The kick-off event of next vision: bright green fashion took place from May 4th – May 6th 2009 at Berlin’s ESMOD Fashion school Germany. The programme was rich: experts and trainers on sustainability in fashion design shared their knowledge with 10 young Danish and Berlin designers – both newcomers and established labels. Lively discussions with fashion experts from Fashion Patrons GmbH, Creative Forum Copenhagen, journalists and representatives from Berlins creative scene took place whereas a press lunch lifted the event on an official level. Read more…

After their workshop in Berlin in May 2009, the Danish and Berlin designers met again during the Copenhagen Design Week in August 2009 to exchange their ideas and experiences in lectures, workshops and roundtable discussions.

Lectures
Eva Kruse (CEO Danish Fashion Institute) about the Project NICE – Nordic Initiative Clean & Ethical
Dansk Fashion and Textile – the trade association for Danish textile- and clothing companies about Corporal Social Responsibility in the textile and fashion industry
Danish fashion designer Vigga Svensson (from the organic children fashion clothing company Katvig)

Our designers were also part of Showhow Exhibition which is Design Week’s showcase of new, innovative and sustainable design. Designers from Denmark and abroad displayed their vision of a lighter, brighter future in an informal atmosphere that mixed in bite-sized presentations from inspiring companies, designers and thinkers.

On August 28th, 2009 next vision: bright green fashion celebrated its grand finale. The 10 designers from Denmark and Berlin presented their vision of bright green fashion at a joint fashion show at Copenhagen’s city hall. All designers had been asked to present 3 outfits that had to be designed in a completely sustainable manner.

More than 500 guests and 80 international journalists attended the event which was opened by the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen, Ms. Ritt Bjerregard and the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Mr. Klaus Wowereit.

Further developments

For most of the participating designers sustainable methods and materials still play an important role in their fashion.
Julia Knüpfer for example is now working on her second green collection, Tarané Hoock is also planning to include green aspects in her next collection, Barbara í Gongini was nominated for the Ethical Fashion Award and Magdalena Schaffrin is founder of GREENshowroom that presents a selection of exclusive eco-products in the elegant ambience of Berlin’s five-star Hotel Adlon.

BerliNordik 2010: bright green design in Berlin

In 2010 BerliNordik is held in Berlin and hosts its Nordic partners in the German capital. In different “bright green design” exhibitions the project Partners of BerliNordik CREATE BERLIN, the International Design Center Berlin (IDZ) and INPOLIS UCE GmbH present Eco-Design from Berlin and the Nordic countries.
Given that the design industry creates and visualises trends and visions – and, thereby, reaches a very broad public audience – it comes to the fore to anchor sustainability and social responsibility in everyday consciousness. BerliNordik is an investment in the future for everyone involved, which includes both the upcoming generation of designers, and current as well as future consumers. Conducting business in a truly responsible way and keeping an eye out for the future also demands that those working in the design industry foster new ways of working, new principles, an intense exchange of knowledge and the use of innovative and alternative materials and technologies. Read more…