Hotel Adlon Kempinski Wintergarden, BERLIN
PRESS DAY-July 3rd, 2009
14:30
Words, Images
Judith Ecochard
The gracious five star hotel Hotel Adlon has a planted glass covered winter garden/courtyard…that fittingly, served as an air conditioned, makeshift catwalk for the Greenshowroom’s press preview.
We’ve been to several eco-oriented/Fair Trade showrooms in the States…so we were very curious as to what the afternoon efforts by founders - Magdalena Schaffrin -(her own eponymous label) and Jana Keller -( head of RoyalBLUSH –“handbags with a conscience” handmade in Germany using vegetal tanned leather)…would serve up.
WOW! This presentation could never happen during New York Fashion Week,
THE SHOW:
As a classical harpist began playing… two black leotard/leggings clad modern dancers struck a pose with two classical statues…and then performed an ad-libbed modern dance around the courtyard, making full use of the greenery…and amazingly- incorporating or “staging” each item of clothing, a Dr Hauschka calming spray (sponsor) and yummy chocolates (sponsor) into the energetic show.
We really got into it, admired the creativity of it all…and so did everyone else.
Come to think of it, we can’t see this performance/runway show taking place anywhere else but Berlin.
It was difficult for us to tell what item of clothing belonged to what label. There was a four day suite upstairs where the press could see the 15 or so labels up close and in person ...
We had no time though.
We can say we recognized SEA BAGS right away- an American brand from Maine--- we’ve written about before…that uses old sail clothes and refashions them into carryalls.
RoyalBLUSH, a leather handbag collection was also used as a prop…
As for the clothing…there was a fantastic lace up the back long white (organic cotton?) long coat .
Also a whispy bolero (probably by Blushless, an organic line of bridal wear made from new materials the old fashion way)…
A handsome dark gray jacket by So Pure, a German label helmed by former bankers and biz consultants.
And a sumptuous silk royal blue caftan with Tahitian tinged splashes straight out of a nature wonderland was also lovely.
Also participating was the major label Hessnatur, an earth friendly (organic) clothing line founded thirty years ago by Heinz Hess. Hessnatur has the respected fashion veteran Miguel Androver at the helm of all things creative now.
And the accompanying press release quotes Androver:
“A social message has always been necessary in my design. There is no more important message than taking care of nature and human beings. This is what hessnatur does. It is their essence – and mine.”
AMEN.
For Info On All The Brands Represented In This Temporary Showroom: GREENshowroom