News – Numéro Berlin

DYSON’S FIRST PURE AUDIO AND OVER-EAR HEADPHONES: THE DYSON ONTRAC

Anna Klusmeier — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 10:46:34 +0000

Founded in 1993 in the UK, Dyson quickly established itself as a globally operating research and technology company, now headquartered in Singapore. Known for its popular vacuum cleaners and innovative hair styling products like the Dyson Airwrap, the company continuously explores additional areas. With the Dyson OnTrac headphones, Dyson introduces a model that competes with the best in the audio industry in both quality and aesthetics.

Long battery life and immersive sound

With up to 55 hours of battery life, these headphones are perfect for daily use and long trips, making them ideal for enjoying all kinds of music. Thanks to noise-canceling technology that operates 384,000 times per second and reduces noise by up to 40 dB, the sound is clear and immersive. The wide frequency range of 6 Hz to 21 kHz reveals every nuance of music, from deep, resonant bass to crisp, high tones.

Using the MyDyson app, users can switch between three acoustic modes: Bass Boost, Neutral, and Enhanced. The app also offers additional features, such as Head Detect: Sensors recognize when the headphones are removed and pause playback until they are worn again.

Modern design that encourages creativity

The ergonomic design, foam cushioning, and suede ear pads make the Dyson OnTrac a comfortable all-rounder. The headphones come in four color variants: Yellow/Aluminum, Midnight Blue/Copper, Black/Cinnabar, and Black/Nickel. Customizable end caps and ear cushions in various colors and finishes allow users to personalize their headphones.

Stormzy as brand ambassador

British musician Stormzy represents the Dyson OnTrac with his music and is the face of the campaign. His debut album, Gang Signs & Prayer (2017), quickly reached number one on the UK album charts and won the Brit Award for Best British Album. His second and third albums achieved similar success. The campaign video highlights the 55-hour battery life by showcasing 55 intense, hectic, and artistic hours in Stormzy’s life through his eyes.

The headphones are available online for €499, with additional interchangeable ear cushions and end caps priced at €49 per pair.

NUMÉRO BERLIN IN CONVERSATION WITH GABRIELE WAHL-MULTERER

Anna Klusmeier — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 16:32:50 +0000

While the world is in despair, running away from the many problems that have taken over our daily lives, the Ayurveda Resort “Park am See” – in partnership with the Indian Nattika Beach Resort from Kerala – is on another mission. Not only has the resort accepted its mission to confront a historically dark past to make this world a little better, but it also comes with many layers and ideas, offering a holistic vision for deep recovery. The “how” is complex: it embraces the many faces of truth, understands the complexity of modern society, and – above all – works with the 5000-year-old wisdom that lies in the Indian “science of life”: Ayurveda. It promises a healing and tasteful experience just 130 kilometers away from Berlin, aiming to restore harmony to the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of a society that has suffered from chronic exhaustion for far too long.

On the western shore of the beautiful Lake Tollensee in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern lies the little gem Alt Rehse, a small village known for its stunning calmness and picturesque scenery. If only it weren’t for its dark past, which leaves a bitter taste to its charming beauty. Back in 1934, it served as an NS model village and became a base for the Institute of Genetics, run by Hermann Boehm, as well as the Leadership School of German Medicine. At this school, doctors, nurses, and midwives underwent a six-week course that taught them Nazi racial ideology, genetics, “racial science,” and eugenics. These teachings led to an “ideological training” of 10,000 to 12,000 doctors, pharmacists, midwives, and other healthcare workers. The 60 half-timbered buildings constructed until 1941 for the purposes of the Nazi ideologues, in the tradition of Heimatschutz architecture, contain stories that are hard to process. Later, the village served as a home for ‘Wolfskinder’ (children who were orphaned in the aftermath of World War II) and then belonged to the NVA (National People’s Army) before being transformed into the ‘Tollense Life Park’ after reunification.

Then, in 2016, a whole new chapter began when German entrepreneur Gabriele Wahl-Multerer took over the 64-hectare castle park in Alt Rehse and initiated a long, challenging journey of transformation, restoration, and renovation that also included the 10 half-timbered houses listed as historical monuments. Thus, “Park Am See” was born, which now includes an Ayurveda Center established last year in partnership with the Indian Nattika Beach Resort from Kerala. It now has its own team of Indian doctors and therapists in Alt Rehse, alongside a nature reserve of over 10,000 hectares. However, the beautiful paradise, which offers high-quality treatments with original products all imported from India, yoga and meditation classes in a former gymnasium, and the best Ayurveda food cooked in the restaurant Anadi by an Indian chef, created many exhausting challenges for founder Wahl-Multerer before it became the special place that it is today.

