Berlin Fashion Week: All Formats, Platforms, and Funding Opportunities of the Fashion Week

Berlin Fashion Week offers both emerging and established designers a stage to present their latest collections to an international audience. But what exactly do these individual stages look like? Here, we introduce the various formats, platforms, and funding initiatives of Berlin Fashion Week.

Fashion shows, presentations, events, and more: the Berlin Fashion Week schedule this season yet again offers a packed calendar. What makes Berlin Fashion Week particularly special is the diversity of its platforms, formats, and concept competitions – all centered around key themes like supporting young talent, sustainability, and diversity. Find out here what each format offers, how they support fashion labels, and how they have evolved since their inception.

Berlin Curated: Support for Emerging Talent

With the June/July 2025 edition of Berlin Fashion Week, two new formats will be introduced – one of them is Berlin Curated, an initiative aimed at sustainably supporting up-and-coming talent. Talented students and alumni from across Germany are given access to a professional presentation space and an international stage to showcase their work. This includes a curated fashion show, a valuable networking event with key industry players, as well as a showroom and pop-up space where the featured designs will be exhibited. In addition, media collaborations with university magazines will increase visibility and brand awareness for the participants.

Berlin Curated is an initiative realized by 0049x, a Berlin-based creative network whose core mission is to develop curated formats and experiences at the intersection of fashion, art, and culture, with a focus on networking, consulting, and strategy. The Berlin Curated fashion show will take place on July 2nd. 

Neo.Fashion: For Graduates & Aspiring Designers

Facilitating the start into a career in fashion – this is where Neo.Fashion comes in. Officially part of Berlin Fashion Week since January 2019, it is a unique platform for fostering new talent. Neo.Fashion provides a launchpad for top graduates from fashion universities and emerging designers from across Germany and the German-speaking world, helping them transition into the professional fashion industry.

Through the “Best Graduates’ Shows”, exhibitions, digital presentations, and various show formats, their work is showcased to a wide audience of industry professionals and visitors. The highlight is the Best Graduate Show, where the top collection from each participating university is presented, and awards are given in the following categories: Best Design, Best Sustainability Concept, and Best Innovation. The jury, assembled in collaboration with the Fashion Council Germany (FCG), includes leading experts from the fashion industry. The graduate format is further enriched by curated shows from Aspiring Designers (newly founded fashion labels), showrooms, and guest contributions from international universities.

Neo.Fashion events will take place on 2nd–3rd July. 

DER BERLINER SALON: Curated Group Exhibition

One of the most important fixtures of Berlin Fashion Week is Der Berliner Salon, an initiative founded by Christiane Arp, Chairwoman of the Fashion Council Germany, and Marcus Kurz, CEO of the creative agency Nowadays. The format presents itself as a curated group exhibition – always staged in an impressive setting, such as the Gemäldegalerie most recently – where selected fashion and design labels showcase their work to a broad audience. The focus lies on unique craftsmanship and excellence.

The first edition of Der Berliner Salon took place in 2015, and this year marks its 10th anniversary. Over the past decade, the format has evolved, refined, and expanded. While it began with around 18 prominent Berlin-based designers presenting their collections through defilés or showroom formats, today the Salon features cohesive group installations of designs and products – most recently including 53 brands. In addition to fashion, the exhibition now also features accessories, jewelry, and design objects. This broader scope underscores the Salon’s mission as a cultural format to highlight the artistic and creative quality of German design as a whole.

Since 2022, Der Berliner Salon has also placed a strong emphasis on sustainably operating labels. Sustainability in development and production is a prerequisite for participation. This makes Der Berliner Salon particularly attractive for young labels that may not be part of the official show calendar with a classic runway presentation. And unlike many other BFW events that are reserved for select industry guests, the exhibition is open to the public, offering wide exposure and valuable opportunities.

RAUM.Berlin: New Presentation Format

Anothernew format debuting during SS26 edition of Berlin Fashion Week is RAUM.Berlin – a presentation concept by the Fashion Council Germany in partnership with eBay. Positioned somewhere between a traditional runway show and a static exhibition, this innovative format offers participating fashion designers the opportunity to creatively stage themselves and their collections.

During BFW, three designers per day will showcase their latest collections, presenting their work to a wide audience of industry professionals and fashion enthusiasts alike. Importantly, RAUM.Berlin is accessible to both audiences, making it an inclusive space for inspiration, visibility, and direct engagement. 

