BERLIN FW 2011
edited by Matteo Menotto
Doors open at the Berlin Fashion week and – as through the presentation words of this city’s visionary major – the berliner creative scene fully shows an “extravagant and strong willed style; laid-back but never careless; always deliberate and above all masterful”.
Official shows calendar – mainly locacted in the Bebelplatz stand – provides a first day with A.F. VandeVorst , LENA HOSCHEK, LEVER COUTURE, DIMITRI, PATRICK MOHR and LALA BERLIN.
Here some higlights of the show I followed.
LEVER COUTURE
Lessja Verlingieri loves luxury and sensuality and also with this collection does not make a secret out of it: silk, leather and metal – mesh dominates her creations The colour ranges from delicate beige, to metallic-rose and copper, up to sensual black and subtle white – is perfectly adapted to the glamour look. Using techniques such as draping and ruffling, the designer makes women feel like goddess in precious silk, velvet leather stripes and luxurious metal mesh. The wonderful feminine asymmetrical one-shoulder dresses, playful cocktail-dresses and long evening gowns sculpted out of waves and breathtaking décolleté are the right dress code for opulent galas and fairy tale weddings.
DIMITRI
“Cahpeau!” for Dimitri, talented designer from Merano with greek origins. Dimitri presents his autumn/winter 2011 collection bringing the audience to a world of slender figures that like goddesses move high above the crowd in clothing’s characterised by a skilful mix of subtle, unfussy shapes and playful, yet understated details such as pleats. Many of Dimitri’s dresses are inspired by the 1970s. Some are made of silk chiffon, others of leather; some are long and dramatic, others short and sexy – but they all lend the woman wearing them an appealing feminine allure. He uses only materials of the finest quality such as silk, crêpe de chine, wool and fur, underlining the simple elegance of his designs. The colours are restrained yet arresting, his use of accessories subtle yet striking. Dimitri likes to play with opposites like hard/soft and innocent/provocative, and his Mediterranean roots are always evident – making his clothes the perfect embodiment of fashion made in Italy. His designs evoke associations of feminine beauty and lightness, and yet they are always eminently wearable.
PATRICK MOHR
Since 2008, Patrick Mohr impresses with unisex clothing. The design’s basis is strict architectural patterns based on a modular system with simplicity and logic. His whole concept is devoted to geometric shapes: The equilateral triangle stands for the T-shirt, the square for the jeans. The Autumn/Winter 2011 collection is shown in muted colors. White and black are the base, but also the colours light and dark grey and variants of green occupy a key role. The beautiful winter colours are combined, each other, but also worn tone on tone.
LALA BERLIN
Despite not offering me any resonable place to assist the show, still Lala Berlin’s creations deserve a mention. From a mere vision Leyla Piedayesh turned Lala Berlin into an up-and-coming Berlin-based fashion brand and then into an internationally acclaimed name. The label cemented its cult status through bold experiments with unconventional accessoiries, expressive patterns and prints. Whatever carries the Lala Berlin label – all designs always bear Leyla Piedayesh’s signature and reflect her personal sense of colours, forms and silhouettes. General trends, though borne in mind, are assimilated to turn “zeitgeist” into timeless creations made from cashmere, silk, fine cotton or soft jersey.
Great movement also around the city with various events involving upcoming designer. To be mentioned the The PREMIUM YOUNG DESIGNERS AWARD presented on monday at F95 store with winners Issever Bahri (Womenswear), italian Davide Bazzerla for BZZ (Menswear), Anita Moser (Accessories).
During the event Show1811, located in Berlin alternative insititution Tacheles, was presented the work of 5 young Berliner brands on january 18th 2011. The event was initiated and organized by Christian Bruns (MOON Berlin) and Jasmin Rocio (ROCìO).
Among these ROCìO proposes a collection based on geometrical compositions and dynamic figures. Jasmin Rocìo, this the name of the designer, enjoys to “work with geometrical forms/patterns used with flowing , sometimes transparent material”. Presenting both menswear and womenswear creations, Rocìo offers a view on a design “driven by emotional expression and contradiction”. In menswear looks, classic suits are combined with more mysterious complex pieces, towards a work of “deconstruction of classics” that brings “questions over questions but also irony and love for the details”.
The exhibition Recollection quartet where the Mercedes Young Classics of XIX century from 19 to 23 January 2011, can be admired daily with free admission. The four classic cars from Mercedes’ RECOLLECTION QUARTET “are used in Berlin.Four Mercedes classic cars that were as sports cars such as family cars on the character of streets and everyday life of the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s instrumental has the Belgian artist and photographer Fredrik Heyman, together with the fashion designer Mikio Sakabe, Bernhard Willhelm, Henrik Vibskov and Peter Pilotto painting workshop in the former stage of the Service of the German Opera in Berlin Mitte staged.