It is a calm August weekend when I arrive at the resort, and without even digging deeper into the topic, it immediately calms a soul full of worries just by the stunning peace and tranquility of its vast park, just a few walking minutes away from Lake Tollensee. The warm welcome from a team that genuinely seems to love their job is followed by a powerful introductory appointment with the resort’s chief doctor from India. A few questions, some non-invasive eye scans and touches, plus an analytical conversation are sufficient for him to come up with a personalized treatment and nutrition program – how powerful. After my first treatment, I feel as if I have been transported to different spheres, prompting me to want to know it all.

Sina Braetz: You don’t come from a traditional hotel background; instead, you took a small detour to arrive at where you are now. How did that all happen?

Gabriele Wahl-Multerer: That’s correct, I actually come from a classic industrial background. I studied business administration with a focus on industrial management and empirical business education, and then I acquired a company after the reunification in the new federal states in Thuringia. In 2003, I sold my company but continued to be active, first on the Board of Directors and later in the Supervisory Board. Throughout my career, I constantly dealt with stress; the world was always changing. When reunification was approaching, no one was prepared. For example, there weren’t really any good sales engineers, and many markets disappeared, meaning you had to start from scratch—just like I had to here in Alt Rehse, starting from zero or even in the negative.

You just mentioned the topic of stress…how serious has stress become in our society?

In my opinion, the greatest damage to our society is caused by stress. Stress leads to illnesses because regeneration is prevented, and emotions are heavily influenced. I have experienced this myself in my life—I have had two failed marriages, my work always took precedence, and where the pressure is highest, you tend to act. The topic of stress management has truly occupied me throughout my life as a hard-working businesswoman. In 2013, when I was already in early retirement, I stumbled upon a project that wanted to establish a community here. Unfortunately, the team then fell into financial difficulties, so I wanted to step in as a sort of business angel. However, I quickly realized that there was nothing to save because they were not failing due to a lack of money but because of the many, many conflicts. If there is no mediator to resolve the issues between various groups and individuals, it is simply difficult. The group ended up fighting so much that they eventually left the park. You could then observe how the area gradually fell into disrepair, and it was already in a bad condition before. I simply couldn’t accept that; such a beautiful area with so many qualities was for me an ideal place to draw new life energy and truly focus on regeneration.

So you bought the land; what happened next?

Exactly, I had no idea what was coming. As soon as I signed a contract, 40 representatives from various authorities showed up, and I had to deal with 40 different interests. One had the problem that the summer and winter quarters for bats could not be disturbed, another was concerned about the lake and the nature reserve around it. Others were focused on the buildings and the window radius that needed to be installed. And it didn’t stop there. I must honestly say that what the politics of the old parties have brought upon us is no longer manageable. Nevertheless, a large part was completed by 2020, so we could host our first guests, and then came Corona.

That must have hit you hard…

Yes, it was such a catastrophe for our planning that we incurred high losses for three consecutive years. In 2022, I flew to India and spoke with various people to see if they would be interested in offering Ayurveda authentically in Germany with their own people. The response was very positive. Unfortunately, however, the next major problem arose: getting the people to Germany. The authorities initially posed many obstacles, wanting to know if they spoke German and if they had a recognized qualification in Germany, etc.—here, too, bureaucracy nearly overwhelmed me. But I found a way through a specific paragraph in the Residence Act in combination with public interest. Only because of this are our Indians allowed to be here. They make such a wonderful contribution! Meanwhile, we also have an expedited skilled worker procedure connected with public interest, and this is the only way we could prevent having to close this location. This is the situation in Germany in 2024. The crazy thing is that I have so many guests from different backgrounds here, and they all tell me the same thing. The emergence of this project is very closely linked to our current reality in Germany. And it is a catastrophe that leads to enormous stress. If I weren’t working in this wonderful nature in Alt Rehse, I would have already lost my mind, but this place gives me so much peace and strength. And that was my motivation—I wanted to create a place where people can find peace, where they can repair their emotions and bodies.

The village of Alt-Rehse has a very special history; how do you communicate this and how do you deal with it?

I think one first has to realize that we no longer live in 1934. Those who were once here are no longer around. Today, a good middle class lives in Alt-Rehse, consisting of doctors, lawyers, and administrative employees. But yes, the history is known here, and we deal with it openly. For example, we also collaborate with an association that possesses all the documentation from that time. The strength lies in the fact that we can constantly transform history, and we do that here—we transform suffering on so many levels. Our guests should leave here transformed, turning exhaustion into new strength. This place should provide space to generate new thoughts.

What kind of guests come here?

We have very different guests here, ranging from their early 30s to 80 or even over 80. The reasons for their visits vary greatly; they might include food intolerances, exhaustion syndromes, or even bone fractures. Our everyday lives have become so complex, and so many people are constantly burned out, especially leaders. Our society suffers from a severe exhaustion syndrome, both physically and mentally. Recently, we even had a former top politician here.I believe that our society has the task of rebuilding strong communities, managing conflicts, and resolving them positively. We should learn from the past, which has often led to humiliation and injury, and communicate non-violently again.

