FISHERMAN'S FRIEND

1 Knitted Swatch Studio Jux
2 AutumnWinter15.16 Esther Perbandt, photo Posh

3 Homeland Collection Inspiration & Knitted Outfit Doppelganger

3 Fisherman Hat MeinFrollein

4 AutumnWinter 15.16 Rebekka Ruétz, photo Posh
edited by me

Causing a storm this Berlin Fashion Week was a strong sentiment for fine quality knitwear influenced by traditional garment detailing of hard working fishermen translated into big flowing silhouettes on skirts & coats and paired with modern, constructed patterns.

The designer of Icelandic newcomer label Doppelganger took inspiration from 17th century heritage fishermen textiles and re-worked traditional patterns into symmetrical composed knits. Delicate leggings and second-skin-like tops made from sustainable wool and mulberry silk blended yarns delivered a compelling aesthetic of balance and wellbeing, leaving you with nothing but a clear conscience.

Transparency on and off the catwalk was a popular source of inspiration at Esther Perbandt.  The designer made waves earlier last year when she went on a trip to research local textile production conditions in Bangladesh.  Her new Autumn Winter collection featured lovely light woven knits with a sheer quality to it reminding me of the structure of fishing nets.  They made for a bold statement when placed against the clean cut woollen coats featured on the catwalk, promoting a confident and modern look with a soft feminine angle.

Comfort and purity were buzzwords at knitted accessories brand MeinFrollein.  Absolute highlight were the soft merino fishermen beanies which can be worn #InsideOut without revealing any conflicting labels.  The production is fair and Germany based - there's nothing fishy about that ;)

TREND | Jean-ious

1 recycle rug indigo

2 denim jacket

3 camper seat

4 tie dye jeans

Berlin Fashion Week was hosting some great trade fairs last week where I discovered two labels producing stunning and at the same time absolutely consciously made Jeans.  

Wunderwerk from Germany impressed with a authentic denim range tapping into one of the big trends this season with their bold tie-dye finishes.  Their jeans are designed and produced with a minimal environmental impact in mind.

Nudie Jeans from Sweden showcased an eclectic and well developed range of crafted high quality denim pieces.  The brand provides an in-depth production guide for each garment they sell on their web site.  That way the customer can trace back their jeans and find exact information of where, how and by whom it's been made.  The concept of breaking-in, repairing, re-using and recycling jeans is explained in great detail on their homepage and very popular with their regulars who can redeem old jeans for a discount on a new pair.  The gorgeous denim rug and camper chairs are just a few upcycled products that have made a come-back out of the factory lab onto the shop floor.

Highlight of the presented collection were the customized and printed denim jackets with a reminiscent feel of retro to it - totally in tune with my current denim obsession :))

SHADES OF DENIM

I'm extremely liking this new all over denim trend which seems to be happening everywhere on and off the catwalks at the moment.

The recent issue of Fräulein magazine did a whole spread on it with the fresh faced American Kelly Mittendorf. The story is a great source of inspiration if you're looking to upcycle your old jeans into some new tops or dresses!
Stay tuned for some more trends coming through from this weeks Berlin fashion spectacle - whoop :))

photos: Jay Odell for Fräulein magazine

editing: Annett Borg

HAPPY | New Jeans

My new year started on a fast beat collaborating on creating a catwalk look for ecological denim label sey - fashion.  The assignment was to create tops to complement the new Autumn Winter collection of organic jeans.  Tuning in with the seasons denim revival I wanted to go for a head-to-toe denim look upcycling the label's jeans styles that had been classed as damaged or factory seconds.

This was an extremely exciting project to get involved with, even more so since I've recently been thinking of solutions to re-use all the preluvd denim trousers that I have packed away in storage!  Denim is an excellent material to work with and creates beautiful and bold silhouettes - but can still be draped and generate a lot of movement.

I decided on a tunic shape drawing inspiration from the clean lines of Bauhaus architecture.  I also attempted a denim cap for the first time ever and loved re-assembling the trouser leg seams for a deconstructed but neat look.  The most exciting thing about working with organic denim is knowing that it all has been manufactured with minimal water waste and low energy consumption.  It was definitely worth it and felt really rewarding giving those jeans a new live...

The finished outfit will be shown at next week's Salonshow featured by Greenshowroom Berlin. Whoop:))  Good times!