Ninth and tenth photo by P&C (edited by me)

Apple may have magnetic charging cables but that still did not stop my laptop from crashing to the floor after I tripped over that line of death. A classic move. I have so many more photos tucked securely away on my harddrive from the fitting and the catwalk show that I am unable to retrieve. I'm not lying when I say I am pretty close to crying but at least I was able to put some on a USB stick before my computer gave up. 

There is not much more I can say about this collection, titled Anima, other than that it is one of the most jawdropping, artistic endeavours that I have ever witnessed. Leandro's collection is on the same, seemingly unattainable level as Alexander McQueen both in terms of intricacy and complexity.  

When the final model stepped out on the catwalk in a flower and forest patterned ballgown featuring countless porcelain embroidery I could hear the entire audience letting out a gasp. People were putting their hands in front of their mouths in complete awe. Needless to say, he received a standing ovation and loud cheering at the end, resulting in him not being able to walk down the catwalk for the customary bow because he was utterly overwhelmed. He is, without a doubt  one of the most talented and promising designers of, dare I say, this century.

A mix of romance, nostalgia and melancholia: the models floated down the runway on a bed of swirling fog, which perfectly reflected the angel of death, Azrael, who served as the inspiration for Anima. Guiding the souls on their final journey, his white brilliance as well as his dark presence were noticeable throughout the entire collection, which featured strong, architectural lines, porcelain adornment, thick crochet, PVC, intricate weaving, floral and forest patterns as well as lots of white and dark purple.

I hope my computer will be fixed ASAP so I can show you the remainder of the collection. 

P.S. For some reason my photos do not appear as sharp as they do before the upload. I'm trying to fix this.

 

This week has been so busy and I have actually missed almost everything I had planned to attend for Berlin Fashion Week but sometimes plans don't work out the way you think they will. I did get to go to the two things that I was most definitely not going to miss: the Designer for Tomorrow Fitting and Bread & Butter.

The five finalists for the Designer for Tomorrow Award practiced with their models on Tuesday morning with Rick Genest showing up unexpectedly to walk for Siddharta Anselm Meyer. Unfortunately he did not walk at the actual Award Ceremony but it was cool seeing him in person (I was too damn shy to take a picture!).

The detail, the craftsmanship and the concepts were truly brilliant and all very different from each other, which made this years DfT even more interesting. From Camilla Salgaard Nielsens all-black, couture creations, Ramil Makinanos Henry VIII on acid collection, Siddharta Anselm Meyers recycled couture, Laura Williams' expedition inspired outerwear to the winner's, Leandro Canos' 3D knit and leather pleated pieces it was an amazing opportunity to see each detail up close. 

It was insanely hectic and there were about ten photographers running around shoving their giant lenses in front of me but I managed to chat with each designer and throw myself in the mass of models and the press to take some photos for you. Laura Williams (one of the finalists) lovely person, we chatted for ages about her collection, London, my Isabel Marant jacket (lol) and Berlin.