The FCG/VOGUE Fashion Fund is back for its second edition – and the 2026 finalists are proof that something genuinely exciting is happening in Germany's design landscape! Selected from a competitive open call by a jury of industry heavyweights, these seven brands share little beyond their ambition and their address — and that diversity is precisely the point. From technically rigorous tailoring to culturally charged conceptualism, from sustainable luxury to graphic-led streetwear, they represent the full range of what contemporary German fashion can be.

The winner will be announced in March 2026 and awarded a €50,000 prize, PR support, a business mentoring programme and their own runway show at Berlin Fashion Week in July. Meet the seven designers up for the win:

BALLETSHOFER

Founded by Alan Balletshofer in 2019, the label was built around a single, clear ambition: to close the gap between formal tailoring and contemporary sportswear. To do so, Balletshofer combines traditional craftsmanship and precision tailoring with certified circular fabrics sourced from Italy — resulting in pieces that feel both considered and forward-looking.

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GERRIT JACOB

Berlin-based designer Gerrit Jacob launched his eponymous label in 2022 with a defined point of view: fashion that is self-assured and expressive, where craftsmanship meets youthful rebellion. Bold graphic prints, airbrush techniques and saturated colour are the hallmarks of the brand.

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GMBH

Serhat Isik and Benjamin A. Huseby founded GmbH in Berlin in 2016, drawing on their own experiences growing up as children of migrants to shape a label that is as culturally engaged as it is technically refined. Known for innovative cuts and powerful silhouettes, GmbH weaves together demanding craftsmanship and contemporary culture into a singular, unmistakable aesthetic.

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HADERLUMP ATELIER BERLIN

Haderlump was founded in 2021 by Creative Director Johann Ehrhardt and CEO Julius Weißenborn with a dual mission: to futureproof craft and embed sustainable thinking into the fabric of the industry. Through an urban aesthetic and a design language that questions convention without sacrificing elegance, Haderlump Atelier Berlin positions itself at the intersection of tradition and tomorrow.

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KITSCHY COUTURE

Abarna Kugathasan founded Kitschy Couture in 2023 as a tribute to diasporic identity — a label where her own transcultural experience, shaped by Sri Lankan roots, Tamil heritage and Western influences, finds form in clothing. For Kugathasan, fashion is a platform: "We serve as a platform for cultural expression, building bridges and offering an intimate glimpse into a world that often remains invisible."

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LAURA GERTE

Since 2023, Berlin-based designer Laura Gerte has been developing a visual language all her own — one defined by unusual silhouettes, dynamic drapin, and a quietly futuristic sensibility. Working exclusively with upcycled fabrics and existing materials, which she turns "inside out, upside down, and back to front" to create her sculptural forms, Gerte has deliberately positioned her label outside conventional fashion production, focusing instead on commissions and artistic brand collaborations.

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LOU DE BÈTOLY

French-born designer Lou de Bètoly established her Berlin-based label in 2018, dedicating it to the kind of painstaking, extravagant craft that demands to be felt as much as seen. Embroidery, knitting and weaving are her tools of choice — applied exclusively to vintage and deadstock materials, processed through upcycling and local production.

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ABOUT THE FCG/VOGUE FASHION FUND

Launched in Germany in 2024 by the Fashion Council Germany and Vogue Germany, the FCG/VOGUE Fashion Fund was created to champion promising designers and labels across the country — with a particular focus on those pursuing genuinely innovative approaches to fashion. The inaugural winner in 2025 was Berlin-based designer Kasia Kucharska. 

To be eligible, labels must be based in Germany and have been operating for a minimum of two and a maximum of fifteen years. The 2026 finalists were selected by a distinguished jury: Christiane Arp (Chair, Fashion Council Germany), Mumi Haiati (CEO & Founder, Reference Studios), Scott Lipinski (CEO, Fashion Council Germany), Katrin Schneider (Marketing Director DE/CH, KIKO Milano), Kerstin Weng (Head of Editorial Content, Vogue Germany), and Patrick Pendiuk (Fashion Features Director, Vogue Germany). 

Partners of the initiative include beauty brand KIKO Milano, which contributes the €50,000 prize and serves as make-up partner for the winner's show, and the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises, which supports the winning label's runway presentation at Berlin Fashion Week.