„RAUM.Berlin creates a stage for talents to showcase their visions and creations away from traditional runways. The format fosters new perspectives and highlights the variety and innovation within fashion.” 

Scott Lipinski, CEO of the FCG

Berlin Contemporary: Concept Competition

Berlin Contemporary is a funding program established in January 2023 by the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises / Project Future, in collaboration with the Fashion Council Germany. It supports innovative and responsible concepts for fashion presentations during Berlin Fashion Week. Each season, 19 outstanding show and presentation concepts are awarded €25,000 each, enabling designers to present their collections through runway shows or installations during Fashion Week. The winners are selected by a high-profile jury, which this season includes: Christiane Arp, Herbert Hofmann, Johanna Dramé, Ola Ebiti, Patrick Pendiuk, Sara Sozzani Maino, and Stavros Karelis.

For this new season, the competition has been opened to international labels beyond Germany and Ukraine, signaling Berlin Fashion Week’s increasing global orientation. 

“The emerging talents of Berlin Fashion Week embody an impressive degree of innovation and exceptional craftsmanship. The fashion industry is a key driver of both the creative spirit and economic strength in Berlin. Designers here find a dynamic, internationally recognized creative hub. We support their artistic growth and provide them with a platform to help their businesses thrive and establish themselves long-term. These young visionaries help cement Berlin’s reputation as a powerhouse of talent, particularly known for sustainable fashion. Sustainability is our trademark. Here in Berlin, a bold fashion future is being shaped – one that shines on a global scale.” 

Michael Biel, State Secretary, Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises

Find all participating brands here.

NEWEST: Supporting Emerging Labels

NEWEST is a platform launched in 2023 with support from the Berlin Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises. Its mission is to assist designers in organizing and executing their fashion shows or installations. Participating labels benefit from help in finding and preparing show locations, as well as from the support of an experienced production team. This includes all technical equipment and a professional backstage infrastructure – in short, everything needed to stage a successful fashion show.

One particularly exciting aspect for brands is access to extraordinary venues, made possible through NEWEST’s diverse partnerships. For example, the Altes Museum in Berlin-Mitte has already served as a runway location. Other iconic landmarks have also been transformed into unique show settings—among the most memorable of the recent Berlin Fashion Week was the legendary techno club Berghain, where labels like SF1OG and PALMWINE IceCREAM presented their collections.

INTERVENTION: Disruptive Fashion Platform

To interfere, to engage, and potentially trigger a new way of thinking or acting – in short: an intervention. That’s the name of the bold format launched in 2017 by the international communications agency Reference Studios, based in Berlin, Milan, and Paris. INTERVENTION aims to provide renowned national and international designers with a novel platform during Berlin Fashion Week. Under the leadership of founder and CEO Mumi Haiati, the initiative has been continuously developed and is now seamlessly integrated into the official BFW calendar.

Prestigious labels such as GmbH, Anonymous Club by Shayne Oliver, and Andrej Gronau have already taken part in the disruptive series – alongside designers like LUEDER, Kasia Kucharska, and Claudia Skoda. INTERVENTION curates a series of runway shows and presentations set in significant Berlin venues, merging innovation and international relevance with the city's dynamic fashion scene and cultural backdrop. 

“We first asked ourselves what Berlin stands for. For me, it’s about community, creativity, and the city’s unique nightlife. The brands we've worked with all have their own distinct communities, and there’s constant overlap between them. There’s a kind of ‘cross-pollination’ happening. That’s what we wanted to capture – while also defining a new standard for Berlin.” 

Mumi Haiati in an interview with Vogue.

INTERVENTION emphasizes creative synergy, cultural exchange, and avant-garde presentation formats, reinforcing Berlin’s status as a hub for visionary fashion with global impact.

STUDIO2RETAIL: Berlin Fashion for Everyone

Launched in 2021 by the Fashion Council Germany and the Berlin Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises, STUDIO2RETAIL is an initiative that makes fashion accessible and tangible for everyone – not just industry professionals. Under the motto “From Studio to Store”, participating Berlin-based stores and studios open their doors during Berlin Fashion Week, hosting pop-ups, showrooms, events, and parties for the general public.

