Insights from Berlin Fashion Week
Across exhibitions, panels and conversations, a shared understanding emerged during the latest Berlin Fashion Week: scaling circularity does not have to mean producing more.
The programme began on Friday with two exhibitions that highlighted real-world applications of circular design. At VORN – the fashion hub, MM04 opened “Don’t Call It Circular Society Mall”, while ZEROW presented “Fashion Beyond Waste” at Studio 183. At both exhibitions, we showcased our zero-waste design approach, demonstrating how thoughtful design can prevent waste before it exists.
Later that day, the panel discussion at BIKINI Berlin focused on "Zero-Waste approaches". For me, the conversation highlighted two sides of the same coin: one, transforming systems so that waste is prevented at the source with zero-waste design; and two, working within today’s systems to make use of existing waste, reducing it while creating value with deadstock fabrics.
On Saturday, the dialogue continued at METAMORPHOSIS – dialogues about change with the panel “Scaling Circularity: From Pilot Projects to Proven Practice.” Together with Simon Gryspeert, Rossella Munafò and Gabriele Rorandelli, we explored how brands and innovators navigate obstacles, build effective systems, and unlock greater impact through reuse and long-life business models.
A dedicated reflection on METAMORPHOSIS is shared in a separate blog post.
In addition to the official programme, I had the pleasure of attending the Berlin Fashion Week opening dinner at Borchardt and the METAMORPHOSIS speakers’ dinner at Österelli. Both evenings offered the opportunity for even more meaningful conversations and connections.
Taken together, these days highlighted a shift already underway: away from volume-driven growth and towards designing systems, knowledge and products that last.
