As the recent movie "Berlin, I love you” says, the German capital often generates unexpected emotions and experiences. Simialrly, great expectations and much excitement characterised the long-awaited edition of Denim PV, debuting in Berlin on May 17 and 18 at Arena Berlin.
Among visitors there were less German insiders than the expected ones, though there were both high-end German brands and a significant amount of brands from Berlin, probably because the timing of the show is not the usual one for placing fabric orders for the local industry, and generally because Kingpins Amsterdam had happened less than a month ago.
The atmosphere was lively and optimistic, showing how much the denim business is looking for a restart, despite consumers seem now to slow down their purchases after some first post-COVID enthusiasm.
The show presented f/w 2023/2024 anticipations and a significant offer of innovative materials, especially sustainably-minded ones, but not only.
Deconstructing is the future
A look that pervaded most of the products offered were deconstructed looks made by upcycling denim and reconstructing new tailored looks, new geometrical combinations of fabrics, fringed elements while reinventing an antique garment making Japanese technique. Among the most interesting examples there were Bossa and Fade Out Label. The debuting Isko Luxury By PG collection reinterpreted this trend by using laser setting geometrical almost cut-out patterns on the fabric.
Offering always more shades, surface effects and different strata within the same material is a must. Among others, it was achieved by Isko Luxury By PG through creative striped or damier-effects obtained by using flock applications on saturated bright, bold colors, intricate prints, logos and tattoo effects carvings.
Also scraping the surface of denim were special laser printed motives, embossing and carving effects as seen at Isko Luxury By PG, Bossa, SM Denim Mills, AGI Denim and Stella Blue By Prosperity and Outside Denim Lab. Among brands, Denzil Patrick and Fade Out Label interpreted this theme with great craftsmanship.
A new generation of cords and bouclé
As part of innovative alternative uses of denim there are also special fake furs, thick irregular corduroys, multi-stripe elements and woven effect patchworks. Also, highly innovative is a bouclé-like surface fabric obtained by recycling old denim garments into new thicker and fibers by the German brand A New Kind of Blue, and a similar aspect fabric by Advance Denim.
It’s time for a revamp of the early 2000s. Isko Luxury By PG believe in the return of the typical style featuring exposed skin, low waist pants, micro tops, mini skirts, shrunken garments, butterfly decorations and embellishments.
Gender-fluid is classy
The trend of comfy cool, clean and gender-fluid items continues. Among the most appreciated styles seen at the show there were the show’s hostess and stewards uniform, recreating a genderless, no size denim overall by fade Out Label, added with unique metal trimmings and details, but also boxy oversize clean shirts and jeans.
Botanic dyes by Advance Denim are extracted from raw materials like fruit, flowers, shells, leaves and similar vegetables. They evolve with time and slightly different, though they can make every garment unique. Furthermore, they are biodegradable, don’t contain harmful chemicals, though are naturally resistant to bacteria and fungi and thanks to the company’s Bigbox dyeing technology they use less water and produce less effluents.
Rajby is also launching Dope Dyed, a denim selection using Tencel Modal fibers that are already dyed, therefore needs no dyeing process.
AGI Denim is launching a new yarn-dyed color denim that only uses recycled water for its dyeing and finishing processes.
Machines play their part
Among various participants Wiser Tech, a specialised technology manufacturer, participated in the show and presented WOX, a new ozone bleaching future-minded designed machine that thanks to artificial intelligence algorithms working though the cloud can treat jeans while using no pumice stones, no toxic chemicals, use less water, energy and time while treating jeans.
Emphasizing hemp
While many exhibitors presented their own denims made with hemp, the show organized “Emphasize Hemp!”, a discussion involving expert companies on this topic at the end of the first day of show.
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