STUDIO2RETAIL also offers a public events calendar, listing all activities that fashion enthusiasts without a professional background can attend. This includes the concepts awarded in the STUDIO2RETAIL category of the Berlin Fashion Week concept competition. In the upcoming season, featured names include: APOC x Madomorpho, Effenberger Couture, Lou de Bètoly, Selva Huygens, Sezgin, and Vladimir Karaleev.

The goal of the program is to strengthen the innovation and growth potential of the fashion industry, brick-and-mortar retail, and local designers. Particularly creative, innovative, and sustainable B2C (business-to-consumer) concepts are awarded prize money and can present their ideas during BFW to a broad and diverse audience. STUDIO2RETAIL turns Berlin Fashion Week into a citywide experience, where fashion becomes a shared cultural event beyond the runway.

ADDITIONAL FORMAT AT BERLIN FASHION WEEK 

METAMORPHOSIS: Talks with Industry Insiders

For the third time, ‘METAMORPHOSIS – dialogues about change’, powered by eBay, complements the Berlin Fashion Week program with a lineup of inspiring panel talks, interviews, and keynote presentations. The format brings together national and international experts to engage in open conversations about the current state of the fashion industry and future visions. Topics include: the evolution of sustainability standards, how to build a circular brand, and the potential of the next generation of designers

These dynamic discussions provide visitors with valuable insights and fresh perspectives on the changes reshaping fashion today. Find the full schedule and speakers here. 

Berlin Fashion Week offers both emerging and established designers a stage to present their latest collections to an international audience. But what exactly do these individual stages look like? Here, we introduce the various formats, platforms, and funding initiatives of Berlin Fashion Week.

Fashion shows, presentations, events, and more: This season, too, the Berlin Fashion Week calendar presents a full schedule. What makes Berlin Fashion Week particularly special is the diversity of its platforms, formats, and concept competitions – all centered around key themes like supporting young talent, sustainability, and diversity. Find out here what each format offers, how they support fashion labels, and how they have evolved since their inception.

Berlin Curated: Support for Emerging Talent

With the June/July 2025 edition of Berlin Fashion Week, two new formats will be introduced – one of them is Berlin Curated, an initiative aimed at sustainably supporting up-and-coming talent. Talented students and alumni from across Germany are given access to a professional presentation space and an international stage to showcase their work. This includes a curated fashion show, a valuable networking event with key industry players, as well as a showroom and pop-up space where the featured designs will be exhibited. In addition, media collaborations with university magazines will increase visibility and brand awareness for the participants.

Berlin Curated is an initiative by 0049x, a Berlin-based creative network whose core mission is to develop curated formats and experiences at the intersection of fashion, art, and culture, with a focus on networking, consulting, and strategy.

Neo.Fashion: For Graduates & Aspiring Designers

Starting a career in fashion can be challenging. That’s why it’s all the more important to create initiatives that ease young talents into the industry. This is exactly where Neo.Fashion comes in. Officially part of Berlin Fashion Week since January 2019, it is a unique platform for fostering new talent. Neo.Fashion provides a launchpad for top graduates from fashion universities and emerging designers from across Germany and the German-speaking world, helping them transition into the professional fashion industry.

Through the “Best Graduates’ Shows”, exhibitions, digital presentations, and various show formats, their work is showcased to a wide audience of industry professionals and visitors. The highlight is the Best Graduate Show, where the top collection from each participating university is presented, and awards are given in the following categories: Best Design, Best Sustainability Concept, and Best Innovation. The jury, assembled in collaboration with the Fashion Council Germany (FCG), includes leading experts from the fashion industry. The graduate format is further enriched by curated shows from Aspiring Designers (newly founded fashion labels), showrooms, and guest contributions from international universities.

Neo.Fashion takes place from July 1–3, from 12:00 PM to approx. 10:00 PM, at the Atrium Tower at Potsdamer Platz. Over the two days, there will be 8 fashion shows, with at least 12 graduates participating in the Graduate Shows.

The event also includes Momentum by Neo.Fashion, a new format focusing on pop-ups and intimate runway shows, where labels can express their creative visions through extraordinary presentations.

DER BERLINER SALON: Curated Group Exhibition

One of the most important fixtures of Berlin Fashion Week is Der Berliner Salon, an initiative founded by Christiane Arp, Chairwoman of the Fashion Council Germany, and Marcus Kurz, CEO of the creative agency Nowadays. The format presents itself as a curated group exhibition – always staged in an impressive setting, such as the Gemäldegalerie most recently – where selected fashion and design labels showcase their work to a broad audience. The focus lies on unique craftsmanship and excellence.

