Last week, we packed our warmest threads and headed to Berlin’s Bread and Butter. With 100 brands gone from the line-up, there was a noticeable change in the air and some of the usual big players were missing. Now with more space in the hanger, there was an influx of first timers showing – and we were looking for the cream of the crop.
With menswear usually dominating our top picks, we were pleasantly surprised to see that womenswear had stepped up a gear with some fantastic new brands and not just one, but two, making our top 5 (ok… one is unisex).
Bread and Butter: The Top Brands
The Shit
We gave these guys a shout out on our second day round up and they have stuck in our minds since. Native Berliners, their cheeky slogans and massive gems caught our eye. You can’t help but chuckle at their brazen naming. The ‘Bitches’ behind the brand, Bonnie Strange & Lena Nußbaum, remind us of a younger Chicks on Speed and they know their market. These girls have got their fingers on the pulse with a concept store in Berlin, Shit TV and you can even get a tattoo. Dalston I hear you calling, this glamorous 80’s wonderland wouldn’t look out of place amongst London’s finest hipsters.
Native Youth
There’s something about the North of England, that continues to deliver the best new talent at B&B. New to the ever evolving British menswear scene, Native Youth hail from Manchester. With a tag line reading ‘No nonsense British Fashion’, their bright and light debut Spring Summer collection is a breath of fresh air. Reacting to the rising trend for in-season buying, they work to season. Their ethos, ‘socially relevant menswear showcasing the eccentricities of British design with an expanded vision’, sounds good to us. Particular stand-outs are their leafy take on the omni trend, camouflage, and their basic tees in simple sweet shop stripes. Thanks to our friends of the North, please keep up the good work.
Avatarmade
A huge win for womenswear, Korea based Avatarmade (launched by i-Omni Co.) are right up our ‘techy’ street, using 3D based technologies to make beautiful fashion. The company integrates i-Fashion IT technologies such as 3D body scanning, automatic measurement and 3D body modelling. A scary thought, when getting the right combination of geek and fashion is always tough. The team behind this mix of the two worlds have managed it; at the core of their design is professional DTP design alongside their technology driven production process. This allows each customer to select their garment style and then choose any of the collections artwork, as each piece is made to order. The end result is fascinatingly intricate prints on simple shapes of your choice.
Journal
The Scandinavians never fail to turn out super slick menswear. This debut collection from Danish brand, Journal, ticks all the boxes associated with its Scandi roots. Clean and simple classic men’s staples with eye-catching details show that each piece has been carefully devised. The collection is inspired by the universe, with every piece connected by the smallest details. We love the dusty lunar grey shirts and the bright yellow knits. What a beautiful place the Journal universe is, we’re excited to see the next chapter!
Mutta Shoes
B&B first-timers Mutta travelled all the way from Brazil to show their beautifully crafted line of footwear. The footwear is handmade in a series of workshops by skilled Brazilian craftsmen in smaller quantities, using locally sourced materials and textiles. It’s an intimate process that makes the consumer really feel like the product comes from the heart of country. As newcomers to the show, the brand displayed a fantastic mix of big bold prints and contemporary design. We were particularly impressed by the strong floral and leopard prints, this urban jungle vibe gives a nod to the local landscapes and a taste of Brazil – it’s also pretty badass!
Another Bread & Butter gone by with the top picks looking even stronger than before. EDITD subscribers stay tuned for the best of the rest.
Fay Cowan
