban Outfitters as follows: “In our stores we use iPads to monitor stock levels; this enables us to tell customers quickly which sizes are in stock in other branches. After purchasing you get a digital sales receipt. This is better for the environment and you’ll never lose it in the event that you want to exchange something. For the future we are considering self-service tills, digital mirrors or intelligent apps that tell you which till has the shortest queue, or that suggest offers as you walk past.” Meanwhile, on the Lyst fashion platform i nvestigations are going on into how offline can be seamlessly connected with online. Example: a customer buys a pair of sneakers using an app. The store close by is informed so that the shoes can be collected directly. At the same time the customer’s buying history provides clues for re tailers that in-store employees can use to create personalised cross-sales offers. Upon leaving the store the app prompts the user to provide a rat ing and shows them the way to a nearby gym or the nearest restaurant. Products are also largely marketed nowadays over digital channels. 25 years ago a supplement in a newspaper or an advert in a magazine were some of the few sources available for presenting the product to the end consumer. “Noone reads these any more though,” says Korbinian Frank. “At least not the younger generation. They go to sources like Instagram.” As with so many things though, it is the combi nation of both sources – digital and analogue –

FASHIONTECH

that leads to the best results. As with Outfittery, which uses an optimal mix of a lgorithms and human stylists to best look a fter its customers. Or Selec.to, which, via its online site, connects emerging designers with individuals to whom traditionally they would have had very limited access, such as buyers or editors. Successful for mats such as Vice, i-D and Highsnobiety, which traditionally come from the print domain, main tain mega websites and social media sites with fast-growing follower numbers alongside suc cessful print products. Digitalisation also causes change processes in production. It’s not only product development that needs to be a connected process from the outset. From the start, all elements of the supply chain – development, sales, marketing – must be closely interconnected and all departments in volved in the process need to be in constant com munication with each other. Digitalisation is happening, whether that suits us or not. The way in which we live and work is undergoing profound change. S imone H artmann from Hartmann Consultants, specialists in executive search, expresses it as follows: “Today, every company is a start-up”. The good news? It happens, at least to a certain extent, inside our heads. Fortunately, we can do something here. To illustrate the process of digitalisation on all levels, on 16 January 2018 the # FASHIONTECH Berlin conference will take place at Kraftwerk. Visionaries who are actively shaping the digital revolution share their knowledge of the digital future in keynote talks (listen!), masterclasses (learn!) and an exhibition (experience!). On the following day, January 17, 2018, Messe Frankfurt will be diving deep into the sphere of Sustainability and Tech Textiles. Parallel to #FASHIONTECH and FASHIONSUSTAIN, a two-day THINKATHON, a kind of pop-up thinktank involving a number of consortia, will be held and will present its findings at the end of the conferences.

www.fashiontech.berlin

NEW LO C AT ION

#FASHIONTECH | 16 JANUARY 2018 FASHION SUSTAIN | 17 JANUARY 2018 THINKATON | 16–17 JANUARY 2018

Free access with your PREMIUM GROUP badge.

KRAFTWERK BERLIN Köpenicker Strasse 70 | Mitte

THE CONFERENCE ON THE FUTURE OF FASHION

TUE, 16 JANUARY 2018 NEW LOCATION

KRAFTWERK BERLIN PRESENTED BY OLE TILLMANN

GET INSPIRED BY TOP-NOTCH KEYNOTES! 11:00

ANITA TILLMANN (MANAGING PARTNER, PREMIUM GROUP) OLE TILLMANN (FOUNDER AND CEO, PEAK CREATIVE LEADERSHIP) WELCOME: FASHIONING THE FUTURE!