2 Jul 2024

National and international representatives from fashion, politics, and the creative industries gathered at the new BEAST Berlin for the Fireside Dinner, the official opening of Berlin Fashion Week . This event officially launched the Spring/Summer 2025 season and celebrated the creative talent of Berlin Fashion Week.

Berlin, July 1, 2024: At the invitation of Franziska Giffey, Mayor of Berlin and Senator for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises, and the Fashion Council Germany, the opening of Berlin Fashion Week was celebrated on Monday evening with a "Fireside Dinner." The 250 invited guests gathered for a formal dinner at the newly opened BEAST Berlin restaurant , located in the former press café at Alexanderplatz. The evening provided an opportunity for industry networking, bringing together key players and decision-makers from politics, fashion, media, and the broader cultural and creative sectors. Special recognition was given to the designers and their new collections being presented this season at Berlin Fashion Week.

Berlin Fashion Week takes place from July 1st to 4th, 2024, and its Spring/Summer 2025 edition once again brings together outstanding design achievements from established and emerging fashion labels in Berlin. A particular highlight this season will again be the shows by the " Berlin Contemporary " designers . The brands' presentations will be held at iconic and historic locations in the capital, such as the Gropius Bau, Tempelhof Airport, the Museum of Decorative Arts, the Bode Museum, and the Tempodrom . This further positions Berlin as a "powerhouse of talent" with its diversity, bringing it into sharper focus for the international trade audience, which this season also includes a significant number of buyers.

The evening was opened by Christiane Arp , Chairwoman of the FCG (Fashion Club of Berlin), and Franziska Giffey , Mayor of Berlin and Senator for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises. Both the Senator and Christiane Arp acknowledged the noticeable transformation and increasing success of Berlin Fashion Week, highlighting the strong sense of community within the industry. They emphasized that Berlin thrives on freedom, cultural diversity, and its subcultures, and provides ample space for personal growth.

Christiane Arp emphasized: “I am eagerly anticipating a season that promises many creative highlights and innovative designs. The high quality of the presentations and shows is reflected in the increasing interest from international buyers and press representatives, demonstrating that Berlin continues to gain importance as a fashion hub. The transformation that Berlin Fashion Week has undergone in recent seasons is due to the outstanding achievements of the designers.”

Franziska Giffey emphasized: “ Berlin and its Fashion Week stand for freedom, diversity, and innovation. Our city is increasingly becoming a magnet for the creative minds and hands of the fashion industry. This is good for our economy. With €4.8 million in funding annually from the State of Berlin, we are investing specifically in this development and positioning Berlin as a fashion metropolis that consistently takes a leading role in sustainability. The collaboration with Copenhagen Fashion Week and the gradual implementation of its sustainability standards is a further step with which we want to set benchmarks for a resource-efficient fashion industry. What is important to me: Young talents are given a special platform at Berlin Fashion Week, and we consciously support this. This year, we are also opening our Berlin Salon to promising up-and-coming designers from leading German fashion schools. With this, we want to send a clear signal: Berlin is the right place to shape the future of fashion.”

The historic location of the former press café, on whose first floor the restaurant BEAST Berlin opened to coincide with Fashion Week , joined the ranks of the week's iconic venues. Among the guests were Chris Fisher (Browns), Claudia Skoda, Edward Buchanan (Perfect Magazine), Jale Richert and Michele Beil (both Richert Beil), Julian Daynov, Kerstin Schneider (Harper's Bazaar) , Kerstin Weng (VOGUE Germany), Kirsty McGregor (Vogue Business), Mumi Haiati (Reference Studios) , Michael Biel (Berlin State Secretary for Economic Affairs), Otto Drögsler and Jörg Ehrlich (both Odeeh), Rianna Kounou and Nina Knaudt (Rianna + Nina), Serhat Işık and Benjamin Alexander Huseby (both GmbH), Sara Maino (Fondazione Sozzani), Stavros Karelis (Machine-A), Tanja Vojkic (eBay Germany), and William Fan.