The first edition of Der Berliner Salon took place in 2015, and this year marks its 10th anniversary. Over the past decade, the format has evolved, refined, and expanded in many ways. While it began with around 18 prominent Berlin-based designers presenting their collections through defilés or showroom formats, today the Salon features cohesive group installations of designs and products – most recently including 53 German brands. In addition to fashion, the exhibition now also features accessories, jewelry, and design objects. This broader scope underscores the Salon’s mission as a cultural format to highlight the artistic and creative quality of German design as a whole.

Since 2022, Der Berliner Salon has also placed a strong emphasis on sustainably operating labels. Sustainability in development and production is a prerequisite for participation. This makes Der Berliner Salon particularly attractive for young labels that may not be part of the official show calendar with a classic runway presentation. And unlike many other BFW events that are reserved for select industry guests, the exhibition is open to the public, offering wide exposure and valuable opportunities.

RAUM.Berlin: New Presentation Format

The second new format introduced during the summer edition of Berlin Fashion Week is RAUM.Berlin – a presentation concept by the Fashion Council Germany in partnership with eBay. Combining elements of a traditional runway show with a static exhibition, this innovative format offers participating fashion designers the opportunity to creatively stage themselves and their collections.

During BFW, three designers per day will showcase their latest collections, each occupying an entire floor, presenting their work to a wide audience of industry professionals and fashion enthusiasts alike. Importantly, RAUM.Berlin is accessible to both audiences, making it an inclusive space for inspiration, visibility, and direct engagement. 

Scott Lipinski, CEO of the FCG, emphasises: „RAUM.Berlin creates a stage for talents to showcase their visions and creations away from traditional runways. The format fosters new perspectives and highlights the variety and innovation within fashion.” 

Berlin Contemporary: Concept Competition

Berlin Contemporary is a funding program established in January 2023 by the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises / Projekt Zukunft, in collaboration with the Fashion Council Germany. It supports innovative and responsible concepts for fashion presentations during Berlin Fashion Week. Each season, 19 outstanding show and presentation concepts are awarded €25,000 each, enabling designers to present their collections through runway shows or installations during Fashion Week. The winners are selected by a high-profile jury, which this season includes: Christiane Arp, Herbert Hofmann, Johanna Dramé, Ola Ebiti, Patrick Pendiuk, Sara Sozzani Maino, and Stavros Karelis.

For the first time, the competition has been opened to international labels beyond Germany and Ukraine, signaling Berlin Fashion Week’s increasing global orientation. “The emerging talents of Berlin Fashion Week embody an impressive degree of innovation and exceptional craftsmanship. The fashion industry is a key driver of both the creative spirit and economic strength in Berlin. Designers here find a dynamic, internationally recognized creative hub. We support their artistic growth and provide them with a platform to help their businesses thrive and establish themselves long-term. These young visionaries help cement Berlin’s reputation as a powerhouse of talent, particularly known for sustainable fashion. Sustainability is our trademark. Here in Berlin, a bold fashion future is being shaped – one that shines on a global scale,” says Michael Biel, State Secretary, Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises.

Find all participating brands here.

NEWEST: Supporting Emerging Labels

NEWEST is a platform launched in 2023 with support from the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises. Its mission is to assist designers in organizing and executing their fashion shows or installations. Participating labels benefit from help in finding and preparing show locations, as well as from the support of an experienced production team. This includes all technical equipment and a professional backstage infrastructure – in short, everything needed to stage a successful fashion show.

One particularly exciting aspect for brands is access to extraordinary venues, made possible through NEWEST’s diverse partnerships. “Through our collaboration with Museum&Location, we enable our designers to hold fashion shows in some of the city’s most impressive museums,” explains Marcus Kurz, head of the showcase format, in an interview.

For example, the Altes Museum in Berlin-Mitte has already served as a runway location. Other iconic landmarks have also been transformed into unique show settings—among the most memorable of the recent Berlin Fashion Week was the legendary techno club Berghain, where labels like SF1OG and PALMWINE IceCREAM presented their collections.

