Best of Berlin Fashion Week SS27 - William Fan, GmbH, Dagger & More

Best Of Berlin Fashion Week SS27

Six Shows That Proved Berlin Has Its Own System

written KLAAS HAMMER

Berlin may have been windy this season, but that did little to deter the city's fashion crowd—or the growing number of international guests—from filling the front rows of Berlin Fashion Week. Across the week, designers once again proved that creativity extended far beyond the clothes themselves. From Zehlendorf and Friedrichshain to the iconic ICC building and Reference Studios' Intervention at the Kronprinzenpalais, each venue became an integral part of the storytelling. On the runway, Berlin showcased what continues to define its fashion identity: sharp tailoring, diverse casting, politically engaged collections, and a new generation of designers confidently shaping the future of the city's creative scene.

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ William Fan seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ William Fan seen by Nicolai Sauer

William Fan

Opening Berlin Fashion Week with a bang, William Fan presented EXCHANGE, a collection inspired by the rituals of collecting and the memories attached to objects found while travelling. Referencing marketplaces from Marrakech to Tokyo, the Berlin designer translated the idea of cultural exchange into a wardrobe that felt both familiar and constantly evolving.

Instead of relying on standout looks, Fan built momentum through repetition. Relaxed cargo trousers anchored the collection, while layered styling, elongated proportions and subtle utilitarian details created a sense of effortless continuity. Delicate pleating introduced movement without overpowering the clean silhouettes, and small metallic charms appeared like keepsakes gathered over time—echoing the collection's central idea that clothes, much like souvenirs, carry the stories of where we've been.

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ William Fan seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ William Fan seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ William Fan seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ William Fan seen by Nicolai Sauer

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Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Unvain seen by Nicolai Sauer

Unvain

Following the success of its debut runway show earlier this year, expectations for Unvain's return to Berlin Fashion Week were high. Fashion insiders anticipated one of the week's standout presentations—and they were right.

The collection balanced rawness with precision. Sheer dresses met low-rise trousers, washed-out T-shirts contrasted with a silver-coated military parka, while unfinished edges and a restrained colour palette reinforced the label's understated aesthetic. Rather than chasing spectacle, Unvain found confidence in subtle styling and carefully considered proportions. Sustainability remained part of the brand's design language without becoming its headline. The fur pieces were created entirely from vintage garments, reconstructed in collaboration with resale platform Sellpy, giving existing materials a new purpose. The result was a collection that felt contemporary, self-assured, and confirmed that Unvain is quickly establishing itself as one of Berlin Fashion Week's most exciting emerging names.

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Unvain seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Unvain seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ Unvain seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ Unvain seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ Unvain seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ Unvain seen by Nicolai Sauer

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Berlin Fashion Week SS27
/ Barragan seen by Nicolai Sauer

Barragan

Without having followed Barragán closely before Berlin Fashion Week, the presentation at the Mexican Embassy came as a striking discovery. Set within the diplomatic surroundings of the embassy, the show offered more than a traditional runway moment—it created a space for reflection, questioning how identity is shaped, represented, and constantly transformed.

With its queer and Mexican heritage at the core, Barragán has created a distinctive visual language that challenges traditional ideas of identity, questions existing power structures, and reflects on the complexities of contemporary culture. One of the collection’s strongest elements was its casting. In a fashion landscape that increasingly seems to move back towards narrow beauty ideals, Barragán’s runway felt refreshingly open, bringing together different body types, ages, and expressions of individuality. The collection itself embraced contrast and tension.

Distressed T-shirts were paired with transparent fabrics, low-rise trousers with visible underwear, and glossy leather jackets with skin-tight neon-green catsuits. Second-hand inspired denim, heavy boots, and intentionally imperfect layering gave the looks a raw and expressive energy. Presented inside the Mexican Embassy, BARRAGÁN SS30 explored identity as something shaped through movement, politics, history, and cultural exchange. Rather than presenting nationality as a fixed concept, the collection reflected on belonging as something continuously negotiated—formed through experiences, memories, and the places we inhabit.

Berlin Fashion Week SS27
/ Barragan seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27
/ Barragan seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27
/ Barragan seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27
/ Barragan seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27
/ Barragan seen by Nicolai Sauer

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Dagger

After making its runway debut at Berlin Fashion Week last season, Dagger returned with another presentation created in collaboration with Reference Studios „Intervention“ and once again proved why the queer streetwear label has quickly become one of the most exciting emerging voices of the week. Following the overwhelming response to its first show, designer Luke Raine admits that the success came as a surprise. “Genuinely, it was a total shock,” he explains. “We had never done a fashion show before and didn’t know if, judged by an industry standard, people would connect with it.” The reaction ultimately became a defining moment for the designer, reinforcing his decision to trust his instincts and continue building Dagger on its own terms.

