The author attended Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Berlin to immerse herself in German culture and language. She observed many unique fashion shows featuring modern takes on classic styles. Notable designers showcased tailored pieces combining nature and technology themes. The author practiced her German by discussing the runway looks and shopping for trends. Berlin's hip culture blends old and new, and the future of fashion belongs to this vibrant city.

1. (Style Never Goes Out of Fashion)
Stil kommt nie aus Mode
B Y A M A N D A C R O W L E Y
The crowd at the Marc Cain show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Autumn/Winter
2014 at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany. Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

2. “Always Restless” (Immer ruhelos)
The theme for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin’s fall/winter 2014 collec-
tions, “Always Restless,” highlighted creativity. Born of the combination of the
restless world of fashion, always striving for new styles, and the progressive au-
tomotive design Mercedes-Benz is known for, the slogan perfectly captured the
spirit both in the tents and on the streets of Berlin. While Berlin has a rich and
long history, the city’s current culture is relatively new. After the fall of the Berlin
Wall in 1989, two cultures were once again united. Now, Berlin and the rest of
Germany have developed one of the strongest economies in the European Union,
and the city is emerging as a world leader in innovative technological production.
A mixture of new and old, hip and classic, natural and technological inspired the
fall/winter 2014 collections, which were presented January 14–17 by more than
fifty designers at the event. Everywhere I went, this juxtaposition was felt in the
most unique ways.
As an American in Germany, I couldn’t help but feel privileged to be standing
on the ancient streets seeing fresh, smart fashion everywhere I turned. The
unexplainable excitement of seeing look after look come down the runway was
heightened by walking back to the main lobby after each show to hear everyone’s
thoughts; press from all over the world and all over Germany were sharing their
passion for fashion. Touring the city and discussing fashion with these bloggers
and style enthusiasts made my desire to master the language even stronger.
Herzlich Willkommen zur
Berliner Fashion Week
On Fashion Week Eve, my German class went on a field trip to the Reichstag (the
German Parliament), which is located around the corner from Fashion Week’s
home.AswesteppedofftheU-Bahn,Berlin’smetrosystem,wecouldseethepurple
and white Fashion Week tents framed by the gigantic pillars of the Brandenburger
Tor (Brandenburg Gate). The former city gate marked my entrance into the style
city of Berlin Fashion Week, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense that both cultures
were crashing and mixing into one eccentric blend.
The image of the tents—a fashion metropolis illu-
minated by the gate and Berlin nightlife—kept me
awake with anticipation all night.
Although Berlin Fashion Week is much younger
than its renowned sibling in New York, the four-
teenth season proved that Berliners know fashion
and are here to stay. I could hardly contain my
elation walking in between sleek black Mercedes-
Benzes and up to the tents on Tuesday morning,
photographers furiously clicking away at the street
fashion, and onlookers hoping to catch a glimpse
of the world to which I was lucky to gain access.
My VIE press pass stood out against the fur vest I
had chosen for day one, and I stepped confidently
through the doors for the first show of the week.
I decided to explore the numerous sponsor booths
located in the main lobby. Maybelline, the official
makeup of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Weeks around
the globe, was giving makeovers—so naturally I was
curious to see the looks, colors, and products being
showcased this season. A friend once gave me great
advice about learning a language: “Speak about
things you are interested in and learn that vocabu-
lary. Once you can express your passions, the rest
will come easily.” Those words resonated with me
as I engaged the Maybelline representative in con-
versation. We talked eye shadow (der Lidschatten),
eyeliner (der Lidstrich), and mascara (die
Wimperntusche). Noel, my Maybelline makeup art-
ist, shared her insight on how makeup complements
AmodelwalkstherunwayattheMarcCainshow.
PhotobyPeterMichaelDills/GettyImages
W
hen I began learning German (entschuldigen, Deutsch) a year
and a half ago, Berlin Fashion Week was merely a dream. But
as my language studies progressed, I became more interested
in the history, people, and culture of Germany. I decided to use my winter
break this year to enroll in an intensive language and culture course at the
historic Humboldt Universität zu Berlin. As an intern at VIE in 2011, I was
taught to keep my eyes and ears open for opportunities to find engaging
stories and bring them to the forefront. What started as a passion for
language turned into an opportunity to attend Mercedes-Benz Fashion
Week in Berlin and an immersion into the über-hip culture there.

