Something big is happening here – that much was clear from afar on recent summer nights. The entire facade of the John Jahr House at Kurfürstenstraße 72-74, recently built according to plans by the renowned architectural firm Barkow Leibinger, was themed around fashion. Two logos flickered between striking granite struts: Berlin Fashion Week – and RAUM.Berlin.

From July 2nd to 5th, the Fashion Council Germany implemented its unique presentation format for the third time during Fashion Week: On the 16th floor, four labels each day showcased their work through installations, performances, or other interactive elements over four days. Also supported this season by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy , RAUM.Berlin thus bridges the gap between the classic catwalk and a static exhibition, giving designers the opportunity to present themselves and their collections in a highly individual way.

“Fashion teaches us one thing above all: there is never just one right way to tell a story. And even though the catwalk will always remain the industry's central stage, the most exciting moments arise precisely when these expectations are broken. That's why we created RAUM.Berlin: we want to give designers the opportunity to show their collections on their own terms and to redefine what a fashion presentation can be,” says Christiane Arp , Chairwoman of the Fashion Council Germany.

During an exclusive time slot each day, the diverse concepts were first presented to the international trade audience of Berlin Fashion Week before the exhibition spaces were opened to the general public. This allowed the participating designers to engage in important discussions with journalists and buyers, and to present their new designs directly and personally to potential customers.

For the grand opening on Thursday, July 2nd, Berlin-based designer Elodie Carstensen presented contrasting dresses on models who moved within a centrally located water installation, following an elegiac choreography. Simultaneously, the label PLNGNS staged a social media-friendly performance in the style of an 1980s fitness studio. On the first day of RAUM.Berlin, designer Natascha von Hirschhausen also showcased the diverse ways her hybrid designs could be worn through an interactive exhibition, while Lennart Bohle presented his artistic sculptural dresses on mannequins.

On Friday, July 3, the label Société Angelique erected a platform shrouded in white textiles, on which live and artificial models posed in the designer's emphatically feminine ensembles. Laura de Sousa presented her richly decorated designs in a similar fashion, while Vladimir Karaleev opted for a static mannequin display of his deconstructivist fashion. Additionally, models dressed in vibrant designs by the brand lealabob performed everyday situations – from waiting at the bus stop to skating across the street.

Saturday, July 4th, was characterized by diverse choreographic ideas: Anne Bernecker presented her lavishly decorated, hand-embroidered designs in the form of a salon show, reminiscent of a fashion presentation in her own studio. Sofia Hermens Fernandez, meanwhile, had her collection pieces unpacked from small packages and boxes by two performers; the label PALMWINE IceCREAM, operating between Ghana and Great Britain, sent models in intensely colored leather combinations through a stylized steppe landscape; and the Berlin-based brand TATi , with its models acting accordingly and a set by DJ Floss, evoked the carefree hours spent getting ready for a night out at the club.

The finale on Sunday, July 5th, featured designer PANOS GOTSIS with several models wearing elaborately embroidered shirts and trousers through a small forest of similarly dressed mannequins, and the label Krobos with an exhibition showcasing the designer's focus on clever tailoring solutions. The other two labels invited their models to a table setting – Inlé Studio presented melancholic dresses at a darkly set table, while Naomi Tarazi showcased feminine looks around a playful dinner table.