For SS27, Raine returned to the coastal seaside town of his youth, Portrush—a place shaped by early 2000s skate culture, summer crowds, and teenage memories. The collection captured those formative years: first jobs, first freedoms, late nights, and the feeling of discovering who you might become. Rather than documenting the town as it was, Raine explored a “rose-tinted version” of home, focusing on the optimism of youth and the moment when the world suddenly begins to feel bigger. Beyond the clothing itself, what stood out was Dagger’s ability to create a complete universe. Few brands manage to bring together casting, hair, makeup, styling, and music with such natural precision. Every element felt connected, reflecting the community-driven spirit at the heart of the label.

The collection translated this authenticity into clothes that appeared already lived in. Washed-out prints, over-dyed denim, college shirts, and sports jerseys came together with relaxed silhouettes and skate-inspired references. Between DIY aesthetics, streetwear codes, and working-class influences, Dagger celebrated the beauty of garments that carry memories—clothing not just made to be worn, but to become part of someone’s story.

For Raine, Dagger has always been about more than clothing. “DAGGER is about taking a chance on yourself no matter who or where you come from,” he says, reflecting on the brand’s beginnings after investing his final savings into printing his first T-shirts. That personal sense of belief has become part of the label’s identity, allowing its pieces to connect with a growing international audience, from Berlin’s creative scene to artists such as Tyla and Rema. With SS27, Dagger continues to prove that authenticity cannot be manufactured. It is built through community, personal history, and the stories people choose to carry with them.

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Dagger seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Dagger seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Dagger seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Dagger seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Dagger seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ Dagger seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Dagger seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ Dagger seen by Nicolai Sauer

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GmbH

Closing Berlin Fashion Week’s Reference Studios “Intervention” with a powerful final statement, GmbH turned the runway into a dialogue between forgotten histories and the brand’s own visual language. For their anniversary collection Desire Paths, research into Berlin’s couture past including fashion historian Gesa Kessemeier’s work and archival garments from Julia Schwarz’s “Berliner Chic” collection became a starting point rather than a blueprint. The designers did not recreate the past; they filtered its silhouettes, craftsmanship, and attitude through the unmistakable codes of GmbH.

While remaining anchored in the distinctive GmbH menswear aesthetic, Desire Paths expanded the brand’s visual language with selected womenswear looks, including a memorable appearance by DJ Arca. Across the collection, archival influences met familiar GmbH signatures: cropped bomber jackets, over-the-knee boots, short shorts, and precisely constructed silhouettes were united through a restrained palette of black, grey, and cream. Custom footwear created with UGG and archival-inspired eyewear developed in collaboration with ic! berlin subtly reinforced the collection’s dialogue between craftsmanship, heritage, and contemporary design.

What made the presentation particularly memorable was the emotional connection between fashion, music, and history. When the soundtrack shifted to Hildegard Knef after some looks, the relationship between Berlin’s past and present felt complete—a rare runway moment where every element came together.

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ GmbH seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ GmbH seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ GmbH seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ GmbH seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ GmbH seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ GmbH seen by Nicolai Sauer

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Marie Louise Müller

One of the newcomers on this season's Berlin Fashion Week schedule, Marie-Louise Müller transformed the rooftop of Lobe Block into a poetic garden for her SS27 collection Escapist Garden. Against the backdrop of raw concrete, dried flower petals welcomed guests while soft house music and playful melodies created the feeling of a warm summer afternoon. Inspired by childhood memories of long days spent barefoot in the garden, Müller presented a collection that celebrated nature through craftsmanship rather than spectacle. Around 2,500 hours of handwork went into the looks, with crochet, embroidery, hand knitting, and upcycled natural fibres forming the foundation of a wardrobe designed to outlast seasonal trends.

The collection unfolded in a palette drawn directly from the natural world, moving from soft creams and earthy greens to delicate pinks, raspberry reds, and sky blues. Floral embroidery and insect motifs appeared throughout the garments, while sculptural pieces—including a skirt constructed from a garden hose—introduced a playful contrast to the collection's otherwise delicate aesthetic. Watering cans carried by several models reinforced the show's whimsical storytelling without feeling overly literal. Rather than chasing novelty, Escapist Garden found its strength in patience, craftsmanship, and emotional storytelling. Marie-Louise Müller delivered one of the week's most quietly memorable debuts, proving that slow fashion and imaginative design can still captivate a Berlin Fashion Week audience.

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Marie Louise Müller seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Marie Louise Müller seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ Marie Louise Müller seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ Marie Louise Müller seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ Marie Louise Müller seen by Nicolai Sauer

DAGGER Spring/Summer 2026 - Luke Rainey

That’s Why DAGGER Spring Summer 2026 Feels Like a Love Letter to Skate Culture

written KLAAS HAMMER

Berlin-based brand DAGGER takes its name from the ceremonial blade used in pagan rituals, a symbol of endings, beginnings, and transformation. The brand was founded in 2020 by Luke Rainey after an unexpected job loss left him with nothing but €300 in government benefits and a dream.