Are you trying to modernize Ayurveda as a healing concept with your retreat? Do you hope to appeal more to the younger generation?

I believe we just need objective insights; Ayurveda is not necessarily a panacea. To stay healthy, one doesn’t have to undergo treatments every day; it is more about changing our lives in small steps so that we can remain healthy in the long term. However, this also requires support from politics. Unfortunately, they tend to support harmful excesses like alcohol consumption. This leads to a state where there is hardly any joy without alcohol. That is a huge problem.

Why do you think Ayurveda helps for this to happen less?

You always need techniques; it can also be meditation or yoga. Both have increasingly appealed to younger generations in recent years. Here, we aim to promote mindfulness-based work, looking at what is good for us and what is not. It always starts with nutrition and morning habits. For example, drinking warm water before the first coffee makes a big difference, just like avoiding sugar.

What are your goals for the near future? Are you working on further concepts to make the place even more vibrant?

Absolutely. We will also undergo structural changes, with a new building that will create an additional 30 rooms. Renovation of the villa is also a priority; a therapy center is to be established there with significantly more treatment rooms, and we will open up more to natural medicine. We also want to increase the amount of yoga offered here. We are focusing on very effective formats that enable stress management and regeneration. We need a turnaround in our country to counteract exhaustion syndromes. More and more young people are burning out before they have even really settled into their professional lives; the pressure of leadership is simply too great.

OOR APPAREL: WE CELEBRATE THE OPENING OF OUR FIRST STORE AT TORSTRAßE 76

Anna Klusmeier — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 14:17:17 +0000

Starting now, all pieces from our collection are available in-store, alongside a carefully curated selection of products from other brands we love.

We are proud to have had some of the true free spirits of Berlin’s fashion scene join us for the opening – people who pursue their unique styles as boldly as we follow our design philosophy: photographer and Berghain bouncer Sven Marquardt; music icon and Numéro cover star Marius Müller-Westernhagen and his wife, author and singer Lindiwe Müller-Westernhagen; Jacob Rott of the Elevator Boys; and, of course, our wonderful community, whose support drives all our new projects (thank you!).

A special thanks to Berlin’s hottest club, Studio 1111, where the party continued after the shop opening into the early morning hours. DJs Damiano von Eckert (co-founder of fashion brand Gasm,or?) and c3mstas of Pomelo Members Club kept the energy high throughout the night.

What is OOR Apparel?

OOR Apparel is a fashion label that stands for freedom, fantasy, and individual expression. We’re challenging not only traditional design approaches but also ourselves. We question one another, and push our projects further into the future. We believe it’s essential to disrupt conventional viewing and consumption habits, constantly asking what society sees as “normal.” Our psychedelic prints, playful details, and punk-inspired attitude encourage you to do exactly that: don’t take yourself or the world too seriously. Instead, do your thing with humor and confidence.

Behind the label is OOR Studio, a Berlin-based collective and powerhouse of creativity. It is part of the same family as Off One’s Rocker Publishing, the publisher of Numéro Berlin, Numéro Homme, and Fräulein. That’s why you can now buy our latest magazines directly in-store.

What else can you discover at the OOR Apparel Store?

The store offers amazing bomber jackets from our collaboration with Alpha Tauri, designs by up-and-coming club label Gasm,or?, luxurious perfumes by Roelen, magazines by Haw-lin and exclusive vintage pieces from Gucci, Tom Ford, and Chanel.

Come by anytime you’re strolling Berlin’s hippest street to try on our pieces in person or shop at oor.berlin!

THE 2024 LOEWE PERFUMES CAMPAIGN FEATURES JAMIE DORNAN AND SOPHIE WILDE

Anna Klusmeier — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 16:59:55 +0000

Introducing the 2024 LOEWE campaign…Imagine it’s a warm afternoon in the Parisian suburbs. It smells like freshly cut grass, the sun is shining… This feeling expresses the newest LOEWE campaign featuring Jamie Dornan and Sophie Wilde. Iconic scents like Esencia EDP and Aua Drop are showcased. Also highlighted are Un Paseo por Madrid Prado inspired by Madrid’s vibrant culture and Un Paseo por Madrid Doré celebrating the iconic Doré cinema with floral and woody notes. A perfect blend of luxury and nature.

Additional LOEWE debuts the Texture Collection, featuring three floral-scented candles in artisanal ceramic vessels. Highlights include the juicy Mimosa in a yellow-mottled pot, the floral Tuberose in a bone-coloured design, and the bright Dendrochilum Orchid in a striking black granite vessel Each candle pairs scent and design in perfect harmony.

