Hotel Concorde Berlin Blog

It was a Fine Affair but Now Berlin Fashion Week is Over (Part II)

Yesterday I began telling you about my adventures during the Berlin Fashion Week, which ended on Sunday. You can catch up on part I here, or read on to find out how a week which began with me partying with Berlin’s Mayor Klaus Wowereit and “Godmother of Punk” Nina Hagen will end…

The Mercedes Benz Fashion Week tent near the Brandenburg Gate, is one of the most important locations during the Fashion Week. It’s where most of the big shows take place, and entry is by invitation only. It’s a nice place to hang out before or after shows – there’s plenty of comfy seating, wacky people and outfits to observe and, most importantly, free sweeties. I can’t remember the last time I tucked into some gummy snakes or edible watches. (Okay, I can.)

One of the shows I checked out was Designer for Tomorrow Award winner Leandro Cano’s. As I mentioned in part I, I was invited along to the final fitting earlier in the week where I got sneaky peek of his new collection, but I was still gasping and clapping along with everybody else when the show began.

The brilliantly weird designs, deathly hair and make-up, smoke machine and eery music and voiceover by Cano himself was a sight to behold. It’s hard to believe Cano’s just 28 years old!

Afterwards, I spotted 2011′s Designer for Tomorrow Alexandra Kiesel, whose latest collection was on display at the Konk showroom in Mitte. I also bumped into some of Cano’s fellow competition finalists, including Laura Williams, who was full of praise for Cano’s new collection. She particularly admired Cano’s attention to detail and imaginative designs.

Another highlight for me was the “Diana Vreeland – the eye has to travel” book launch and cocktails at the Galeries Lafayettes. Diana Vreeland, former editor-in-chief at Vogue, had a long and illustrious career in the fashion industry and the book, which was written by her granddaughter-in-law Lisa Vreeland (who has also produced a documentary on the same subject), is a fitting tribute to her.

I’ll leave you with my most surreal experience during the Berlin Fashion Week: a royal visit from Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice. They were here to kickstart the new Britain is Great campaign in Germany by driving a Union Jack mini from the Brandenburg Gate to the British Embassy just around the corner. Here you can see the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week tent just on the other side of the gate.

Afterwards their royal highnesses took in the Berlin Fashion Week atmosphere at the Bread & Butter fashion fair – luckily they left their Philip Treacy hats at home!

I’m already looking forward to what the next Berlin Fashion Week will bring!