THE DEFINING SHOWS OF BERLIN FASHION WEEK SS27

words by THORE DAMWERTH

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 felt assured, international and culturally confident. Across the schedule, designers explored memory, identity, resistance and transformation through distinct creative perspectives. From political commentary to intimate coming-of-age narratives, the week reflected a city where independent voices continue to shape one of Europe's most progressive fashion scenes. Here are our highlights.

BARRAGÁN

all images courtesy of BARRAGÁN

For its BFW debut, Barragán turned the Mexican Embassy into more than a show venue, using the diplomatic setting to reinforce its reflection on migration, borders and belonging. Titled SS30, the collection imagined a political future while examining how nationality is constructed, negotiated and perceived. Uniform-inspired tailoring, low-slung silhouettes and garments marked by visible wear evoked states of transition and displacement, while provocative graphic slogans challenged persistent stereotypes surrounding migration.

GMBH

all images courtesy of GMBH

Marking its tenth anniversary, GmbH closed the week with Desire Paths, a show rooted in Berlin's overlooked couture history. “Can a collection embody a hundred years or even ten years? Obviously not,” designers Benjamin A. Huseby and Serhat Isik note. However, drawing on archival garments from Berlin's forgotten fashion houses, the show traced connections between past and present, weaving couture tailoring into the label's signature sportswear vocabulary. At its core, Desire Paths explored cultural memory, political expression and collective identity, culminating in a powerful finale featuring Arca on the runway.

HADERLUMP

all images courtesy of HADERLUMP

Presented in the Grand Ballroom of Berlin's Hotel Adlon, Haderlump's Atrium transformed the rituals and hierarchies of grand hotels into a study of status, labour and belonging. Rooted in Creative Director Johann Ehrhardt's early experience working as a hotel waiter, the show introduced 28 distinct characters navigating a world shaped by routine and quiet observation. The label's signature tailoring was softened through draped denim, tactile fabrics and sculptural knitwear, while key motifs and architectural references subtly connected the looks. 

DAGGER

all images courtesy of DAGGER

With Lifestyles of the Bored and Disenfranchised, Dagger continued to build the coming-of-age universe introduced last season. Returning to the small Irish coastal town where designer Luke Raine grew up, the collection explored teenage firsts, freedom and self-discovery through relaxed tailoring, playful styling and emotionally charged storytelling. More than nostalgia, it captured the uncertainty and optimism of youth.

CLARA COLETTE MIRAMON

all images courtesy of CLARA COLETTE MIRAMON

Clara Colette Miramon continued her exploration of femininity through the lens of growth, desire and transformation. Inspired by tropical summers in Thailand, Humid balanced softness and decay with lace, sheer fabrics, floral embellishments and transparent PVC details. The debut of the brand's first footwear line expanded its distinctly romantic and nostalgic visual language.

JOHN LAWRENCE SULLIVAN

all images courtesy of JOHN LAWRENCE SULLIVAN

For Spring/Summer 2027, John Lawrence Sullivan examined the body as a site of ambiguity, deconstructing traditional gender codes through sharply tailored silhouettes, bondage-inspired details and reptilian textures. Inspired by Bettina Rheims' Modern Lovers series and the Japanese art of Shibari, the collection reflected themes of fluidity, restraint and renewal.

MILK OF LIME

all images courtesy of MILK OF LIME

In Ashes, Milk of Lime examined the tension between destruction and rebirth through a darkly romantic lens. Draped tailoring, reimagined knitwear crafted from torn silk and crinkled textures were balanced by delicate details and poetic symbolism, creating a collection where fragility and resilience existed in constant dialogue.

MARKE

all images courtesy of MARKE

Continuing its investigation of historical perception, MARKE presented Relics & Remnants centred on the figure of a solitary wanderer. Renaissance and Baroque references merged with contemporary sportswear, creating silhouettes where past and present coexisted. The collection proposed history as a living archive, continually reshaped through memory, identity and time.

MARTIN QUAD

all images courtesy of MARTIN QUAD

Martin Quad's Woodman Pt. 2 continued to blur the boundaries between fashion, theatre and performance. Taking cues from Francesca Woodman's photography, the collection deconstructed classical tailoring through mirrored constructions, distorted proportions and fluid layering, transforming familiar garments into studies of reflection, distortion and duality.

SF1OG

all images courtesy of SF10G

With its latest presentation, SF1OG explored the tension between good and evil through the lens of institutional power and hidden authority. Referencing Luca Guadagnino's Suspiria, the collection juxtaposed velvet, satin, sheer fabrics and leather, while a live musical performance reinforced its ritualistic atmosphere and cinematic intensity.