Kess Berlin’s Post

✴️ As Milan Fashion Week draws to a close ✴️ I find myself reflecting not on the collections themselves, but on the observers, industry pundits, professionals, and all those within the fashion ecosystem (myself included). 1. It's easier to criticize than to offer ideas and solutions, as though the more vitriolic the criticism, the more valuable the input. I always welcome harsh but well-informed critiques if it leads to constructive takeaways. 2. Criticism, whether positive or negative, often fails to consider the broader trajectory of a brand or designer's journey. Welcome to the world of Fast-Fashion Criticism (FFC)! 3. Negative feedback outweighs positive accolades, suggesting a tendency to prioritize the negative as a mark of self-importance. Can we shift focus towards amplifying positive success stories? 4. While all eyes are on Creative Directors, let's not forget that the success of a collection relies heavily on a dedicated and passionate team. Remember to acknowledge them! 5. A collection on the runway is merely a snapshot in time; a brand's success, both commercially and otherwise, depends on far more than just its products. Overall, I thought Milan Fashion Week looked GREAT! While some collections may have stood out more than others, all showcased their Best Fashion Foot Forward (BFFF). Some may have deemed Milan too "commercial," but perhaps prioritizing beautiful commercials and well-crafted wearable clothes over short-term media hype is the true innovation. Next stop: Paris Fashion Week! Featured below from that same commercial MFW: the beautiful design of Antonio Tarantini for his Gender-Free namesake brand ATXV #Design #Authenticity #Creativity #Commercial #BrandValue #BrandPurpose #TeamWork

Fashion is far more than just red carpet arrivals. While glamorous events and celebrity appearances often capture the spotlight, fashion is a living, breathing part of everyday life, influencing personal identity, culture, and self-expression in profound ways. Street style, high-end fashion, and even athletics have all expanded the scope of fashion far beyond formal events. For many, fashion serves as a form of self-expression, allowing individuals to communicate their mood, personality, and values. Street fashion, in particular, has emerged as a cultural movement, blending global influences and subcultures into powerful statements that rival runway trends. Icons of street style have risen to the same level of recognition as celebrities, proving that fashion thrives in everyday environments just as much as it does on the red carpet. Fashion extends into the realms of art and innovation. Designers experiment with sustainable materials, and 3D-printed garments, pushing the boundaries of what clothing can be. It’s also deeply intertwined with social issues, as movements around body positivity, gender fluidity, and inclusivity gain momentum. Fashion is about the choices we make daily, from what we wear to work, the gym, or a night out. It’s a dynamic force that shapes and reflects society, existing far beyond the brief moments of a red carpet arrival. #red #carpet #fashion #arrivals #more #then

The first Monday in May: Fashion's biggest red carpet and party moment! The Met Gala in New York City. What is it? It’s The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute benefit, a black-tie extravaganza held the first Monday in May. Hosted by Anna Wintour,editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine, it is the party of the year, the Oscars of the East Coast. One of the co-hosts of the event is actress, Zendaya. In the image she is going to a pre-opening event party. The event is a celebration of fashion's influence on culture, with the theme "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" highlighting the ways in which fashion can revitalize and reinterpret cultural heritage. How can fashion revitalize and reintrpret cultural heritage? 🔸 Self-expression and identity: Fashion allows individuals to express their personality, values, and beliefs, helping to shape their sense of self and identity. 🔸 Social status and hierarchy: Fashion has long been a marker of social status, with certain styles and brands signifying wealth, prestige, or belonging to a particular group. 🔸 Cultural exchange and diversity: Fashion facilitates cross-cultural exchange, with styles and influences from different cultures blending and evolving into new trends. 🔸 Artistic and creative expression: Fashion is a form of artistic expression, with designers and stylists using clothing, textiles, and accessories as a medium for creative storytelling. 🔸 Economic and social change: Fashion can drive economic growth, influence social change, and reflect shifting values and attitudes, such as the rise of sustainable fashion. 🔸 Music, film, and art inspiration: Fashion is often inspired by music, film, and art, and in turn, influences these creative fields. 🔸 Historical and cultural heritage*: Fashion can preserve cultural heritage and historical traditions, with traditional clothing and textiles being reinterpreted and reimagined for modern times. Zendaya's 1998 archival gown from designer John Galliano, below, features embroidered butterflies and florals is a stunning example of how fashion can pay homage to the past while embracing the present. #fashion #Metmuseum #costumeinstitute #personalbrand #smashingdaily

