western influence

We always get a slight chill as the train pulls into Friedrichstrasse station. It is hard to fathom that it is only 20 years since this behemoth of glass and American food housed the men with keys to a brave new world. Ironically, now we’re allowed in, we find the west a little too self-consciouly modern (ugly’s such a strong word).  However, this futuristic cityscape also is part of Berlin’s rich, recent history and it, too, is inspiring some daring fashion and costume design. This Reality Studio dress (2nd row, left), for instance, mimics an aerial view of Potsdamer Platz, as does jeweller Momentopia’s shop fit (bottom left).  And Joey Love’s Jetsons-esque sneakers (top left) summon parliament’s lofty dome. And with that, we’ve got a train to catch to Ostkreuz, before our ticket expires. x

learn your labels

Remember those alphabet cards the teacher held up in grade school – with the little pictures of apples and xylophones? Something like that would be handy right now because learning the names of Berlin’s fashion labels is harder than, well, learning German. Adddress with three ‘d’s, Finn (dot?) K, Butterfly Soul Fire (is that one word or three?) These T-shirts are even better, matching the names of local labels with cheeky rhymes you can chant to yourself on the S-bahn. We bought House of Holland’s ‘What A Corker Karen Walker’ tee a few years back and can’t fault the syllabus. Or the (give an inch, take a mile) style.

35 euros at berlin bitches.

bands of colour

As the old imwearing readers know, we don’t do colour.  (Or PU, but that’s irrelevant because today’s muse is soft-as-a-baby’s leather). Alas, while our monochrome is perfect in Paris, Milan and just about every European city – besides Berlin. Here head-to-toe schwarz looks positively funereal (if not GDRistic). When summer is a few weeks’ break between cold and dark and really cold and really dark, you get that hot pink mini skirt on. Now. Don’t make me. I’m counting. Thankfully we’ve found a way to respect the local custom without sending our little heads into a katherine wheel-like spin. These uber-soft leather belts by 2-year-old Berlin label c’est tout are a happy compromise – a step above pastel but not quite bright. We’re easing in with the pale blue, tied around an oversized (black) blazer. Jeans on the bottom, of course. After a couple of weeks we reckon we’ll be ready for the salmon. (At 79 Euro, it’s a low risk.)

(Check out our Sales page for c’est tout’s one-day super sale on July 18!)

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