This kind of access is especially valuable today, as fashion shows have evolved far beyond mere presentation platforms. “A fashion show is a complex content production and a direct communication tool,” says Kurz. “The images and videos created are immediately disseminated alongside the show and are used long-term across the brand’s communication and marketing channels. Press and influencer coverage produces ‘the images’ that are instantly seen around the world and shape the brand’s identity. The collection, the show, and the staging create an emotional bond between the brand and the guests in that moment.”

Modern fashion shows are powerful conveyors of emotion, vision, and values. They define the framework and context in which a new collection is experienced. Although NEWEST is primarily aimed at young, up-and-coming labels with limited financial resources – and is mostly used by winners of the Berlin Contemporary concept competition – it is also open to brands not participating in the competition, who may apply separately.

INTERVENTION: Disruptive Fashion Platform

To interfere, to engage, and potentially trigger a new way of thinking or acting – in short: an intervention. That’s also the name of the bold format launched in 2017 by the international communications agency Reference Studios, based in Berlin, Milan, and Paris. INTERVENTION aims to provide renowned national and international designers with a novel platform during Berlin Fashion Week. Under the leadership of founder and CEO Mumi Haiati, the initiative has been continuously developed and is now seamlessly integrated into the official BFW calendar.

Prestigious labels such as GmbH, Anonymous Club by Shayne Oliver, and Andrej Gronau have already taken part in the disruptive series – alongside designers like LUEDER, Kasia Kucharska, and Claudia Skoda. INTERVENTION curates a series of runway shows and presentations set in significant Berlin venues, merging innovation and international relevance with the city's dynamic fashion scene and cultural backdrop. “We first asked ourselves what Berlin stands for. For me, it’s about community, creativity, and the city’s unique nightlife. The brands we've worked with all have their own distinct communities, and there’s constant overlap between them. There’s a kind of ‘cross-pollination’ happening. That’s what we wanted to capture – while also defining a new standard for Berlin,” says Mumi Haiati in an interview with Vogue.

INTERVENTION emphasizes creative synergy, cultural exchange, and avant-garde presentation formats, reinforcing Berlin’s status as a hub for visionary fashion with global impact.

STUDIO2RETAIL: Berlin Fashion for Everyone

Launched in 2021 by the Fashion Council Germany, STUDIO2RETAIL is an initiative that makes fashion accessible and tangible for everyone – not just industry professionals. Under the motto “From Studio to Store”, participating Berlin-based stores and studios open their doors during Berlin Fashion Week, hosting pop-ups, showrooms, events, and parties for the general public.

STUDIO2RETAIL also offers a public events calendar, listing all activities that fashion enthusiasts without a professional background can attend. This includes the concepts awarded in the STUDIO2RETAIL category of the Berlin Fashion Week concept competition. In the upcoming season, featured names include: APOC x Madomorpho, Effenberger Couture, Lou de Bètoly, Selva Huygens, Sezgin, and Vladimir Karaleev.

The goal of the program is to strengthen the innovation and growth potential of the fashion industry, brick-and-mortar retail, and local designers. Particularly creative, innovative, and sustainable B2C (business-to-consumer) concepts are awarded prize money and can present their ideas during BFW to a broad and diverse audience. STUDIO2RETAIL turns Berlin Fashion Week into a citywide experience, where fashion becomes a shared cultural event beyond the runway.

ADDITIONAL FORMATS AT BERLIN FASHION WEEK 

METAMORPHOSIS: Talks with Industry Insiders

For the third time, ‘METAMORPHOSIS – dialogues about change’, powered by eBay, complements the Berlin Fashion Week program with a lineup of inspiring panel talks, interviews, and keynote presentations. The format brings together national and international experts to engage in open conversations about the current state of the fashion industry and future visions. Topics include: the evolution of sustainability standards, how to build a circular brand, and the potential of the next generation of designers

These dynamic discussions provide visitors with valuable insights and fresh perspectives on the changes reshaping fashion today. Find the full schedule and speakers here. 

202030 Summit: The Sustainable Future of Fashion

Since its launch in January 2021, the 202030 Summit has become a vital platform for dialogue around sustainable and regenerative fashion. Over two days – July 2–3 – the summit gathers an international and interdisciplinary group of researchers, stakeholders, and avant-garde creatives. This year’s theme, “Re/Generate Impact”, centers on: next-generation materials, purpose-driven marketing as well as evolving fashion communication. The conference blends visionary innovation with practical transformation strategies to shape a regenerative and responsible future for the fashion industry.

Find the full schedule and speakers here.