Berlin Fashion Week continues to make its mark on the industry - a positive impact that may yet see Berlin become one of the foremost fashion capitals in the world alongside New York, London, Paris and Milan.

Every July and January, Berliners enjoy as their city transforms into an international capital for fashion, both high couture and street wear. Fashion enthusiasts and watchers come to get first glimpses into the trends for next season while buyers order the wares. Media representatives come in droves, too, for full coverage of the goings-on during the 5 days of fun, fabulous and glamorous fashion only Berliners can come up with.

When It All Started

Berlin Fashion Week started in 2007, thus, making it one of the youngest Fashion Weeks in the industry. Since its inception, Berlin Partner GmBH together with the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Technology and Women's Issues has supported the various activities and events associated with the Berlin Fashion Week.

The Senate Department co-finances the individual formats while the Berlin Partner takes charge of the marketing aspect. Said marketing aspect involves the promotion of Berlin as an emerging fashion capital in particular and as a leading investment location in general. The people behind Berlin Fashion Week call it Branding Berlin whereby the city aims to achieve a fashion identity as well as establish a network of relations.

Who's Who in the Industry

Berlin Fashion Week perfectly blends world-renown designers with up-and-coming talents, thus, making it one of the most vibrant in the industry. Fashion sensibilities range from the wearable street fashion to the high couture fashion pieces and, in consequences, a range of prices, too.

For the 9th Berlin Fashion Week staged on 5-10 July 2011, the Spring/Summer 2012 collections from numerous designers were unveiled at the Strasse des 17 Juni. The main entrance was across the historic Brandenburg Gate.

The big-name designers included Hugo Boss, Escada and Vivienne Westwood while the up-and-coming talents included Michael Sontag, Michael Michalsky, Vladimir Karaleev, , Iris van Herpens, Katja Will (C'est Tout), Marcel Ostertag, Lala Berlin, and Kaviar Gauche, among others. Michael Kors also came as a judge in one of the events.

In the coming years, the organizers of the Berlin Fashion Week will invite other fashion designers as well as media representatives, buyers and other fashion industry stakeholders to come and participate. After all, Berlin is gearing up to become the new fashion capital of the world and there is nothing more exciting than being at its birth.

Where to Go for Fashion

During the 5 days when the Berlin Fashion Week is in full blast, the schedule for trade fairs, fashion shows and other events stretch from the morning until the evening. The highlights of the week are:

• Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin is widely considered as the biggest event of the Berlin Fashion Week.

• Bread and Butter is the international trade fair where sellers and buyers of street and urban wear meet. This is conducted at the Original Sin Saloon where the atmosphere is a blend of an artsy cultural festival, an electronic disco music fest and the Love Parade.

• PREMIUM (Yes, it's spelled in capital letters) Fashion Fair attracts 1,000 designers and 60,000 visitors, on an average year. The pieces are revolutionary, progressive and definitely influential where world fashion is concerned.

• Eco fashion is well-represented at the Berlin Fashion Week. See the Lavera Showfloor Berlin. Enjoy the show at the Green Showroom. Watch the Ethical Fashion Show at the Berlin Hotel Adlon.

The Berlin Fashion Week is coming to its own place in the industry. Catch the next events of the 2012 Berlin fashion Week to be help on 18-22 January 2012 for the Fall/Winter 2012/2013 Collections and on July 2012 for the Spring/Summer 2013 Collections.

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