Even though women’s voices have gained strength, fashion and taste are still dominated by men. At least one designer, Marina Hoermanseder managed to subvert long-established conventions during Berlin Fashion Week by offering a female fashion gaze, and statement pieces that celebrated individuality, diversity and self expression, without restrictions.
Marina Hoermanseder’s Autumn/Winter Collection of 2024 has completely redefined gender and beauty stereotypes. The looks are a celebration of life with their signature buckles and hand-punched, edge-painted leather. They exude glamor, flair and a lot of sparkle. Each outfit is opulent and imposing, commanding attention. The designer’s fashion approach transcends traditional boundaries and blurs the lines between masculine or feminine.
The collection’s refined silhouettes, intricate embellishments and luxurious fabrics embrace gender fluidity, captivate the imagination and transport the viewer into a fantasy and allure world. Hoermanseder’s defiled final look elicited an extra sigh of appreciation and ovation due to its spirit of empowerment for women, encouraging individuals defy social norms of beauty. The model closing the show wore the voluminous skin colour dress inspired by famous curvy Venus of Willendorf held in the Natural History Museum of Vienna. The glossy forms of the outfit emphasized the seductive power and arousing nature of female curves. Vivien, the plus-size winner of Heidi Klum’s latest Germany‘s Next Top Model casting show, wore the outfit.
Marina Hoermanseder’s collection also includes a lego-plastic dress, made of blue, white, and red glossy parts. It is decorated with toy Lego roses. Some may wonder if these fairy-tale outfits can be worn. These outfits are fantastic when worn with the right attitude, glamor, playfulness and fun, because they celebrate living. Wouldn’t that be a good enough reason to wear any outfits? Marina Hoermanseder has a couture label. It is known for its expertise in cuir bouilli – a centuries-old technique whereby two-dimensional leathers are softened with water and then arranged in new three-dimensional forms. The designer, working with orthopaedic experts in the area, has brought this technique from orthopaedics into the worlds of high fashion.
The Fall/Winter collection of Danny Reinke, who we admire for his work and whose Fall/Winter collection was notable in terms of innovation and craftsmanship, focused on dreamworlds. The looks were incredibly romantic, light, and authentic, making the models appear like outlandish, fairy-tale creatures. The show opened with a bed placed in the middle of the runway, created in collaboration with Schramm Home of Sleep. It also served as a central prop. The first look was a model who appeared as if by miracle from the bed wearing a white gown made of bed linen and cushions. The following looks were equally striking. The entire collection is a beautiful experiment in colors: gowns and coats in turquoise, orange, and red hues with pink create an electrifying ambience. The vibrant colors and patterns are created by combining different fabrics and patterns. 3D-printed forms mimic the fauna of our world. The collection is anchored by handmade knotted pieces created from leftover local wool.
Berlin Fashion Week wouldn’t be the same without Marcel Ostertag’s Fall/Winter 24 collection. The collection, which features exotic flower prints in pinks, blacks, and other swaying materials and accessories, has transformed it into an everlasting bloom. Its ultra-modern, elegant outfits are flamboyant, and exude positive energy.
Lisa Deurer is the designer behind LD-13, another label that caught our attention. Her new collection is based on a color scheme of reds, whites and blacks with complex shapes such as cuts, pointed shoulders, and unique collars. The eye-catching coats and jackets in satin, transparent and graphic detailing on shirts and dresses, and the dramatic coats and blazers are all made of satin. The sculptural shoulder cape in fluffy mohair and the oversized scarf with its multiple neck openings were among the highlights of the runway show.
The streetwear looks of Dennis Chuene AW24 are mostly in darker tones. The designer embraced the true Berlin attitude, which is a mixture of raw shabbiness and haphazardness: models walked with smeared makeup and ravaged clothes. Chuene’s latest collection is subversive and confident, yet edgy. It also focuses on sustainability. The designer uses recycled materials almost exclusively. All looks are made by hand. Wide, pleated pants are often used to complement figure-fitting outfits, long coats and tailored silhouettes. The attention to detail in the materials and applications is impressive. The soundtrack was full of bad language, which may have been intended to convey frustrations and disappointments by the speaker/designer, but it just missed the mark and demonstrated a common trend in fascination with poor manners.
The Berlin-based Haderlump brand is a brilliant example of how to do it. All its collections have been concerned with circular transformations and sustainable repurposing. The new “Circularis’ collection for AW 24 was created in collaboration with DHL – a German logistics provider that provides package delivery and express mailing service. Haderlump is renowned for producing high-quality, progressive fashion from deadstock. Materials that are deemed worthless. Johann Ehrhardt chose to use old cowskins for this collection, which he transformed into stylish biker coats and jackets. The Haderlump aesthetic, with its sculptural silhouettes and meticulously crafted details, was showcased on the catwalk. Johann Ehrhardt said that “working on the Circularis Collection was also about combining DHL’s brand identity with the brand design in a credible, interesting way”. The Haderlump Runway Show, inspired by DHL’s signature colors and discarded clothing, gave the label a boost in terms of its eco-consciousness.
The Georgian fashion and design scene is not far behind the major European capitals.
Creativity has no boundaries. Today we focus on Andro Dadiani. He is a queer performance art artist and designer who creates his own extravagant outfits. These range from scandalous self-effacement to scandalous cross-dressing. Andro Dadiani, due to the intolerance of Georgian society towards queers and its conventional ways, prefers to live two lives as an artist and designer. His creative process is a blessing and an escape from daily drudgery. His signature is elaborate masks that hide his features, making him unrecognisable by most viewers. Stilettos, furs and heavy fabrics are used in his performance looks. He also adds glitter, sparkle, and glitter to the outfits. He is sophisticated and stylish to the last detail when posing for cameras and videos. Sometimes he poses like a diva and sometimes he poses like a monstrous outsider. His outfits and costumes for performances are all handmade, made mostly from recycled materials, found items and second-hand revamped pieces.
Review by Lily Furstenow
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