Berlin Fashion Week 2017

Our Highlights

Text: Britannie Seaton

From 4th to 7th July 2017, Berlin will welcome round two of its biannual Fashion Week. With highlights including international fashion trade shows by Seek, Premium Exhibitions, Panorama and Selvedge Run, BRIGHT, GREENSHOWROOM / ETHICAL FASHION SHOW, SHOW&ORDER, DER BERLINER MODE SALON and the FASHIONTECH conference, Berlin Fashion Week presents an incredible selection of events and exhibitions, both private and for the public. Once again, Berlin is playing host for the most innovative names in fashion, showcasing the collections of ones-to-watch, and creating discussions around new directions in fashion. As the excitement builds, Paulina’s Friends have been talking about focal points and topics to look out for in this year’s events, exhibitions and collections. Here is a run-down of what to look out for on the runway this year…

Fashion and art as one

Here at Paulina’s Friends, we are always celebrating the intersection of fashion, art and design. In our Berlin-Mitte Concept Gallery, we showcase the work of young designers and makers that create what we believe to be ‘wearable art’. This year, Berlin Fashion week are also presenting events and collections that explore these crossovers. From 7th July to 8th October, The Dalí Museum will present an exclusive exhibition of the infamous surrealist as ‘The 21st Century Dandy’. The show includes the 12 watercolour pieces he created for the internationally renowned menswear brand Scabel, as part of a unique collection of fabrics.

The fashion/art intersection also appears in the work of numerous designers who frequently collaborate with artists, including womenswear and streetwear designer Raquel Hladky. On 4th July, Warsaw-based multidisciplinary artist Magda Buczek presents her ‘Surplus – Art Project’ show. In this collection of works, Buczek explores the boundaries of fashion, visual poetry and ‘artivism’, taking her original texts and printing them on recycled clothes.

Ethical Fashion

Paulina’s Friends are pleased to see a spotlight on ethical, eco and sustainable fashion at Berlin Fashion Week. From the 4th to 6th July, Green Showroom will be at Funkhaus Berlin, presenting shows, lectures and awards to celebrate fashion made with morals in mind. Their Ethical Fashion Show is spread along an impressive number of stalls, exploring ‘Modern Casual’, ‘Craft’, ‘Urban Vibe’, ‘Kids’ and ‘Individual’ collections. Be prepared to be inspired, as the showroom demonstrates that buying and wearing clothes sustainably is not just about fashion, but an increasingly-more attainable and progressive lifestyle.

The future of fashion

What lies in the future of fashion? #FASHIONTECH are collating and defining the answers to this question. They present themselves as “the platform for all the uprising ideas and business models that influence the way fashion is designed, produced, distributed, marketed and sold.” On 5th July, #FASHIONTECH will host a conference and exhibition to explore this discourse at the Premium international fashion trade show. #FASHIONTECH look to engage with new possibilities for fashion, covering content from areas such as Wearables & Smart Textiles, E-Commerce & Retailtech and Digital Marketing & Communication in a series of lectures at Kühlhaus Berlin. In a world of artificial intelligence and virtual reality, new doors have been opened for the ways we experience all aspects our lives. #FASHIONTECH engages with these developments being applied to what we wear, proving that the future of fashion is closer than we think.

Above: Handcrafted LED jackets by cyclist group Trafo Pop. Photo © Nils Krüger

open call beyond gender

Concept: Paulina Tsvetanova

Androgynous, unisex, transgender – all of this is totally ‘in’, especially in the high fashion industry. Trans-aesthetics are very popular and have already penetrated many societies. Transgender celebrities, models, performance artists and even fashion agencies are now available. Is it just another trend? Does fashion change one’s own gender perception? Don’t we let us define too much about gender? How does fashion help us discover our true selves? Is identity depending on gender or sexual orientation? We want to provide a framework for the playful handling of gender stereotypes. The shoot celebrates beauty and identity beyond mental barriers, fears and reservations, and finally also beyond gender definitions.

This Open Call is aimed at transgender, intersexual, bisexual, homosexual, as well as heterosexual people, who live their identity independent of their gender and sexual orientation.

