Germany finally has its own professional fashion designer association "GFDF"

When it comes to fashion big countries, Germany must not be on the list, and some people even think that rigorous Germany is a "fashion insulator."

For this reason, Germany, which has exported a number of well-known brands and design masters such as Hugo Boss, Jil Sander, and Karl Lagerfeld to the fashion industry, is working hard to make its name. Recently, Germany established the first professional fashion designer association: German Fashion Designers Federation (German Fashion Designers Association, hereinafter referred to as "GFDF").

After two years of preparation, GFDF will be launched in the spring of 2018 and will be officially established in Berlin on January 19, 2019. The previous January 15th is the opening day of Berlin Fashion Week. Although GFDF has only a few members so far, it has gained some prominent supporters:

German high-end car brand Mercedes-Benz and German natural and organic skin care brand Dr. Hauschka provided financial support

Well-known German designer Bernhard Willhelm announced his participation, and more well-known local designers have yet to agree to join

Members of the GFDF committee include: Renate Künast, Senior Member of the German Green Party Government and former Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection

GFDF was promoted by Berlin designer Eva Gronbach, who has worked for brands such as Hermès and Yohji Yamamoto, and she will be the organization's first president. “The American Fashion Designers Association (CFDA) gave us a lot of inspiration because this organization is much younger than the French fashion association.” Eva Gronbach's approach to creating GFDF is simple – email other German designers and ask if they are relevant Demand.

There are other apparel industry organizations and associations in Germany, but as GFDF Vice President Monya Wasilewski said, the existing German organizations are more industry-centric and not operated by a designer community. “But GFDF will not compete with other organizations, but hope to cooperate with each other. We would also like to express our gratitude to organizations such as the Fashion Council of Germany, who introduced the advantages and special values ​​of the fashion industry to local politicians.”

Eva Gronbach and Monya Wasilewski stated that they hope that German fashion design will be internationally recognized as well as German industrial product design and engineering. In the next decade, their dreams include creating a GFDF fashion museum, a research institute focused on fashion, history and textile development.

GFDF does not use official certification or invitation to join, but is open to all talents, including students, as long as it is a fashion designer, German or working in Germany, willing to pay an annual fee of 150 euros. Regarding the setting of this rule, Eva Gronbach said: "We are German and we are more democratic."

Eva Gronbach and Monya Wasilewski stated that the creation of GFDF was intended to promote German fashion design and support designers. Topics they focus on include supporting emerging designers, fostering and certifying sustainable fashion, health and unemployment insurance and maternity leave, copyright and intellectual property legitimacy. The longer-term and professional goals are: to improve the professional level of the entire industry and to change the German perception of fashion design.

Kostas Murkudis, a designer who has worked for the Helmut Lang brand for 7 years and currently works in Berlin, said: “German culture does have problems with fashion. In France, former President Francois Mitterand compares fashion to elegant art. Not applied art. Germany is not like this."

Kostas Murkudis pointed out that the German fashion industry is often seen as a producer of entertainment opportunities, or simply and rudely described as "making shirts and skirts." Although the fashion attitude of consumers is changing, the German pursuit of practicality means that for many locals, high fashion is often seen as absurd or unnecessary.

At present, the most controversial action of GFDF is to plan to change the time of Berlin Fashion Week. As far as the current time is concerned, Berlin Fashion Week and Paris Men's Wear Week are in a phase of conflict with the international market. “If you are a buyer, which one do you choose to go to? We have to find our own unique selling point,” says Monya Wasilewski.

Despite the GFDF's heart, (modern Berlin Fashion Week time) is likely to encounter considerable obstacles, but Eva Gronbach and Monya Wasilewski say that no matter what happens, the end result will follow the public opinion. Eva Gronbach said: “We will ask all designers and related organizations. If everyone wants to stay the same, then stay the same.”

"Glorious" reported in November 2017 that there are rumors that Mercedes-Benz will not sponsor Berlin Fashion Week from 2018, but Mercedes-Benz issued a statement saying that it will continue to be the founder of Mercedes-Benz Berlin Fashion Week. And the title sponsor, but will adhere to the "less is more" concept, to reduce the size of the fashion week. Mercedes-Benz said that there will be a maximum of 18 catwalks in Berlin Fashion Week in the future, lasting 2 to 3 days, after the data was 30 and 4 days respectively.