Fashion designer Marie Lueder showcased her Spring Summer 2025 Collection, titled “Rubedo,” during Berlin Fashion Week at the INTERVENTION event. This collection is a profound exploration of transformation, drawing heavily from alchemical symbols and processes – a theme vividly embedded in both the designs and presentation of her work.
The concept of Rubedo in alchemy represents the final phase where elements are purified and perfected, a metaphor Lueder leverages to illustrate personal and collective metamorphosis. The colors in her collection – fiery reds, ash tints, verdant greens, and deep seal browns – mirror this thematic arc, symbolizing various stages of alchemical transformation. These hues are deeply entwined with the symbolic journey from raw base to refined essence, portraying the alchemical ‘magnum opus’ – the great work.
At the runway show, the atmospheric setting reinforced these themes. It commenced with a vape trickster who crafted dispersing smoke rings, setting a mystical, primordial tone. The models navigated a dimly lit, circular runway, their movements choreographed to symbolize the alchemical process of transformation. This circular motif, significant in both alchemical and broader spiritual practices, underscored the unity and cyclic nature of transformation.
Each garment in the collection serves as a narrative piece, with design elements that reflect Lueder’s deep engagement with her themes. For instance, the accentuated knee panels, dual-tone denim, and ruched bombers all feature spiral motifs, which echo the spiraling journey towards self-realization and psychological resilience. These designs act as metaphorical armors against the vicissitudes of modern existence, embodying the designer’s own philosophical inquiries into mental and spiritual health.
Lueder’s background is as rich and complex as her designs. Originating from Hamburg, where she was raised in a family of health practitioners, she has a profound understanding of human anatomy and psychology, which she translates into her fashion. After launching her brand at London Fashion Week in February 2020, she quickly made a mark on the fashion scene, establishing collaborations with high-profile retailers such as Browns Fashion and H-Lorenzo, and gaining recognition with a recent award from the German Fashion Council.
looks cool, i wish we could see the clothes better