There's too much of everything at Paris Fashion Week Fashion is supposed to be about meaning — clothes are supposed to be striking some sort of chord with us, appealing to us on some sort of emotional level, but it’s hard to find anything of real meaning in the industry these days. Or at least any kind of meaning for someone like me. The corporate luxury houses ruling over Paris aren’t for us, they’re for the 0.1%. It’s not Tik Tok’s fault or Pharrell’s fault or Kim Jones’s fault. The industry is just following the direction the world’s going in. Meaningless capitalism getting bloated and fatter and uglier. The collapse in smaller brands, independent media and multi-brand retail isn’t some sort of unique crisis — you’ll find the same struggle in music, film, art and literature, too. The excess of the industry is impossible to reconcile with what’s happening in the real world. We’re on the verge of another American election, living through the hottest years on record, trying to build a future for ourselves in the midst of skyrocketing inequality and the collapse of a common sense of truth. You can feel the cognitive dissonance practically screaming through your phone screen. It’s called weltschmerz in German. Sadness that the world is the way that it is. https://lnkd.in/d5vNKdZc

The red carpet is in the red. The decline of its style imagination has been apparent and consistent. Not just at the Oscars, but at several awards nights, Grammys, Emmys, SAG, Golden Globes...the red carpet is no longer the performance theatre of the most glamourous or boundary busting fashion. This article explores the Type and Tips list at the Oscars last evening at Los Angeles. But the big question is if dull carpets will reboot the attention that fashion runways in Milan, Paris, Dubai, India deserve? Where creators, disruptors, designers who offer resistance, change and challenge, who narrate difficult histories through fabric and cut, who protest through fashion show staging, who don't make diamonds their best friends but explore experimental materials and wearables can benefit from the decline of the red carpet. Here is the link. https://lnkd.in/ggTfWAsp

Milano Fashion Week SS25 Celebrates Ignoring the Storm Exploring Fashion’s Refusal to Acknowledge Reality Milano Fashion Week SS25 has just closed, and while the event was celebrated with high-energy words, it has done so by ignoring the storm brewing around the industry. The message seemed to be: No worries, better times will come. But, the contrast between the stakeholders’ storytelling and the fashion industry’s current struggles is hard to overlook. Despite the glamour, both the Chamber of Fashion and most brands continue to turn a blind eye to the undeniable realities – financial instability, unsustainable practices, and a larger economic and planetary crisis. This disconnect is unsettling, as the focus remains on maintaining an illusion of success while the foundation crumbles. https://lnkd.in/dqjfHZQd

Fashion Week: where designers unveil the future of style on the runway, setting trends that resonate worldwide. A global celebration of creativity, elegance, and the artistry that defines the fashion landscape. Fashion Week is a series of events, usually held twice a year, during which designers showcase their latest collections in runway shows. These events are a crucial part of the fashion industry, providing a platform for designers to present their creations to the public, media, and potential buyers. Fashion weeks are held in major fashion capitals worldwide, such as New York, Paris, Milan, and London, and they play a key role in shaping trends and influencing the global fashion scene. Let events like Fashion Week inspire the creative process of your marketing strategies and culture. Staying on the pulse of trends will fuel newness and a high vibe. Creativity and curiosity are at the core of evolving and evaluating your brand.

The Fashion Week calendar for Autumn/Winter 2025 is shifting, with New York Fashion Week maintaining its original dates, resulting in a nine-day gap between New York and London. While some welcome the break, others are concerned about its impact on smaller fashion weeks, such as Berlin and Copenhagen, and how buyers' travel plans will adapt. The changes could affect production and delivery times for emerging designers. The fashion industry awaits how these updates will influence future seasons.