DAGGER
Spring/Summer 2026

DAGGER
Spring/Summer 2026

The aesthetic was forged in Luke’s rebellious teenage years, growing up in a small Northern Irish town in the early 2000s, a place where money was tight but skate was currency. That era’s rough-edged, DIY spirit runs through every stitch: clothes that wear like scraped knees, cracked pavement, and midnight missions.

Luke describes the brand as “a queer-coded Tony Hawk Pro Skater character.” When people who don’t know the brand hear this, they immediately understand. “We show the scene through a queer lens, which is for sure sexy.”

DAGGER
Spring/Summer 2026

DROP OUT, the Spring/Summer 2026 collection, is inspired by misspent teenage years growing up in a skate town in the north of Ireland, as rough as it was beautiful. It is Luke’s love letter to the boys, the music, and the culture.

The label operates at the intersection of streetwear, subculture, and personal storytelling, deeply shaped by skate culture and an uncompromising DIY attitude. DAGGER has gained international recognition for its emotionally driven design language and is stocked globally, including at Dover Street Market Paris. Most recently, the brand presented its latest collection as part of INTERVENTION V during Berlin Fashion Week.

“Berlin has given me so much, and I want to give something back. It changed my creative approach because I wanted to fuck it up.”

DAGGER
Spring/Summer 2026 / making of

DAGGER
Spring/Summer 2026 / making of

all visuals
DAGGER SS26

Berlin Fashion Week - New Generation of German Fashion

Berlin Fashion Week frames a New Generation of German Fashion

A review of the BFW Fall/Winter 2026 Collections

written KLAAS HAMMER

New and emerging labels, established talents and brands that found their way to the city through "Intervention" initiated by Reference Studios all presented their collections, while at the very beginning only one topic was on everyone’s minds: the icy cold.

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / IOANNES seen by Lewin Berninger

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / IOANNES seen by Lewin Berninger

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / IOANNES seen by Lewin Berninger

IOANNES

Friday evening opened with one of the most hyped brands on the schedule. Ioannes, the label by designer Johannes Boehl Cronau, delivered a show that practically screamed chic and expensive. The looks were undeniably sexy, defined by sharp cuts, confident tailoring, and styling that paired pointed-toe stilettos with sleek, polished sunglasses. For what he describes as his final traditional runway collection, Cronau delved deep into his own archive to distill what "Ioannes-ness" means today. Looking ahead, he plans to step away from the seasonal fashion calendar altogether, evolving the brand into a holistic lifestyle project that will eventually include furniture and objects. Berlin, he explains, is the ideal place to pursue this vision—a city that allows him to build on his own terms, free from the crushing weight of heritage or the immediate pressure of commercial perfection.

The collection itself drew heavily on the aesthetics of the 1990s: sleek silhouettes reminiscent of his mother’s black Jil Sander office suits, sharp yet relaxed in their execution. There was a distinct Euro jet-set mood hovering somewhere between glamour and ennui. Yet playfulness was never far away. Cronau employed pyrography, burning wood, to transfer floral motifs onto garments, describing it as a "tension between the precision of tailoring and the rawness of the burn on bodycon dresses." Trousers flared subtly at the hem, while outerwear leaned into tactile textures, with coarse, hair-like surfaces that nodded to retro luxury without directly imitating it. With this collection, Cronau made it clear that he is no longer interested in proving relevance. For him, true resonance cannot be measured by algorithms; it can only be felt. Watching the show, I felt it instantly: I want to be a person who wears Ioannes.

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / MARKE seen by Andreas Hofrichter

MARKE

The next label to watch is MARKE by Mario Keine. What Ioannes represents for women, MARKE positions itself as a compelling counterpart in menswear. For those drawn to precise tailoring and classic silhouettes with a subtle, playful twist, this is a name worth remembering. The new collection combined clean, corporate forms with historic materials, highlighting the tension between discipline and emotion, individuality and conformity. It would not be surprising to see a major VIP step onto a red carpet in one of Keine’s designs in the near future. Like few others, MARKE manages to feel timeless and contemporary at once. Born from a sense of helplessness triggered by the constant flow of information on social media, where context and knowledge often dissolve into fast-consumed, surface-level content, the collection explored a softer side of masculinity. Black veils, roses, and long draped silhouettes brought emotion and vulnerability into sharp tailoring.

On a cold, grey winter day in Berlin, the looks, especially those in shades of grey, felt striking, quietly powerful and unexpectedly sensual. They were the kind of pieces you immediately wanted to take home, look after look. As the fashion crowd moved on to the next show, Keine remained by the exit, visibly relieved and content.

