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Sustainable fashion is gaining importance for customers, fashion labels, and retailers alike. One person who knows this well is Antje Leinemann, Managing Director of Bikini Berlin: the concept shopping mall that has been rethinking buying and selling with innovative ideas since 2014. We spoke with Leinemann, who previously spent over 20 years as Managing Director of various Karstadt branches and Regional Sales Director after completing a business administration degree and a traineeship at Hertie, about sustainable malls, Berlin as a sustainable fashion hub, and the two-year talent development program "German Sustain Concept," initiated jointly with the Fashion Council Germany and Neonyt.

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FCG: Bikini Berlin turns five this year. "Buy new things" was the advertising slogan back then. What was new about the mall's concept at the time?

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Antje Leinemann (Bikini Berlin): The innovative aspect of Bikini Berlin's concept was (and is) the careful curation of the mall's stores and brands, much like the brands in a concept store. Therefore, we consider ourselves a concept shopping mall; you won't find large chains or the usual mainstream labels here. Instead, we feature niche brands and concept stores with young designers from around the world. Here, you can discover new things, especially in the regularly changing pop-up boxes. The 19 flexibly configurable boxes are like a large marketplace; many compare them to a kind of lifestyle fair, where you can constantly discover new labels, up-and-coming designers, or product launches from major brands.

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FCG: What does Bikini Berlin still stand for today?

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Antje Leinemann: We've expanded our concept to include events, exhibitions, and concerts so that our customers can discover experiences in addition to new products and culinary delights. We see ourselves as a retail experience hub. At Bikini Berlin, you can have a great time, shop, eat, find inspiration, go to the movies, dance in a club, and even sleep—in our 25hours Hotel. Bikini Berlin is a city within a city, pure Berlin.

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FCG: Bikini Berlin is also focusing on sustainability. Why is this topic so important right now?

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Antje Leinemann: In the age of fast fashion, people have lost sight of production conditions, good quality, and environmentally friendly processes. Climate change and the reckless use of valuable resources now show that we have the power to save our planet. The fashion industry, in particular, contributes significantly to this imbalance on our planet, and therefore it can also be the one to correct many things through careful and sustainable production. Part of our core values is thus to support young designers and embody the spirit of the times. Sustainability is rightly becoming increasingly important to consumers.

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FCG: How can sustainability be implied in the context of a mall?

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Antje Leinemann: Bikini Berlin is inherently a "green building"; we are Golden Led certified, the Oscar of sustainable refurbishment. Ecological considerations were taken into account early on in the renovation of the Bikini building. Furthermore, we provide our stores with free paper bags in two different sizes to avoid the use of plastic. Finally, this multifaceted green concept is also reflected in the greenery on our roof terrace – inspired by New York's High Line Park.

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FCG: What specific projects are you still working on?

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Antje Leinemann: Our curated tenant concept, in line with societal shifts in thinking, focuses on a balanced tenant mix with sustainable projects. This already includes over ten tenants who are committed to sustainability. Our restaurateurs in the Kantini street food market are required to avoid using plastic tableware. Visitors greatly appreciate the high-quality tableware, which perfectly complements the individual restaurateur's culinary style.

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FCG: Is Berlin generally a good location for sustainable goals?

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Antje Leinemann: Berlin is a startup city, which attracts many exciting and promising young business ideas to the capital, many of them focused on sustainability. There's a significant sustainable community and many fashion-conscious people who shop more thoughtfully and sustainably than before. We think Berlin has great potential here.

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FCG: The Fashion Council Germany, one of your tenants, is also increasingly committed to sustainability goals. How do you assess this commitment?

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Antje Leinemann: We naturally appreciate this commitment very much and are happy to contribute to supporting the Council. We are, alongside Neonyt, one of the partners of the two-year emerging talent program "German Sustain Concept," for which I also served as a jury member. Each of the selected talents operates sustainably and can thus serve as a role model for other designers. By supporting our young, sustainable designers through the German Sustain Concept, we want to make a significant contribution to ensuring that they and their conscious fashion are supported and recognized.

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FCG: What role will Bikini Berlin play in this?

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Antje Leinemann: In addition to the fundamental financial support of the program, the four selected designers will each present an installation at Bikini Berlin during Berlin Fashion Week, where they will—each in their own creative way—showcase the sustainable aspect of their fashion. Each designer has complete creative freedom, and we are already eager to see what they will present. Furthermore, in May, there will be a pop-up box featuring two designers from the German Sustain Concept in cooperation with the Fashion Council Germany. This will also be a highlight, not only for lovers of sustainable design.

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FCG: Why is promoting young talent so important in this regard?

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Antje Leinemann: Supporting young talent is an investment in the future. Young designers, in particular, have fresh approaches; they aren't yet caught up in the rigid structures of large corporations but think outside the box. They will make a difference, and that deserves our support!

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FCG: From a retail perspective, what qualities do young designers need to possess in order to operate sustainably in the long term?

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Antje Leinemann: Young designers basically don't have to do anything differently than any other retailer: present attractive goods at an attractive price – and do it with a smile. Only with their unique selling proposition: sustainability.

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FCG: Do you yourself wear sustainable German fashion?

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Antje Leinemann: Absolutely. I'm also a "preserver," which makes me a sustainable consumer. I always keep my pieces for a long time – and combine them with current items. If you pay attention to quality and treat your clothes well, you're also contributing to sustainability.