A weekend full of turbulent events, surprising shows, and international guests–that was this year’s Berlin Fashion Week. And amidst all the hustle and bustle, one shoe completed the runway looks of the three Berlin-based brands GmbH, Lueder, and Richert Beil while drawing all eyes to it: the Puma Mostro.

Named after mostro, the Italian word for monster, this sportive shoe appears almost otherworldly with its spiky, a little bit alien-like sole and asymmetrical strap closure. So, a quarter decade after inventing the Mostro in 1999, Puma browsed a bit in its archives and revived it to bring it back to the world’s streets. Years after its initial launch it is once again the talk of the town, especially as a key element of creative, quintessentially Berlin streetstyles seen on show guests and of the unique looks on the runway during Fashion Week.

The Mostro combines the aesthetic of the 60s sprinting spikes and the 80s surfing shoes, while having an overall typical early 2000s look that reflects the diversity of Berlin’s streetstyles and the city’s distinct designers. This quite wild mix of different vibes makes the Mostro stand out and easy to style in quite many very different ways, so–how do the Berlin Fashion Week guests style the Puma Mostro?

Alina Kossan for example, who is standing in front of the Kant-Garagen, about to head to the Lueder show. She styles the cream-colored Mostro sneakers elegantly with wide-leg pleated, grey trousers, a cream-colored shoulder-accentuated top, and gray leather gloves that add a subtle biker touch to her outfit. Her idea behind the styling? “I wanted the shoe to stand out a bit, so I chose loose-fitting pants that don’t completely cover it and fall casually. And I thought a structured top would complement the shape of the Mostro nicely, and right now, I’m really into leather gloves with cut-off fingertips.”

Toni Dreher and Maureen Adim are also wearing the Puma Mostro, both happy to wear sneakers at Berlin Fashion Week after high heels were the norm at Copenhagen’s Fashion Week a few days earlier. At the historic Fichtebunker, where the Richert Beil show is taking place, their outfits reflect the dark, dramatic aesthetic of the location. Maureen wears a layered, cream-colored top that, combined with the sneakers, creates a laid-back streetstyle–one that works just as well for Fashion Week as it does for everyday wear.

Also, Berlin- and London-based artist Blazey, writer Valentina Vapaux, singer Paula Della Corte and many more styled the Mostros in their very own way, visiting the shows of the striving Berlin designers. And how did the designers themselves interpret the Mostro on their runway?

Dystopian but subtle at Richert Beil

Berlin-based designer duo Jale Richert and Michele Beil invigorated the Fichtebunker for their new collection. The cold stone walls of the location that’s under construction underlined their dark and pensive Autumn/Winter runway show MUTTER, confronting the exhaustion of a mother who suffers under societal pressures to perform and a self-destructive drive for perfection. Intense sound design and the rough, oppressive tower-like location met heavy fabrics and black latex. The Puma Mostro softened the clean, straight lines of the clothing and subtly added a touch of structure to the looks. Richert Beil also integrated some delicate moments through fine, semi-transparent clothes and beautifully staged flowers on the models’ bodies. At MUTTER, the models themselves and their looks told a story and invited the viewers to reflect on motherhood, family, and finiteness.

Futuristic and heroic at Lueder

Designer Marie Lueder and her eponymous fashion brand have collected many fans from Berlin and beyond who love her for her eccentric designs inspired by medieval armor. Washed jeans, a fascinating large palette of grey, the use of fake fur accessories, and metal accents make her collections highly recognizable. Lueder’s garments seem to be shields, protecting the people who wear them, and the Puma Mostro’s silhouette seamlessly complemented the structured garments and expressive shapes on the runway. In some looks, the shoe stood on its own, while in others, it blended into flamboyant legwarmers with a strong utility aesthetic. The motorsport-inspired Puma Speedcats with its sleek silhouette and snug fit also made its way onto the runway. Just as popular as the Puma Mostro for 2000s streetwear, the Speedcat is also enjoying a resurgence.  

The entire show felt like a futuristic action movie with the models embodying fearless heroes as they walked beneath hovering drones–the models’ confident, energetic walks on the runway and the driving bass supported this impression.

Neat and sophisticated at GmbH

Berlin Fashion Week’s Sunday evening reached a highly anticipated climax with the GmbH runway show. Founded nearly a decade ago in Berlin by Benjamin Alexander Huseby and Serhat Isik, the brand quickly developed a unique way to combine Menswear streetstyles and high-class craftsmanship. At Kant-Garagen, the designers unveiled an elegant collection featuring exquisitely tailored suits and coats, form-fitting knitwear, and relaxed, classic pieces crafted from luxurious fabrics. Similar as seen at this year’s Saint Laurent show in Paris, GmbH styles the elegant suits with over-knee leather boots, and the models’ slicked-back hair completed the look. Some looks had a subtle sporty touch, with the Puma Mostro peeking out from beneath wide-legged trousers. The sneakers harmonized well with the overall aesthetic, creating an interesting contrast against the runway, which was framed by historic, ornate chairs and flowing white fabric drapes.

GmbH’s presentation of their Autumn/Winter collection not only captured Berlin’s signature fusion of sophistication and casualwear but would also seamlessly translate to the runways of Milan and Paris with its elegant, classy moment.

The Puma Mostro is available in various styles, including a green/brown or black/white camouflage design, nearly knee-high boots for women in black and white, and more coming soon.

BYREDO’S KANTHA COLLECTION CALLS A NEW BAG ITS OWN: THE WHOO  

The Whoo bag is dedicated to everyday practicality yet has the finest design: It’s made of calf leather that has the potential to age beautifully, has one of six different colored stones as a decorative element, and features a hand-embroidered adjustable leather strap, making it a perfect fit for wearing across the body or over-the-shoulder. But the refined details don’t stop on the outside–the inside is embellished with a hand-drawn illustration. A love message to Indian ancestral stitching and leather craftsmanship, that’s The Whoo bag, which is available in select Byredo stores from February 25th.

