Berlin Fashion Week starts in a fortnight. It seems like we’ve only just caught our breath from all of of May’s frivolities and now we again have to brace ourselves for another season of fashion shows. Comes around quickly, such is the machinations of this industry. Berlin Fashion Week is not normally something that registers on our radar – the concept itself is only new, having started in 2007 – but since our Vladimir Karaleev post earlier in the year we’ve decided to hop on the Berlin fashion bandwagon, this time with design duo PERRET SCHAAD.
A definite newcomer to the scene, having presented their first collection to the public in January, PERRET SCHAAD is already a hit with the locals. And looking at their winter collection, their initial success becomes glaringly obvious. For us, it was like love at first sight. As a debut collection, the work is surprisingly accomplished. Shirt dresses, delicate silk tops, sharp, short mini skirts in either blocks of neutral tones or as a pop of powdery colour. These are pieces that can easily be integrated into the wardrobe. And despite a rather plain looking approach, PERRET SCHAAD’s designs are more like an experimentation in simplicity, one where soft forms are combined with firm contours.
In anticipation of PERRET SCHAAD’s follow up catwalk presentation, Canvas had to have a quick Q&A with the girls, the most important of which: where can we buy?!
Do you feel like there’s maybe a new movement in German fashion that is being fortified by the youth and vibrancy of Berlin? Your own label is quite young and seems to be more conceptual that one would expect from German fashion.
Berlin is a city with a huge cultural offer and creative outputs. Its international attractiveness is definitely an interesting element to the grounding of our label.
Until now, German fashion might have been known especially for its hyper-plain, strict aesthetic or a contrary streetwear scene. We are seen as different, because our design process is a meeting point between “savoir-faire” in finishing qualities, elegance and avant-garde design concept. We give importance to both innovative use of textile, volume and colours research and our clothes are garments to be worn.
It seems when people see clean lines in design these tag they’re quick to assume a minimalist tag, but how would you describe your work? How does your use of colour help to convey your ideas?
We think one of PERRET SCHAAD’ s strength’s is our perception of colour, and overall the way we harmonize, break contrasts and and play with contradictions.
Where can one find PERRET SCHAAD?
Around mid-August, you will find PERRET SCHAAD Ulf Haines in Berlin, Destination Tokyo and Wut Wut in Tokyo, Forest Bird in Hong Kong, In the Woods in Seoul, and Debut in New York.
Let’s hope there’s an Australian boutique on that list next season.