REIMAGINING ART THROUGH AI

Anna Klusmeier — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 11:23:30 +0000

Whether science, technology, or arts, artificial intelligence has been accompanying us for many years, easing our daily lives while also introducing new uncertainties. AI offers opportunities that we once thought unimaginable for machines. In the art world as well, AI is no longer rare or surprising.
Among many other contributors, the Berlin-based gallery KÖNIG GALERIE is participating in the group exhibition REIMAGINE TOMORROW, 1954-2024: AI IN CONTEXT, held at the former Heilig Geist church in collaboration with EXPANDED.ART and the AI Biennale in Essen. Curator Anika Meier has invited over 50 international artists, platforms, and galleries to engage in conversations about the future of art, in which AI is set to play a significant role.
The exhibition REIMAGINE TOMORROW examines the early questions about art and technology that arose in the 1950s, when artist Herbert W. Franke had to prove that machines could indeed create art. Contemporary artists such as Amir Fattal, Maria Mavropoulou or Refik Anadol – contributed by KÖNIG GALERIE – demonstrate how machines can enhance modern life and art, showcasing the diverse ways in which they interpret AI´s potential.

Greek visual artist Maria Mavropoulou, who holds a Master´s in Fine Arts and a BA from the Athens School of Fine Arts, is known for her photographic work. Her expertise lies in exploring digital identity and the online experiences that now shape so much of our world.
Berlin-based artist and curator Amir Fattal investigates historical and cultural aesthetics through AI, 3D printing, and digital animation. His work illustrates that creativity remains at the core of art, even when utilizing these advanced tools.
Media artist and director Refik Anadol, based in Los Angeles, uses raw data as his primary material to create what he calls „painting with a thinking brush“. Through his expertise, he expands the realms of architecture, narrative, and the moving body, exploring the intertwined creativity of humans and machines.
Throughout his life, Herbert W. Franke was captivated by innovative techniques and machinery. His artistic journey was marked by a constant search for the creative potential in technology, all while maintaining an analytical approach to art.

“The wise artist doesn’t fear emergent technology, but rather asks, ‘How can I use this tool in a meaningful way?’ What I find so valuable in AI, and deep-learning algorithms in particular, is its power to surface that which I may not have been able to without assistance. In working intimately with AI, the artist has the opportunity to come under the influence of the machine. This is not a simple transaction from which one walks away unchanged. The machine can teach us a different way of looking at a subject, often leaving us with another understanding and with enhanced sensibilities. We are changed. Indeed, to properly navigate our AI-future, this form of evolution is necessary. Artists and philosophers will be our guides.”

– Kevin Abosch

The exhibitions opens on November 17 with a reception where all artists and contributors will be present. A panel discussion, UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE MACHINE. FROM GENERATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY TO AI, moderated by Anika Meier and featuring artists Kevin Abosch, James Bloom, Boris Eldagsen, Monika Fleischmann, and Susanne Päch, will delve deeper into the themes of the exhibition and provide insights from diverse perspectives.
REIMAGINE TOMORROW, 1954-2024: AI IN CONTEXT #2 is set to run until November 24.

A THIRD ACT OF TIMBERLAND AND VENEDA CARTER

Anna Klusmeier — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 09:00:34 +0000

With bold colors and metallic details, multi-disciplinary creative and renowned stylist Veneda Carter reinvents the classic Timberland aesthetic.
Following the success of their previous two collaborations, global outdoor and lifestyle brand Timberland has teamed up with Veneda Carter again for a third capsule collection. This time, the duo introduces two new boot designs that break away from Timberland´s traditional look, bringing an unexpected edge to their timeless style.

This 14-Inch boot, a standout in the collection, draws heavily from Timberland’s iconic 2000s creations. Featuring a vibrant blue and silver colorway with striking metallic laces, it perfectly balances nostalgia with modern flair.
The silver theme continues in the Timberland® x Veneda Carter 6-Inch Waterproof Boot, which reimagines Timberland´s original silhouette in a bold silver patent leather.
Both designs embody Carter´s innovative vision for the brand, a partnership rooted in her long-standing appreciation for Timberland.

In addition to the chrome-inspired boots, Carter has created four seasonal staples to complement the collection. These include the oversized and adjustable Timberland® x Veneda Ravine Parka, the warm and reflective Timberland® x Veneda Vest, the versatile Timberland® x Veneda Boiler Suit, and the Timberland® x Veneda 2-in-1 Skirt, which can be styled in both short and long lengths. Completing the lineup is the Timberland® x Veneda Cross Body Bag, offering a functional yet styling accessory option.

The Fall 2024 Timberland x Veneda Carter collection will be available globally from November 22nd, in flagship Timberland® stores and online.