Following the selection of models, we will be photoshooting with the renowned fashion photographer Antonio Castello (the shooting will take place Juli 2017). Each outfit is selected tailor-made for the respective personality. In addition, interviews with the models will be held. Each model receives a small thank you of the photos of the shoot, for their own use.

Fashion transformed, liberated, unfolded. Fashion exists independently of gender identities. Its about the human being behind it. Through the deliberate rapture from the classic-normative gender balance, we want to stir up and question our perception of the gender identities. The aim of the curated photo shoot is to raise awareness for this taboo topic and promote the social acceptance and equality of people who live between the sexes.

Find the courage to confess to your own nature!

If you are interested in participating in this project, please send us a short text about you and up to 3 photos until 30.06. to: hello@paulinasfriends.com

Disillusions

We met the french artist Emmanuelle Masson (EMA.M) just before her big retrospective „My bubble“ at our cooperating partner Seven Star Gallery in Berlin-Mitte.

Paulina’s Friends: Welcome to Berlin, Ema.M! You say you have just moved here in order to start a new life – is this a personal as well as professional decision? What does Berlin mean to you?

Ema.M: My life felt empty, and my paintings were very loaded – full of detail, which was certainly to fill this moral and intellectual hole. I need to love, learn, see, feel and suffer to advance. I didn’t find this in Cannes, a place so beautiful but so poor at intellectual level. There were too many fake people without sensitivity and emotion. My life was too easy and boring. I came here several times, and I found a city as energetic as New York twenty years ago. Berlin is charming and full of surprises. The people are so nice and really cool. I fell in love with the city in December 2016, and left everything to live here. I feel free, and my pictures are free, because my life is full. Berlin equals art, freedom, charm, expression, culture, emotions vibration and love.

Emmanuelle Masson

PF: What is your opinion on the current social and political situation in France?

Ema.M: My country today is like a star that aged badly. What a pity! We remain on our achievements, we are too lazy and fear improvisation. Unfortunately the panache is not eternal! Politically, the situation is serious, because we do not have worthy candidates to raise the beautiful country.

Emmanuelle Masson

PF: Share with us how you became an artist.

Ema.M: I have always drawn, since I was able to hold a pencil in my hand. My first painting was a lion, which I made when I was 3 years old. It was hung in the entrance to my kindergarten. My mother had always taken me to museums. I went to advertising school in Paris (Art Graphique), and to Central Saint Martin’s in London. Here, I also worked as a designer for Saatchi and Saatchi. But it was in 1990 that I really felt the vital need to be an artist, and I went into the orders like a nun at the covenant.

Emmanuelle Masson

PF: In your work, you explore numerous forms – painting, sculpture, even interior design. Do you see yourself as an all-round artist?

Ema.M: My love to create is endless! I bring objects to life. This is like child birth to me, a surprise, a challenge and a joy.

PF: Does functionality lessen the value of art?

Ema.M: Art is a powerful feeling that is posed on a support, a power, a message. It is not a commercial product or movement. It comes from the guts.

Emmanuelle Masson

PF: Where does your inspiration come from?

Ema.M: Everyday life, my emotions – what I feel, see, love, hate.

PF: Very often you repaint or completely change your paintings. What drives you to do this?

Ema.M: I’m never satisfied. My emotions are different every day. I change my paintings all the time – it’s why my agent in Cannes keeps them away from me!

Emmanuelle Masson

PF: You talk about your ‘bubble’. What is this?

Ema.M: It is my private house with God and it’s so peaceful. Just him and me, my creation.

Emmanuelle Masson

PF: What are you hoping to do, both in life and in art, in the future?

Ema.M: I want to keep this thirst for life, to love and create. I want a large studio or workshop, because I still have lots to do – big creations. My mission is not finished, I have a lot of work to do. I want to continue to exhibit my work around the world and be able to help others. I have to help people in difficulty.

PF: Emmanuelle, thank you so much for this interview!

tailored to you – personal shopping

“Tailored to you…” Personal Shopping Experience with PAULINA’S FRIENDS

PAULINA’S FRIENDS are pleased to announce a new Personal Shopping Experience. ‘Tailored to you…’ is a complementary service that our fashion and art loving friends can discover at our beautiful Berlin-Mitte Concept Gallery.