There is a great, detailed article in WWD (below) by Cathrin Schaer that gives a full report on Berlin Fashion Week. The city’s fashion week has been running in one form or another since 2007. It is an important event aiming at "internationalization," as per Michael Biel, Berlin’s state secretary for economics, whose government is funding the event. I would like to say a few words on the subject of staging fashion weeks, trade shows, and showroom selling during the market season. Let's dissect the narrative without the large commercial companies like LVMH and Kering and look at the "regular" brand and, most importantly, the regular customer (by this I mean department stores, concept stores, individual multi-brand stores, etc.). A few weeks ago, during the men's S/S25 market, I stopped by one of the trade shows. Every time I spoke to the brands displayed there, I heard the same thing: "What should I do? It's super slow (very few buyers), and it's too expensive for us to continue showing at the trade shows." The situation is probably very familiar to many: there are fashion weeks from Paris to Seoul, accompanied by side presentations and various events, but there are fewer and fewer clients. The organizers are trying a different approach like Berlin focusing on upcoming designers, but the question remains the same - do customers come to buy? Let's look at what is working: outside the "majors" - Paris, Milan - where the current situation varies from showroom to showroom, on the international level, CIFF is doing well. There are a few reasons: A few years ago, CIFF and Revolver merged, eliminating all the issues clients faced when they had to attend two different shows in different parts of town. Embracing the novelty: sustainability and upcycling come and go as agendas for many brands and events. CIFF sticks to it and provides workshops and talks on the importance of these initiatives, helping stores understand the narrative better. There are many independent stores in Scandinavia, and as a result, shop owners are more open to experimenting with new brands. However, this is an exception. The reality is that many shows (e.g., Tranoi canceling the men's show in Paris and shows in Tokyo, a significant challenge, especially now with the yen at a record low) don't meet brands' expectations, and this is happening more and more. I have a few suggestions for trade shows and other events that aim at selling, not partying, like PITI: Identify a group of stores that can best relate to your assortment of brands. Send a short portfolio to them (potential brands) by direct email, not a group message. Offer a questionnaire to both the brand and clients on their expectations (offer something in return, as people rarely fill in questionnaires for free). Every morning of the show (let's say for three days), invite clients for coffee and small presentations from the participating brands (10 minutes max for each). I will continue in the comments, please read

Insights from Shanghai Fashion Week SS25: Moncler - The City of Genius I have long hesitated to delve into the study of consumption in China, but now it’s time to dive in. To begin this journey, I want to focus on the recent Shanghai Fashion Week SS25. You may have heard about the Moncler Genius show, which took a unique approach by transforming an entire area in Shanghai into a Disneyland-like experience covering 30,000 square meters instead of a conventional runway show. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend exploring this captivating city online (https://lnkd.in/ew_NQ6U6)! Moncler collaborated with several amazing creators, each designing their own part of this "city." Notable names included A$AP Rocky, Rick Owens, Willow Smith, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Donald Glover, Edward Enninful, Jil Sander, and Nigo. A great starting point for your exploration is a short film (promo video) by Wing Shya, featuring the brand's global ambassador Leah Dou as she travels through a futuristic Shanghai. The film captures a concept that resonated with me: it draws inspiration from a 1960s study revealing that 98% of five-year-olds qualify as geniuses. However, by age ten, this drops to 30%, and only 2% continue to qualify as geniuses in adulthood. The key takeaway from this research is that “Uncreative Behavior and Thinking Is Learned.” This means that the overwhelming majority of people are creative from birth but lose those skills as they grow up, going through the education system. The idea is wow, and how the creators each revealed it in their own way is also very cool. However, while I genuinely liked the concept and its realization, there is one aspect that gives me a slight sense of dissonance—the theme of "freedom of self-expression" and moving away from standardization in the education system is explored in a country that is not particularly favorable to such topics. What do you think about the balance between being unique and fitting in especially in cultures that often value conformity?