The design duo Jale Richert and Michele Beil, that teamed up as Richert Beil, presented their Fall/Winter 2019/20 collection for the first time during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin. “Alter Ego” can be understood as an interpretation of everyday situations that are displayed with the artistic staging of their very own visions. With a rather restrained colour palette, the collection had a slightly reduced, minimalistic approach. The 23 womenswear-, and menswear looks were a creative mingle from the Ready- to- Wear Collection plus Studio Couture. In a plenty of looks the gender lines were creatively blurred and thus, they can be worn by both men and women.
MERCEDES-BENZ FASHION WEEK BERLIN
Continue below to read full review by our Germany Contributor SUSSAN ZECK:
Sustainability and the use of traditional craftmanship played a central role in this collection. Furthermore some elements, that were depicted, should invoke the audience to think about various controversy topics: for instance banknotes were thrown on the floor and in the audience during the show. With that action, the designers wanted to express the monetary pressure that a plenty of designers suffer from these days, but also our continual consumption. Why not buying one piece of great quality instead of lots of cheaper, fast- fashion pieces? Additionally, casually consumed burgers could be understood as a symbol for lack of quality and our throwaway- mentality. The “teddy bear” element could be recognized in both cashmere overalls, but also in form of a charming
teddy bear toy, that was pulled along the runway on a small handcart. Worth of mentioning is also the fact the cast of the show was a rather diverse one, a bit apart of the stereotypical model cast.
We witnessed a timeless, reduced collection kept in rather restrained hues, that evoked the audience to focus more on quality, and less on our fast- living consume preferences.
Picture Credit: Richert Beil
Review by Sussan Zeck for D’SCENE Magazine