With this service, we are personalising your in-store experience with our fabulous pieces. Over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, we will share a rail of garments prepared specially for you. Our collection is comprised of vintage haute couture fashion and contemporary design accessories, currently including labels such as Versace, Escada, Moschino, Jill Sander, Prada and much more. Create your outstanding outfit, which emphasizes your authentic personality and gives you more selfconfidence!

To find out more and reserve a Personal Shopping session, please email hello@paulinasfriends.com, including your personal picture, your style interests and size requirements.

Of course we will photograph you during the styling and you can have all the pictures for free. We look forward to welcoming you to PAULINA’S FRIENDS, and sharing our passion for exploring and collecting the extraordinary.

Bobo Chic on the banks of Spree

Concept: Paulina Tsvetanova

A small adventure in the shabby chic village of the metropolis…

summer…sunrays…breeze…easy…sky…colors…blue…yellow…green…red…beauty…model…androgynous…unisex…style…poetry …urban…food…drinking…art…culture…creativity …architecture…crafts…theatre…wilderness…nature…peace…fun…history…wall…west…east…future…vision…berlin

Photos: Antonio Castello, Model: Franz Schmidt, Makeup: Marina Luque, Location: Holzmarkt 25

Blazer by Walter Van Beirendonck, necklace by Copper Elements Berlin

Blouse by Eastlondon, camouflage trousers von Djofra

Brexit meets Trump, Outfit incl. bag by Djofra, scarf by Ulrike Isensee

Brexit meets Trump, Outfit by Djofra, shoes by Feeliny Berlin

Brexit meets Trump, Outfit by Djofra

blouse by Eastlondon, necklace by Sofia Beilharz, camouflage trousers by Djofra

blouse by Eastlondon, camouflage trousers by Djofra, upcycling bag by Mookoo

blouse by Eastlondon, necklace by Sofia Beilharz, camouflage trousers by Djofra

glasses case made of newspaper by Transformate

80ies vintage blouse by Escada

90ies blazer and bag by Walter Van Beirendonck, necklace by Copper Elements Berlin

Open Call HEALING

UPDATE: A big warm thanks for your more than 100 applications! We have chosen 30 artists & designers, whose names will be published very soon.

PAULINA’S FRIENDS is pleased to present an Open Call opportunity to artists, designers and artisans of the world. In our exhibition ‘Healing’ we will be presenting the work of those who create art as a process of finding strength, hope and catharsis.

In our planned exhibition “HEALING”, we want to showcase creatives who find hope, relaxation and personal salvation in their art & design.

Just like Frida Kahlo painting to objectify her physical and emotional sufferings, and the infamous blue period of Pablo Picasso, many artists continue to express fear, trauma and coming to terms with struggles, fears, weaknesses and inner boundaries through their work.

PAULINA’S FRIENDS wants to see your artistic processes of “HEALING” that capture your personal emotional stories. Whether they represent experiences of heartbreak, loss or losing your favorite dress, or a personanal resurrection, we want to celebrate the beauty of art in its ability to heal, transform and revive. Furthermore we would like to get to know the artists & designers from the human, personal side.

If you are an artist who creates work in an act of personal or social “HEALING”, please send us your proposal with max 3 pictures of your work to hello@paulinasfriends.com There are no restrictions according to genre, technique, size etc.

Deadline for appications is 04.02.18

Contribution towards expenses: 300 € (plus 19 % VAT -> 357 € for those living in Germany) in case you are accepted for the exhibition. Every artist/designer participats with 1 piece. The exhibition will be curated by Paulina Tsvetanova.

The exhibition will take place in three months April, May and June 2018 (2.04-30.06) during the Gallery Weekend (27-29.04) in our Concept Gallery PAULINA’S FRIENDS in Berlin-Mitte.

The opening will be on Thursday, 26.04 at 19h.

Opening times of the HEALING exhibition: Mo-Sa 12-19h.

The fee includes marketing & promotion costs, press work, space rental, staff, etc. Each artist accepted to the exhibition will receive a free permanent profile at www.paulinasfriends.com/en/art or www.paulinasfriends.com/en/design in German & English (if not already available) and will be listed in an online magazine post with a personal statement about „HEALING“.

In case of sales artists/designers will get 80 % from the net price, the gallery 20 %. For all transports and setting up their work, each artist/designer will be responsible.