Berlin has a lot of independent fashion designers, small labels, people making clothes themselves, people upcycling old garments and people just trying things that would probably not happen in a bigger fashion system.
I started GRÜNWASCHEN with the feeling that sustainable fashion could use more color. A lot of sustainable clothing tends to move towards black, beige and minimalism, while I am personally drawn to color, unusual combinations, experimental silhouettes and pieces that make you look twice.
GRÜNWASCHEN is my independent fashion store in Berlin-Mitte, at Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 25 next to Volksbühne. I work with Berlin designers as well as independent brands from elsewhere, and the selection changes all the time.
For me, independent fashion is not only about the product. I want to know who is behind a brand. I want to have a relationship with the designers I work with, understand what they are doing and ideally also like them as people. The business relationship matters, but I don't want it to stop there.
What I look for in an independent designer
I am mostly looking for originality. I want pieces that I cannot easily find in ten other stores in Berlin.
Wearability matters, but I don't think every piece needs to be easy. I deliberately keep some clothes in the store that are strange, difficult or a little impractical. They are part of what makes the selection interesting.
At the same time, the whole store needs some balance. If I suddenly have too many colorful pieces, I might start looking for something monochrome. If everything becomes very loud, I need quieter pieces around it. I don't curate each brand in isolation. I always think about how everything sits together in the room.
I also like GRÜNWASCHEN to stay a place of discovery. If a designer is already available everywhere in Berlin, it becomes less interesting for me. Part of the fun should be finding something here that you have not already seen five times that day.
How I curate GRÜNWASCHEN
Most new designers I find today come through Instagram. Designers also contact me directly, send emails or simply walk into the store with their work.
Fashion weeks still have a place, but I don't think they have the same power for discovering new independent designers that they once had. Social media changed that a lot.
I like to have enough pieces from a designer that you can actually understand the collection and the brand. One or two isolated garments usually don't tell the full story.
I like a collection to have both extremes. Some pieces should be easy to wear and make sense immediately, while others can be much more experimental and exist partly to push the whole selection somewhere less predictable.
I think a store needs both. The more unusual pieces give the collection energy and make people curious, while the quieter pieces give that energy somewhere to land.
Sometimes somebody comes in because of something completely over the top in the window and ends up finding a much simpler piece that works for their everyday life.
The selection also does not change in one big seasonal moment. Usually every couple of weeks one of the designers brings something new. The store changes gradually.
Berlin fashion is not just black
The obvious stereotype about Berlin fashion is black clothes, clubwear, fetish references and maybe some very serious looking boots.
That exists, obviously.
But I think Berlin style is much more about individualism than one specific look. Different scenes have completely different ideas about clothes. The style changes depending on which bubble you walk into and what kind of night, job or life someone has.
There is also a lot of upcycling, DIY, customization and people making things themselves. People cut things, dye them, alter them, repair them or wear them in ways they were probably not designed for.
Berlin also has a funny relationship with its own stereotype. A lot of visitors come here for nightlife, follow some kind of Berlin style guide, dress accordingly and then become part of the visual image they came here looking for.
For me, the more interesting part is everything around that. The people doing their own thing.
Berlin fashion designers currently at GRÜNWASCHEN
The current Berlin selection includes designers working with very different aesthetics. Some pieces are easy to wear every day. Some are upcycled. Some are handmade. Some are closer to wearable art.
They do not all look like they belong to the same trend, which is exactly why I like having them together.
| Designer | Berlin-based | Made in Berlin | Handmade | Upcycled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a.ACHAT | Yes | Yes | Yes | Selected pieces |
| Azul Ballestero | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 4FRF | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| FELINE | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| SANGENJAYA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Selected pieces |
Explore the Made in Berlin selection
a.ACHAT
What I like about a.ACHAT is the combination of strong shapes and very good color choices.
The pieces can make a statement without becoming impossible to wear. You can put one on for a normal day, go somewhere quite ordinary and still get comments on it.
The cuts often make even more sense once they are actually on a body. Some jackets are reversible too, and people are usually pretty excited when they realize they can wear the same piece in two completely different ways.
One of my favorite pieces is an upcycled coat made from old trousers, denim and leftover materials. The colors are great and the whole thing is completely one of a kind.
I also remember a customer visiting from Belgium who bought an a.ACHAT outfit to wear to a Robyn concert in Berlin.
I like purchases like that. The clothes become connected to a trip, a concert and a specific memory rather than just being another thing someone bought.
View a.ACHAT pieces at GRÜNWASCHEN
Azul Ballestero
I had been following Azul Ballestero online for some time before her pieces came into the store.
Her work is darker than a lot of the colorful things I usually gravitate towards, but there is often this royal or electric blue detail running through the pieces. It makes them very recognizable.
She works with existing garments, deconstruction and reconstruction. The pieces can look quite experimental, but I actually find them very wearable. Some can also be adjusted or changed depending on how you want to wear them.
One customer came in just before her 59th birthday and became completely obsessed with Azul's work. She tried on one of the blazers, it looked amazing on her, and she bought it for her birthday.
That is also why I don't really believe experimental fashion belongs to one age group.
If somebody asked me for something that feels Berlin but could still work in a corporate office, Azul would probably be one of the first designers I would show them.
View Azul Ballestero pieces at GRÜNWASCHEN
4FRF
4FRF was founded by Adriana, who spent most of her professional life working as a lawyer before moving into fashion a few years ago.
I like her as a person and I like her clothes.
The pieces are generally more simple and everyday than some of the louder things in GRÜNWASCHEN. They can feel feminine, elegant and a little girly, but there are usually details that stop them from becoming too basic.
