A travel dairy exploring the journey of one Yorkshire lass travelling across the pond to the undeniably creative and urban city of Berlin.

o n ly i n b e r l i n

Words and photographs by Hollie Furniss

When my University Lectures told my class and I we was going to Berlin for our annual fashion trip admittedly, I was uninspired however, unbeknownst to me it would be utterly inspiring.

Despite feeling really tired after the journey, once out and about the buzz of Berlin awakened me. The weather was indeed dreary and cold but I was prepared with my knitwear, coat and boots. Thank goodness for the scarf and glove set my mum had bought me for Christmas. For the initial expedition my friends and I thought we would explore Berlin on foot. We headed towards the Brandenburg Gates and on the way saw the main Berlin Fashion Week building across the road. Around the Gates are lots of lovely eateries and feeling peckish we went to a cafe in the Art gallery nearby, in the Pariser Platz. Soup followed by coffee and cake went down a treat and for all under 10 euro it was particularly enjoyable. I wanted to see the DZ bank as inside is meant to be a really creative interior space but the place was shut to visitors due to a private event.

After, we walked along Unter Den Linden and passed some ornate and decadent renaissance architecture housing many galleries, museums and exhibitions. At the end of the strip was Alexander Platz where the infamous TV tower stood. Unfortunately for us though, the misty sky completely covered the building - making it impossible to see. So, we went for coffee and donuts instead.

We headed back to the hotel to get ready as tonight was the Opening Ceremony party for the Bread and Butter Tradeshow. The party was great fun; dancing to techno beats in strobe lighting ‘till the early hours was a great end to the first day in Berlin.

day 1

day 2

On the second day I wanted to get a real sense of Berlin’s street culture and a taste of the cities exciting, independent shops. Therefore, my friends and I followed the lectures into Mitte (as they seemed to know where to go and what to do). On the way to the shops we went to see the Tacheles. This was like nothing I had ever seen, graffiti adorned the derelict building which was now overrun by squatters and aspiring artists. Sculptures was made by rubbish, every corner was covered in colour, shapes and type – floor after floor the mass of colour continued towards the tip top of the building. I would definitely recommend this to future tourists, it really opens your eyes to how fundamentally important art is for Berlin.

From the Tacheles we ventured forward to ‘Do you Read Me’ magazine store. Now this was any creative students dream shop, rammed full of inspiring publications from floor to ceiling. It took me a good 30 minutes to decide which magazines I wanted and eventually I fell head over heels for three beautiful designs. From there we went to more great stores including a wonderfully curated vintage and designer shop owned by a lovely Greek woman. I think she was one of the only boutiques to revel in colour - which is probably down to her exotic roots. However, from there, shop after shop the well-known German minimalist, graphic and sophisticated aesthetic could be seen in the quirky boutiques. I must admit I am a sucker for minimalism.

We parted with our lecturers and headed for a well deserved coffee at The Barn at the corner of the street. Afterwards, we went for some lunch near the TV tower at an amazing Italian where I ordered seafood pasta and red wine. From there, we went and looked at some more quirky shops as well as high-street.

Later on, in the evening once we had made our way back to the hotel we went to the central station next door for a very cheap Chinese and a pint of real German ale; once all full we then called it a night.

On day three we decided to go to the Bread and Butter Tradeshow of which I was press for The Trend Boutique, as a Trend Researcher which meant I could take photographs and I also gained entry to the press lounge for free drinks and food. The tradeshow itself was at first very over whelming; hundreds of brand in all sorts of creative pop-up spaces took over the halls. It was really exciting to be part of the industry and have a chance to speak to professionals face to face. Not only was it great for networking but it was a really enjoyable experience. We got to see collections before the public which meant gaining insight into future trends. The visual merchandising of the brands was phenomenal, converse played on the concept of thread by weaving cotton through wired fencing as well as having cardboard reels of which passing crowds could write their thoughts upon. Hugo Boss had its very own ice skating ring where professional dancers skated. It was really influential for event ideas, graphic design and v.m. We spent around 6 hours checking out the scope on offer, nibbling at canapés and sipping drinks. After giving out lots of business cards and conducting mini-interviews with selected brands we headed back (as we had three bags full of free but very heavy magazines, flyers and lookbooks it was definitely time for a rest).

For dinner we decided to go out for food at a place called ‘White Trash’. Unfortunately I didn’t have my bulky camera on me to take any photographs but this place was pretty unique. A mash up of oriental design and a subtle rocky horror picture show vibe with gay, alternative staff and quirky, strange artwork. The food was amazing, very hearty and messy which was just what we needed after such a long day.

The Bright Tradeshow was install for day four and was completely different to Bread and Butter. The tradeshow was so much more informal and casual in comparison, the sort of people that attended were super cool too. Brands showcasing were skater and lifestyle brands like Vans and Volco. At the tradeshow there was a beach stand where free mojitos were served, there was a cinema room and also a rather wacky crazy golf room designed by artists. The place was really good for networking as people were less intimidating and seemed friendlier. I went to Bright as press on behalf of The Clothes Show Style Scouts but did more work for my friend’s emerging magazine. A few possible interviews are in the pipeline for the first issue, as well as requested images and content. Feeling thirsty we went for hot chocolate at a nearby cafe – in freezing weather that was definitely a welcomed beverage.

Later on, after pizza at the station, we got dolled up and headed out to a club. Apparently Germany is renowned for Techno music so the place we found must have been the only place to play Hip-Hop and R’n’B. The venue was called Asphalt, with stylish, modern interiors and a lively feel. It was a little expensive so after a single Cosmo and a couple of hours of dancing I was off home to get some shut eye before tomorrow’s last adventure.

day 4

Premium tradeshow was next and for this I was press and a photographer for my blog, which was a nice alternative to representing other people. Some people didn’t rate Premium in comparison to Bread and Butter but I thought it was an equally impressive event. The Visual merchandising might not have been as grand but it was still very interesting in terms of the garments and products on offer. Especially in the Seek section, that housed more independent, emerging, small brands with distinctly modern and youthful designs. In the centre of the Seek section was the nicest rustic restaurant, selling beautiful food. I opted for a caesar salad and it was probably the best I have ever eaten!

After the tradeshow we went shopping to Weekday where I found a bargain custard coloured shirt in the sale. I also purchased a black maxi skirt, a fine rose tinted high necklace and a grey and burgundy top for boyfriend. I thought that I should buy some gifts for my family members too so, real Belgian chocolate and sweets was high on the agenda as well as some light-hearted finds like a penguin shaped ice cube tray.

Afterwards, we headed back and got ready for the Vans party. Free jagermeister was on offer until the early hours of the morning. Bands like Black Spiders played on the stage which was set in a room with a rather grand dome ceiling. The air was smoky, the vibe was laid-back with a mix of indie and punk music, reminding me off the alternative clubs back home in Sheffield. Bearing in mind I had to get up for the coach in a few hours me and a couple of my friends went home to get as much sleep as possible.

Packed and ready, we left Berlin and headed back to the UK. I will surely be back to Berlin as there were many areas that I didn’t get to venture to as the trip was crammed with tradeshows. However, I think next time I will go during the summer where I can experience Berlin’s outdoor, sunny lifestyle of bike riding and outdoor eateries. Berlin is a truly inspiring city with so much to offer, if you are ever considering venturing to Germany in the future make sure you check this place out; as one of my Tacheles postcards says ‘Berlin has it all’.

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