REFERENCE STUDIO’S INTERVENTION FEATURES GMBH, LUEDER, ANDREJ GRONAU & KASIA KUCHARSKA  

Berlin, Milan & Paris-based communications agency Reference Studios did it again: hosting the INTERVENTION for the third time, a platform for designers during the Berlin Fashion Week to showcase their latest designs. This year’s event will take place on the premises of Kantgaragen, a former car park built in 1929, and the designers who will present their fashion at the INTERVENTION are highly presentable. On one hand, the winners of the Berlin Contemporary Prize, GmbH, LUEDER, and Andrej Gronau. On the other hand, award-winning Kasia Kucharska carried the day at the FCG/Vogue Fashion Fund in 2024.  

On Feb February 2nd, the INTERVENTION will fill the whole day with a diversified program: Besides the fashion shows of the style-wise very different designers, a jazz concert sponsored by Levi’s will take place, as well as performances and workshops organized by UGG to connect the visitors between the shows. Art, fashion, and emerging talents will make the INTERVENTION an unmissable event at Berlin Fashion Week.  

THE PURE AND PRISTINE COLLECTION BY LORO PIANA INTERIORS DEBUTED AT PARIS DÉCO OFF  

The new Loro Piana Pure and Pristine collection is an ode to softness and simplicity. Sleek, curved shapes are paired with high-quality merino wool, while modern, velvety variations of linen fabrics combined with soft rugs create a calm, organic overall aesthetic. Among the collection’s highlights is the freestanding, both functional and decorative, Trama bookshelf. Crafted from fabric panels and walnut wood, its narrow gaps allow a touch of light to pass through. Designed by Francesca Lanzavecchia, Trama is an unusually multi-textural interpretation of a bookshelf. Additionally, the collection includes various sofa and armchair designs, coffee tables, a hand-knotted rug, and more. 

A SMILING BAG: THE PEEKABOO SOFT SMALL  

Known from the Women’s Spring/Summer 2025 runway, Fendi’s Peekaboo Soft Small bag has now been introduced officially to all bag-lovers with a video by film director Emir Eralp. Underlined by the song Little Man by the Swedish electronic music band Little Dragon, this bag has its great moment. Three young women are strolling around Rome with a Peekaboo Soft Small on their shoulders or in their hands, fetching up in a cinema and enjoying their time. The song’s driving synth-pop beats make this video a joyful, diverting experience.  

And the bag? It’s just as lightweight as the video. In the words of Silvia Venturini Fendi, FENDI’s Artistic Director of Accessories and Menswear: “The leather is soft and it’s like it’s smiling when you open it. This bag smiles. It’s more accessible, more revealing of what’s inside. It’s like an identity card for the person wearing it”. 

FOTOGRAFISKA BERLIN INVITES TO GO ON A CREATIVE JPURNEY WITH FRANK OCKENFELS 3 

“My favorite thing that ever happens is when people tell me, ‘I had no idea about your work, I don’t really know your work, I’m not sure I even like your work – but it inspired me to go get a journal and start doing something.’ With that, for me, I’m done.”, said photographer and artist Frank Ockenfels 3 once. And soon, his work could inspire even more people in person. From January 30th, Fotografiska Berlin opens its doors, leading to Introspection, an exhibition showcasing the creative work of Frank Ockenfels 3. He is famous for his expressive portraits and got David Lynch, Milla Jovovich, David Bowie, and many more in front of his lens. The use of means such as scissors, ink and charcoal, give his portraits an unusual, collage-like look. This unconventional approach is also transported in the exhibition, which should not just introduce the artist, but also inspire the viewers to follow the individual path of their own creative journey.  

DAN–CONCEPTUAL ARTIST CARLO ZANNI’S NEW EXHIBITION  

Banquet Gallery presents DAN, the first solo exhibition by Italian conceptual artist Carlo Zanni at the venue, running until March 1st. The exhibition showcases Zanni’s recent work across paintings, sculptures, and a digital performance, addressing themes of consumerism, identity, and anxiety within a “forever war” context. Central to the exhibition are Zanni’s Check-Out Paintings, abstract canvases that delve into the emotional complexities of online purchasing. Using emojis, these artworks bridge digital culture with traditional art forms and invite contemplation of modern anxieties and desires shaped by eCommerce. Also, Zanni debuts the title work DAN, an installation of laser-engraved MDF boxes featuring distorted Amazon Prime logos created with an early version of DALL-E. The internet performance, My Shameful Sweet Spot Between Distress and Hilarity, rounds the exhibition off and hints at the absurdity of consumer culture in a political context.  

ZALANDO INTRODUCES MARINE SERRE’S CAPSULE COLLECTION 

Seductive red, soft leather, confident and sexy cuts—this is Marine Serre‘s new capsule collection. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, her Sempre Legati SS25 collection is being expanded with the Red Airbrushed Leather Capsule, available exclusively on Zalando. A rich, deep red tone runs throughout the entire eight-piece collection, along with the recurring moon symbol. It’s Marine Serre’s trademark and subtly featured as an airbrushed monogram. The capsule includes an elegant, tailored leather coat, a cropped boxy leather jacket, straight-leg trousers, and a form-fitting shift dress, complemented by a crescent-shaped mini handbag and a more spacious one. Offering something for both men and women, the Red Airbrushed Leather Capsule is now available on Zalando and can be worn by everyone on Valentine’s Day and any other day.