I think that is important too. Not everything in the store should be screaming for attention.
View 4FRF pieces at GRÜNWASCHEN
FELINE
FELINE was one of those cases where I saw the bags and immediately thought, I need these in the store.
The Hair Bags are probably some of the strongest attention pieces in GRÜNWASCHEN. People stop, touch them, take photos and try to understand what they are looking at.
A lot of people see them more as art objects than normal handbags.
They are one of a kind and crocheted by the designer in Berlin.
The funny thing is that someone can come into the store because of the Hair Bag and then leave with a completely different FELINE bag that is easier to use every day.
Again, that is why I think the weird pieces matter even when they are not always the first things to sell.
View FELINE pieces at GRÜNWASCHEN
SANGENJAYA
SANGENJAYA makes a variety of things, but at GRÜNWASCHEN I mostly keep some of the more experimental pieces and eveningwear.
There is currently a dress in the store that incorporates silicone. It is big, quite heavy and, to be honest, I still don't really know where you would wear it.
But that is also why I like having it here.
At some point the right person will walk in with exactly the right occasion for it.
If you want a statement piece that could almost go into a frame on your wall after wearing it, this is probably where I would point you.
View SANGENJAYA pieces at GRÜNWASCHEN
Upcycled fashion in Berlin
Upcycling is a big part of the independent fashion scene here.
A lot of people in Berlin work with old garments, leftover fabric, reconstruction, dyeing and DIY methods. There are also plenty of people who make or alter clothes just for themselves.
Azul Ballestero is probably the designer I would show first to someone specifically interested in upcycled fashion.
There is also JURGEN1300, the in-house GRÜNWASCHEN project I make myself. It mostly works with knitwear and existing garments through distressing, bleaching, dyeing and deconstruction.
The result can get quite apocalyptic.
You can read more about this side of the scene in our guide to upcycled fashion in Berlin.
Why Berlin works for independent fashion
I think Berlin is a very good place for independent designers.
There are a lot of small brands here, a lot of upcycling, a lot of people making things themselves and generally a pretty strong base for creative projects.
The fashion scene also feels like it has been growing again in the last few years.
There is a funny downside too. Berlin has so many people who know how to sew, alter and upcycle their own clothes that sometimes your potential customer can simply make something themselves.
Where to shop independent fashion in Berlin
If I had one afternoon to explore independent fashion in Berlin, I would probably spend it in Mitte.
You can find independent multi-brand stores, monobrand shops, vintage, second hand and occasional fashion markets within a relatively small area.
There are also events such as Fuck the Internet Market and Britney Market that happen from time to time, as well as stores like PLATTE and other independent shops around Mitte.
For me, this kind of shopping is different from going into a normal store because you need trousers.
People come into a concept store because they want to see what is happening. They want to explore and maybe find something they did not know they were looking for.
You can find more places in our guide to cool shops in Berlin-Mitte or read our guide to independent fashion shopping in Berlin.
Why the name GRÜNWASCHEN?
People sometimes assume GRÜNWASCHEN is a second-hand store.
It is not, although I understand why people think that. There is quite a lot of upcycled fashion in the shop and many of the designers work with existing materials.
One of my favorite things actually happens outside the store.
I sometimes sit inside and hear people walking past, looking at the GRÜNWASCHEN sign and starting a conversation about what greenwashing means.
One person explains it to another. Sometimes they debate it. Sometimes they never even come inside.
I think that is quite cute.
The name already started a conversation, even if nobody bought anything.
Visit GRÜNWASCHEN in Berlin
GRÜNWASCHEN
Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 25
10178 Berlin
Germany
The store is next to Volksbühne and close to Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz and Alexanderplatz.
Shop the Made in Berlin selection
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View all designers and brands
Contact, location and opening hours
About GRÜNWASCHEN
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Related Berlin fashion guides
Independent Fashion Shopping in Berlin
Cool Shops in Berlin-Mitte
Upcycled Fashion in Berlin
Where to Find Statement Pieces in Berlin
Fashion Store near Volksbühne
FAQ
What are some independent fashion designers in Berlin?
GRÜNWASCHEN currently carries Berlin designers including a.ACHAT, Azul Ballestero, 4FRF, FELINE and SANGENJAYA, alongside other local and international independent labels. The selection changes regularly.
Where can I shop Berlin fashion designers?
You can find Berlin designers in independent multi-brand stores, concept stores, designer studios and monobrand shops around the city. GRÜNWASCHEN in Berlin-Mitte carries a changing selection of Berlin-based and international independent designers.
What is Berlin fashion style?
There is no single Berlin style. Black clothing, nightlife and fetishwear are part of the stereotype, but Berlin fashion also includes upcycling, DIY, customization, experimental silhouettes and a lot of individual styling.
Is every Berlin designer piece made in Berlin?
No. Being Berlin-based does not automatically mean every item is produced locally. The designers in this guide have different production methods, so details can vary by brand and piece.
Can I shop Berlin-based designers online?
Yes. Many pieces from Berlin designers are available through the GRÜNWASCHEN online store. Some one-of-a-kind or limited pieces may only be available in the physical shop.
Does GRÜNWASCHEN only sell Berlin designers?
No. GRÜNWASCHEN carries both Berlin-based and international independent designers. The Made in Berlin selection highlights the local part of the store.
Is GRÜNWASCHEN a second-hand store?
No. GRÜNWASCHEN is an independent multi-brand fashion store. Some of the designers work with upcycled garments and existing materials, but the store itself is not a traditional second-hand shop.
