Students from the Textile Design course and course director Prof. Martina Ziegenthaler are guests at the Atrium Tower in Berlin for Fashion Week. At Neo.Fashion.2024, they will be showing their final projects together with other Bachelor’s and Master’s graduates. This time, eleven universities and art colleges have been invited to the event. Campuls-digital was able to speak briefly with Lilien Vincze, Felix Dettke, Lena Markus, Maria Dietrich and Rieke Stövesandt.

How did your participation in Neofashion in Berlin come about?
Rieke: “We found out about it last year when friends of ours also took part. We then found out what we needed to do to take part and discussed it with our teachers. At the time, we were still expecting it to work out. But when it did work out, we were all the more pleased as it was a great opportunity for us and, of course, for our degree course.”
Lilien: “I was also totally thrilled when I heard that it worked out. We hadn’t really expected it at first, so the joy was huge. I could hardly believe that we would really get the opportunity to present our collections in Berlin. At the same time, the excitement grew, because for me it’s the first big show of this kind that I’ve been allowed to take part in.
What do you hope to gain from taking part?
Lena and Felix: “That we can do some advertising for our own little label and meet new people who are also interested in fashion!”
Maria: “Neo.Fashion offers us the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the creative scene and gives us young designers the chance to present our creations to a large, interested audience. I hope to inspire others and make them think with my work. I also hope to be inspired by the other innovative talents.

What are you showing in Berlin and who is modeling on the catwalk?
“In Berlin, we are showing collections that were created as part of our bachelor’s theses or the design project. A lot of time and patience has gone into all of the work and we are really excited to be able to show this work.
Rieke: “I am showing my bachelor thesis entitled Plastic Adaptation. The collection deals with changeable clothing and how it can be individually adapted to the needs of the person wearing it. I tried out different techniques and incorporated them into the individual items of clothing.
Maria: “I’m showing the PAUSE collection – it’s based on the fast pace of life that accompanies our society every day. Inspired by nomadism and colors that can be found in nature, I created three outfits. With the help of a variation braid, I created different ropes, which wrap around each outfit in a modular way and serve as a connection between the garments and objects, which should encourage you to take a break – wherever you are. In abstract design, the combination of technology and aesthetics is important to me.”
Lilien: “I am showing my collection “Ugly”. In this project, I tried to approach the abstract concept of ugliness and then visualize it in my designs. The collection is intended to push the boundaries of convention and challenge perception. It’s not just about pushing the norms, but also about stimulating a discussion about the complexity of aesthetics and the relativity of subjective perception.”
Lena and Felix: “We’re showing a mix of men’s and women’s clothing from our bachelor’s thesis, which is how we’re finishing off this semester!”
How did you all get into fashion design, what fascinates you about it?
Lilien: “I discovered my passion for fashion design in the early semesters of my textile design studies. This field allowed me to fully express my creativity and use my work as a living means of communication. I am fascinated by the fact that fashion can be so much more than just clothing. For me, fashion is a form of art that can be a powerful medium for communication, especially in this day and age. In my work, I deal intensively with the topic of sustainability. I only use existing resources and always pursue innovative approaches to create responsible fashion. In addition, I often reflect social issues in my projects, where I try to express my perspective and visualize my opinion in my design. Fashion knows no boundaries, which gives me the freedom to experiment and create extraordinary creations.”
Will you continue on this path professionally?
Lena and Felix: “We will continue to do everything we can for our label to make it grow!”
Thank you very much and good luck!
(Note: We will publish pictures of the collections here after the event)