Understanding the founding of Fashion Council Germany itself as a major highlight of the past decade – here our Chairwoman remembers ten very special moments that stuck with her.

1.     Positioning Our Key Topics on an International Political Level

We had only just founded Fashion Council Germany the year before — and already, in June 2016, we were able to host an event together with U.S. Ambassador to Germany John Emerson and his wife, Kimberly, which I remember very well. Designers from Germany such as Nobieh Talaei and Vladimir Karaleev upcycled leftover denim fabrics from well-known American brands — using the most iconic, most American of materials — to create new designs that were later exhibited at the U.S. Embassy. Through this exchange at such a prestigious international political level, we were able to position sustainability as one of our key topics from the very beginning — an important milestone in the Council’s foundation.

2.     Finding a Sparring Partner Who Truly Understands What It’s All About

If I may share a very personal and emotional reflection: one of the true highlights for me came in 2017, when we welcomed Scott Lipinski as the Fashion Council’s first CEO — the Council was still in its infancy at the time. I vividly remember our very first meeting at Soho House in Berlin, drinking tea and talking about the potential impact an organisation like ours could have on fashion in Germany. I’ll never forget the feeling of having found someone who simply felt right for the role and who could take everything to the next level. And just look at what we’ve achieved together to this day!

3.     Gathering Industry Experts in the Heart of the Federal Republic

In July 2018, thanks to the tremendous efforts of Marie-Louise Berg, we received an invitation from Dorothee Bär, then Minister of State at the Federal Chancellery, to visit the Chancellery together with around 100 representatives of the German fashion industry. It was the first time that leading figures of Germany’s fashion sector had ever been invited in such a way — unlike in France, for example, where the President regularly welcomes representatives of prêt-à-porter and haute couture to the Élysée Palace. During our visit, then-Chancellor Angela Merkel took the time to speak with us personally. She asked us to present a comprehensive picture of Germany’s fashion economy — an initiative that ultimately led to our report Status Deutscher Mode, commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and produced in collaboration with Oxford Economics. On a personal level, that visit marked the moment I realised that, thanks to our efforts, fashion had finally become a political topic at the federal level.

4.     Bringing a Household Name to Berlin Fashion Week

One show during Berlin Fashion Week, before we had taken over its organisation, that has remained vividly in my memory was Lutz Huelle’s presentation at Halle am Berghain in July 2018, held as part of our FCG Gallery project. I was deeply moved that Lutz trusted us enough to present his collection not only in Paris, but also in Berlin, as he is one of the German designers who has achieved significant international acclaim. The show itself was quite costly, and we were only able to make it happen thanks to the generous support of a close entrepreneur friend — to whom I remain immensely grateful for believing in us and in our vision to create something truly special. Lutz’s stunning collection, displayed beneath grand chandeliers suspended in that stark, industrial space, is an image I will never forget.

5.     Meeting European Royalty to Discuss Key Topics

I remember very well our meetings with King Charles III, with whose King’s Foundation we have carried out several joint projects over the past years. In September 2019, we met him — then still Prince Charles — together with a delegation of German fashion designers and members of the press at a reception at Dumfries House in Scotland, which is part of his foundation, to discuss sustainability topics. I also led a local knitting club there, since I am an avid knitter myself. His Majesty joined us briefly and spoke about the value of craftsmanship — both as cultural heritage and as a way to support mental well-being. Those encounters were deeply inspiring and showed impressively what remarkable partners we work with for a good cause.

6.     Building Alliances with Our European Counterparts

During the pandemic, in July 2021, we hosted the digital conference The New European Bauhaus as part of one of the few editions of Frankfurt Fashion Week, with strong support from Christian Ehler, Member of the European Parliament and member of our Advisory Board. The event opened with a welcome address by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. One of the key outcomes of this conference was the founding of the European Fashion Alliance, which unites leading organisations such as France’s Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, Italy’s Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, the British Fashion Council, and Copenhagen Fashion Week, alongside younger fashion councils from Southern and Eastern Europe. Our very own Scott Lipinski assumed the presidency. The fact that national fashion councils united on a European level for a shared cause was truly unprecedented.

7.     Finally Offering Designers in Germany an Adequate Stage

Fashion needs stages, I’ve said that many times. And I’ve also often said that, at the time of Fashion Council Germany’s founding, we felt that Berlin Fashion Week, in its former format, wasn’t quite fulfilling its role as the central platform for fashion design from Germany. Taking over the organisation of Berlin Fashion Week in 2023 and securing the Berlin Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy, and Public Enterprises as a strong supporter of the event and its participating designers marked an extremely important step — not only for our organization but also for the many talented creatives who now finally have the platform they deserve to showcase their work.

8.     Taking Fashion from Germany to the World

The launch of our Berlin Fashion X International initiative in March 2023 was undoubtedly another major highlight. Supported by the Berlin Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy, and Public Enterprises, the program takes young designers on delegation trips to key fashion markets. Beforehand, I had been urging both our CEO, Scott Lipinski, and State Secretary Michael Biel that we needed to help German talents gain access to the promising Asian markets in particular. There, highly fashion-savvy consumers are especially enthusiastic about collections from young, exciting brands — driven by a strong sense of individuality. So far, our delegation trips have taken us not only to New York but also to Seoul and Tokyo, where participating brands have forged valuable connections and gained meaningful insights. And by the way, during one trip to Seoul, the group convinced me to try bowling for the very first time in my life… and I actually scored a strike that evening!

9.     Representing the Council in a Leading Magazine

It was a great honour for me as Chairwoman of Fashion Council Germany to receive a request from Vogue Poland to feature alongside personalities such as Cate Blanchett, Jonathan Anderson, and Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO of Copenhagen Fashion Week, on the cover of a special Leadership issue in November 2023. It wasn’t about seeing myself on a magazine cover, but about what it represented: the recognition of our shared commitment to strengthening and promoting fashion from Germany. Seeing the Council’s work acknowledged and celebrated in this way made us truly proud.

10.  Being Honored on Behalf of an Entire Community

Receiving the Order of Merit of the State of Berlin from Governing Mayor Kai Wegner in October 2024 was another truly remarkable experience, especially because I accepted this distinction on behalf of our entire creative community. The award recognised that fashion in Berlin has finally come together to strengthen the city’s economy and to send powerful creative signals.

 This interview is an excerpt from our 10-year Fashion Council Germany booklet, in which we reflect on a decade of shaping and advancing German fashion. Discover the full booklet and explore all the stories and highlights HERE.