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / SF1OG seen by Tom Funk

SF1OG

SF1OG presented a runway show that explored the tension between privacy and visibility, guided by the central question: "Who are we when no one is watching?" Designer Rosa Marga Dahl and Jacob Langemeyer drew inspiration from intimate paparazzi images of early-2000s pop stars and the Victorian era’s mourning dress, using fashion as both a shield and a form of expression. The collection played with contrasts—revealing versus hiding, softness versus structure—through layered silhouettes, high collars, hoods, and garments designed to obscure the body and face. Tailoring appeared in new, sculptural forms shaped away from the body, while slim-fit denim referenced early 2010s youth culture, a bold move that resonated strongly with international buyers. Materiality remained central to SF1OG’s identity: reused antique linens, leather, and shearling were combined with silk, sequins, and velvet, creating pieces that felt worn-in rather than pristine. Signature elements such as bar jackets with flared peplums were paired with oversized knits and scarves, reinforcing the idea of clothing as emotional protection.
Set in a brutalist postwar building in Berlin, the show emphasized SF1OG’s clear point of view and increasing confidence as a brand. SF1OG continues to position itself as one of the most relevant emerging labels shaping the future of German fashion.

Taking place on February 2 during Berlin Fashion Week, INTERVENTION V is a one-day festival combining runway shows, talks, and listening formats at Kraftwerk Berlin. The former power station serves as a multidisciplinary venue for fashion, music, and contemporary culture.

The program opens with the first-ever collaboration between Reference Studios and TED, bringing fashion and design into TED’s cultural dialogue for the first time. Runway shows unfold across Kraftwerk’s ground and first floors, featuring BUZIGAHILL, Kenneth Ize, DAGGER, JOHN LAWRENCE SULLIVAN, and GmbH, offering a focused snapshot of independent, globally minded fashion today. Let’s have a look at our two favorite shows:

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / John Lawrence Sullivan seen by Lewin Berninger

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / John Lawrence Sullivan seen by Lewin Berninger

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / John Lawrence Sullivan seen by Lewin Berninger

JOHN LAWRENCE SULLIVAN

One of the new brands to arrive in Berlin through INTERVENTION was John Lawrence Sullivan. Founded by Arashi Yanagawa, who worked as a professional boxer before turning to fashion, the label has previously shown in Tokyo, Paris, and London. After the show at Berlin’s Kraftwerk, it was clear that John Lawrence Sullivan fits seamlessly into the city’s often dark, raw aesthetic.

The collection featured long coats, tailored jackets, and bomber jackets, with hero pieces shaping the body into a forward-leaning posture reminiscent of a boxer’s fighting stance. A predominantly dark color palette, well suited to Berlin’s nightlife, was complemented by snow white and icy silver tones that evoked Nordic nights and a sharp sense of cold. Stud and spike details on boots and bags, along with sheer mesh long sleeves, completed the subculture-inspired looks, perfectly aligned with a fashion crowd moving through the city in temperatures as low as minus ten degrees. The womenswear followed the same concept as the menswear, with exaggerated shoulder silhouettes as a key visual element.
Speaking after the show, Yanagawa cited Norwegian black metal as a major influence, emphasizing themes of strength, independence, and looking forward. A strong and convincing Berlin debut from the former boxer.

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / GMBH seen by Lewin Berninger

GMBH

One of the most anticipated shows of Berlin Fashion Week, GmbH returned to its hometown with a powerful runway presentation that reaffirmed fashion as a political voice. Designers Benjamin Huseby and Serhat Işık continue to position the brand as an advocate for marginalized communities, using clothing as a form of resistance and expression.

Titled "Doppelgänger," the collection responded to a world shaped by violence, fear, and manipulation, referencing the idea of distorted realities where power, greed, and ideology blur truth and fiction. Drawing inspiration from Berlin’s early 1980s experimental music scene, particularly industrial and synth influences the show reflected a time when the city stood for counterculture and utopian ideals. The collection featured signature GmbH pieces: over-the-knee boots, leather trousers with zipper details, fur bomber jackets with oversized collars, and sharp tailoring with trousers in focus. Voluminous silhouettes were balanced with slim long-sleeves and loose tops, while long scarves softened the structured looks. A mostly neutral palette was interrupted by a striking black floral print on white. Beyond the clothes, the show emphasized community and solidarity. The casting brought together men of different backgrounds and body types, reinforcing GmbH’s inclusive ethos. Presented in freezing temperatures, the designers also used the moment on Instagram to call for donations to Berlin’s "Kältebus", underlining their commitment to action beyond the runway. With this show, GmbH once again proved why it remains one of Berlin’s most relevant and politically engaged fashion brands.

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / GMBH seen by Lewin Berninger

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / GMBH seen by Lewin Berninger