New showing concepts lend warmth to Berlin Fashion Week

With just four days of Berlin Fashion Week, timing is everything. Those still taking part in the runway shows have an average of just 17 minutes to impress out on the catwalk. That makes it important to grab a good slot for putting on a memorable show. This year, Serbian designer Sadak was able to snatch the coveted opening slot at 10 a.m. Tuesday and set the tone for the day.

One of the most anticipated shows of Berlin Fashion Week was from locally-based designer Marcel Ostertag, whose mantra "Made in Germany" showcases how local design and production can create exquisite results.

Up-and-coming designers tend to stay local during their initial Fashion Week events to gain a fan base in their hometown. Although German designer Louise Friedlander was born in Cologne, she's made her home and her studio in Berlin - a move that has clearly paid off, judging by the crowds at her Berlin Fashion Week show.

As the fashion industry seeks to redefine itself, runway shows are becoming less popular, traded in for invite-only events, like this exhibition and performance put on by the Berlin-based designer Lala Berlin.

The Berliner Mode Salon has introduced a new concept for showing collections; instead of the traditional runway, the salon presents clothing in a way that buyers can get up close and personal with the garments, as seen here in the showing by Iranian-born designer Nobi Talai.

Dawid Tomaszewski has made quite a name for himself as a designer in Berlin. This season, he presented his feminine evening wear as part of the Berliner Mode Salon, drawing a number of celebrity guests, including Denmark's biggest pop star, Medina, seen front row here.

Lena Hoschek likes to keep a feminine touch, with dirndl-style cuts and lots of floral prints. Her brown and green palette is reminiscent of an English hunting party, and her pairing with gumboots reminds one that autumn and its mud and rain really isn't that far away.

Ski goggles and fur hats were the accessories du jour on the Sportalm runway. Though the dresses presented were more urban than Alpine, the trend toward accessorizing to stave off the cold came through in their use of over-the-knees and moon boots.