3. fashion. Speaking Deutsch with my new friend granted me membership
to what felt like a private club. During the runway shows, I was also able
to practice my German with fellow attendees. I could discuss the looks
coming down the runway and ask what boutique a blogger’s shirt was
from. Ich war eine Berlinerin Fashionista (I was a Berlin Fashionista)!
Einen Döner, bitte!
Walking out of the tents for a lunch break, I decided it was time to try the
popular Berlin Döner kebab.TheDöner,heavilyinfluencedbytheTurkish
culture in Berlin, is a must-have. German-style Döners are seasoned meat
processed into a large cylindrical loaf, roasted on a vertical spit, then thinly
sliced with a long knife and wrapped in flat bread with vegetables and
sometimes a spicy sauce. Much like New York pizza, Döner kebabs can
be found in shops on nearly every street and are a beloved favorite. When
paired with a glass of Glühwein (mulled German wine), the three-euro
Döner warmed and fueled me for an afternoon of runway shows—and
kept my wallet full for a night spent shopping for the new trends!
Meine Lieblingslooks für den Winter
(My favorite looks for winter)
Marc Stone’s fall 2014 menswear collection drew inspiration from nature
and technology, creating an interesting interaction between the two. The
color scheme is “simple and clear”—deep raven blacks and frost grays il-
luminated by electrifying blues. Stone combined classical and functional
elements of practicality, individuality, and style for the tailored line of
slacks, sweaters, and pullovers.
Rebekka Ruétz’s line, “Black Diamonds,” showcased idiosyncratic and
extravagant tailored pieces in a variety of materials. Silhouettes of key
menswear items in wool overcoats with fine cotton pleated pants capti-
vated the audience. High-quality silk evening and long cocktail dresses
in blacks, reds, and blues were accented with leather, faux fur, and white
crystals. Models also sported wavy 1930s-style hair that would make any
Downton Abbey fan swoon!
Berlin designer Timm Süssbrich combined casualness and elegance for
Barre Noire’s fall/winter collection, “One Night in Sacramento.” The
reserved looks of wool coats, tapered pants, and sweaters paired with
booties were featured in the trending natural tones of maroons, grays,
and blacks with hints of pastel blues. Barre Noire gave a nod to Berlin’s
quickly growing technology industry by bringing the latest in video cam-
eras to the runway; while showcasing a beautiful knit maroon-and-grey
sweater, one model carried a GoPro camera—a simple, fun gesture that
embodied Berlin’s youthful spirit with a model’s-eye view of the runway.
Irene Luft’s new collection revived black Plauener lace and embroidery
to create elegant handmade couture dresses. Luft’s attention to detail
could also be seen in her strong yet feminine prêt-à-porter designs of
1.ElizabethHurleyattendstheMarcCainshowon
January16,2014inBerlin.PhotobyAndreasRentz/
GettyImages
2.MarcCain’smodelsexhibitednaturalmakeupand
tousledhairjuxtaposedagainstelegant-yet-edgycloth-
ingdesigns.PhotobyPeterMichaelDills/GettyImages
3.Allthemodelswalkingouttogetherattheend
madeforastunningfinaleattheMarcCainpresenta-
tion.PhotobyFrazerHarrison/GettyImages
4.GermanmodelRebeccaMirstrikesaposebe-
foretheMarcCainshow.PhotobyAndreasRentz/
GettyImages
5.FemininemeetsdarkandedgyattheMarcCain
showduringMercedes-BenzFashionWeekAutumn/
Winter2014inBerlin.PhotobyFrazerHarrison/
GettyImages
6.MareileHöppnerandFraukeLudowigattendtheMarc
Cainshow.PhotobyLucaTeuchmann/GettyImages
7.MarcCainprovesyoucanaddalittlerockand
rolltoyournextballgown.PhotobyFrazerHarrison/
GettyImages
8.AplayfulendingtotheMarcCainrunwaypresenta-
tion.PhotobyPeterMichaelDills/GettyImages
Prost!(Cheers!)
Ad
1 3
2
4
7
6
5
8

4. Ad
Ad
fit-and-flare dresses. She closed the show with a floor-length sheer black
dress featuring an intricate Plauener lace back, which had Instagram and
Twitter abuzz with adoration!
Prost! Der Mode gehört die Zukunft!
(Cheers! The future belongs to fashion!)
Berlin is quickly emerging as one of the world’s powerhouse cities. The hip-
ster culture of fitted jeans, slouchy beanies, long sweaters, and vintage boots
meshes perfectly with the edgy culture of fur-lined leather jackets, black
pants, and boots with metallic accents. Fashion Week was comparable to
the host city, featuring looks with a very modern and chic take on classical
pieces. Much like the city, historic monuments and rich culture balance the
youthful, vibrant energy present in the populace. On the last day of Fashion
Week, when leaving the tents, I once again saw the neon “Always Restless”
sign and made a promise to Berlin and myself—to always stay restless for
the next adventure, the next idea, and, of course, the next style. Ich liebe dich,
Berlin. Danke für eine wunderbaren Woche! (I love you, Berlin. Thanks for
a wonderful week!)
9.BrandenburgerToratnight,facingthemaintents
ofMercedes-BenzFashionWeekAutumn/Winter
2014inBerlin.PhotobyAmandaCrowley
10.AmandaCrowleyandCaitlinCliffordposefora
photointhemaintentsbetweenfashionshows.
11.“AlwaysRestless”signwelcomingguests
toFashionWeek.PhotobyAmandaCrowley
1.BarreNoire
2.BarreNoire
3.RebekkaRuétz
4.BarreNoire
5.MarcStone
6.IreneLuft
7.RebekkaRuétz
8.RebekkaRuétz
1 2 3
5
7
6
8
4
9
10 11