Paris is considered the fashion capital of the world. But almost 200 years ago, another metropolis competed with the city on the Seine on a fashion level, Berlin. Just last week, the city showed it’s creative potential during the Berlin Fashion Week.
THE BERLIN FASHION HISTORY IN BRIEF
Actually, Berlin was a leader in the fashion world at that time. And that has a historical background. In the second half of the 17th century, what was then the Kingdom of Prussia took in refugees from France, the Huguenots. However, in Berlin, where French was considered the language of the nobility, these were called réfugiés. And so you can see where the term we still use today for people who have to leave their homeland comes from.
BERLIN’S UPSWING THROUGH REFUGEES
The Protestant Huguenots were ostracized in their homeland at that time. Many died. The then Elector Friedrich Wilhelm set an example for respect and cosmopolitanism. He also invited fifty Jewish families from Austria to Berlin/Brandenburg.
ZDF/Terra X/Gruppe 5/Friedrich Scherer/Jörg Adams/Mathias Meyer/Faber Courtial, Jörg Courtial
Even if this can be seen as a human move, there was also a certain calculation behind it. Because back then, Berlin was still an absolute province. The Elector and later his great-grandson Frederick the Great wanted to create a flourishing so-called Spree Athens (Spree is the river that runs through Berlin).
However, this would not have been possible due to normal demographic development. Hence, people from other countries had to be invited to the city to make it flourish quickly.
THE PRESENT DAY
Even today we are faced with a similar picture. Because people are getting older and there is a shortage of skilled workers. What is strange is that it seems the Germans have learned nothing from history and are afraid of immigration. If managed cleverly, this can only bring advantages.
VALENTIN MANHEIMER – THE PIONEER OF READY-TO-WEAR
Why am I digressing so far into history when it’s all about fashion? Very easy. It was the German-Jewish businessman Valentin Manheimer who perfected the idea of mass-producing clothing. When Manheimer opened a shop for women’s clothing on Hausvogteiplatz in Berlin-Mitte in 1839, the term confection (ready-to-wear) was established, which then went on to triumph throughout the world.
Manheimer developed a simple sizing system. To do this, he had hundreds of women measured. In order to mark the respective clothing sizes, he had colored stars sewn into the clothes. Fashion has become affordable for almost everyone. Today, we call it prêt-à-porter or ready to wear.
THE DARKEST YEARS
But then came a dark time. First, there was the economic crisis, which drove Manheimer bankrupt, and then came the Nazis. As we know, they dispossessed their fellow Jews and drove millions of them to death.
Berlin took a back seat as a fashion city for a long time. Of course, fashion has always played a role here, especially in West Berlin. But people in East Berlin also knew how to help each other. Here, in what was then the socialist GDR, there were no cool clothes to buy. Most of the young people could sew, knit, and crochet, or they knew someone who could. So, the young people in the so-called eastern zone created their outfits.
Because Berlin was surrounded by the Wall and the Soviet occupation zone – the GDR – the fashion industry relocated to Düsseldorf on the Rhine then. Only with the fall of the Berlin Wall was Berlin able to freely develop its incredible creativity again.
THE BERLIN FASHION WEEK
Since 2007, the city has been showing this with the Berlin Fashion Week. Typically Berlin, a lot of mistakes were made too. Especially, after the big boom in 2011. The trade fairs played games and became too expensive, and the side events were too one-sided. The international visitors asked themselves why Berlin when Paris is taking place at around the same time. A pity? Or the chance for a reboot?
Because Berlin is still one of the coolest cities in the world. It’s still an international fashion platform where people from all over the world live and realize their ideas. It’s a good thing that many people are sticking with Fashion Week. The continued great interest confirms their efforts.
Text: Marco Kokkot
