Mariannenstraße: Emre

Emre, 23, wearing a jacket from Topshop, scarf made from fabric from the Turkish Market, and vintage gloves and sunglasses.

At Home: Marcelo Burlon

Although I pledged to spend the rest of the summer in Berlin, I ended up back in Milan over the weekend, invited by Milan's infamous Plastic Club, who were having their Berlin edition of a monthly party called 747 (a few photos from Berlin-based Kinky White Horse's performance later). I realized from my last visits that outside of Fashion Week, Milan's best looks come out at night, so I didn't spend much time on the street hunting for people. Instead, I arranged to meet with Marcelo Burlon, who might as well be Milan's Argentine Prince of the fashion scene.

Everyone I've met that's involved in Milanese fashion knows Marcelo. He hosts Pink is Punk, one of the best parties in Milan, is the former editor-in-chief of Rodeo Magazine, is best friends with Givenchy's creative director Riccardo Tisci, and is now focusing on PR and events in Milan, with one of the most impressive list of clients I've seen (Jil Sander, Alexander McQueen, Gucci, Versace, and Prada all make the list). I met Marcelo over a year ago in Paris when I took a photo of him, and was surprised that he remembered me when I saw him at the Jil Sander show last month. I think this is actually the biggest key to his successes in Milan. He keeps everyone on a very friendly and relatable level, and everyone has only kind words to say about him, which is a very rare thing in fashion. In the photo he is sitting in front of his enormous collection of magazines, wearing a vest by Argentina-based Trosman, and t-shirt, trousers, and shoes by Givenchy.

/dario

At home: Nina Franz

This is Nina. She works at the famous bookstore Pro qm, one of the most important research facilities for everyone interested in urbanity, politics, pop, architecture, design and art. Thus her apartment is filled with books and magazines. Here she stands in front of a collection of books she inherited from her mother, arranged in a danish shelf. She is wearing a blouse by Vladimir Karaleev.

Kottbusser Damm: Mirko

Mirko, 21, Artist wearing all vintage.

At the Turkish Market: Very Kreuzberg

Tove, Designer originally from Malmö, wearing all vintage, except for Nike shoes. You can see her designs at her homepage, tovitatoday.com

Hobrechtstraße: Marina

Marina, 26, Stylist originally from Paris, wearing all vintage.

Hasenheide Park: Steffy

Steffy, Student from Stockholm, wearing all vintage, except for leggings from BikBok.

Berlin really comes alive during the springtime, especially in Kreuzberg and Neukölln. There's an energy there that just doesn't exist in Mitte, especially around Kottbusser Damm. Neukölln still feels a little rough (Steffy and I got harassed a bit while taking this photo), but that's part of the charm -- I guess...

In any case, I've resolved to make it a Kreuzberg summer.

/dario

Alte Schönhauser Straße: Sojin

Sojin, 26, Designer from Korea

Rick Owens jacket,
Vintage blouse and trousers,
Zara cardigan,
Shoes from Korea

I love Rick Owens, but I've gotten bored of the Rick Owens robots, head-to-toe in black. I really love how Sojin was able to incorporate his dark designs into an otherwise very feminine look (with some colour even)! It is nearly summer, after all.

Schendelgasse: Paul

Paul, 20, wearing a vintage leather jacket from Dover Street Market, jumpsuit from Wood Wood, and vintage shoes.

At home: Nina Egli

Though I usually refrain from characterising people by their nationality, I have to say Swiss people are, even to me, a distant by heart German, very reserved people, who usually do not invite you home before knowing you some time. But not Nina. I got her contact from Pascal and she instantly agreed on inviting me into her home. Without having met me before, she welcomed me with a big smile, wearing a bright yellow silk dress she got at a Zürich fleamarket for 5 Franken (about 4 Euros -- she will show me this secret gem in summer). Nina spends one half of her life in Zürich, where she lives almost in the middle of a forest in the south of the city, and the other half in New York working on her jewelry and clothing line Toujours Toi and Family Affairs.

/mary

Stil in Berlin for Urban Outfitters: Clara

Clara, wearing a blouse from Urban Outfitters and an Acne skirt.



Dress from Urban Outfitters

(Advertorial)

At home: Pascal Grob

I spent the last week in Zurich and met Pascal (21), who lives and blogs in a beautiful house with a metal Corbuiser chair and spotlights in the garden. Honestly, I expected a massive collection of clothing since he is blogging about his personal style (in very fine photography - he has an almost scary talent for self portraits). But instead of piling up stuff and hoarding loads of clothes, he is a very thoughtful buyer, considering new clothing several days before purchase and only owns things he loves. For this At Home picture we arranged a choice of his most favorite stuff on the bed.


/mary

Stil in Berlin for Urban Outfitters: Max

Max, wearing trousers, shirt, and hat from Urban Outfitters
Rest is vintage.



Shirt from Urban Outfitters,
Rest is vintage.

(Advertorial)

Rosenthaler Straße: Aga

Aga, 34, Designer

Barbour jacket,
Zara vest,
Acne t-shirt and shoes,
Vintage shorts from Paris

Stil in Berlin for Urban Outfitters: Anna

Anna, wearing a fleece poncho from Urban Outfitters



Blouse and shorts from Urban Outfitters,
Jacket from Acne

(Advertorial)

Rosenthaler Straße: Minni

Minni, 22, Student from Taiwan living in London

Vintage coat, bag, and skirt,
Opening Ceremony shoes.

Stil in Berlin for Urban Outfitters: Dacen

Dacen, wearing a sweater and hat from Urban Outfitters

(Advertorial)

Stil in Berlin Again: Theresa

Theresa, 21, Photography Student, wearing a coat from Zara.

Back in Berlin!

Paris and Milan were great as always, but in terms of my time taking photos, it all felt like a bit too much with so many photographers outside the shows. One photographer (or more) each from Vogue/GQ/Glamour/Grazia USA/UK/France/Germany/Japan, Refinery29, Stylesight, street-style bloggers from everywhere you can imagine, trend forecasters, etc. etc. You can imagine it gets very crowded very quickly, and there's something unsatisfying for me in taking a photo that 30 others are taking at the same moment.

Gunnar from Styleclicker summed it up with a great photo in a post here. There were great looks to be seen at the Fashion Weeks, but in the next months I plan on going back to exploring the day-to-day in Berlin. And besides, there's no better place in the world to be in the summertime than in Berlin.

/dario

Stil in Berlin for Urban Outfitters

Kati, wearing Urban Outfitters dress and headpiece

A few months ago I did a shoot for Urban Outfitters' new spring collection. The concept was to take five stylish people and have them mix and match their own wardrobe with Urban Outfitters, much the same as we did for the Filippa K Get Shot! event this past spring, only with a bit more time than a single afternoon. I really love doing these kinds of projects, and I think it's becoming clear to many large labels that traditional advertising is becoming less effective. You can see the whole set here, and I'll begin to post one look from each of the models in the next days.

/dario

(Advertorial)

At home: Njide Ugboma

This is Nijide Ugboma, editor in chief of the British Let Them Eat Cake magazine. When I asked Njide for a picture for the At Home series, she told me the place she feels most at home is at her office in Dalston. It is located in an old industrial building just off Kingsland Road and I went there on a rainy morning during London Fashion Week. I guess it is not unusual for London people to feel most at home in their business surrounding, since they might spend the most of their time there. For Berliners, though, in their relaxed state of mind and "2 days of work a week is enough" attitude, this comes as a slight surprise. Maybe this is the reason Berlin lacks the splendid choice of fashion magazines you will find at a usual London newsstand.

As a sidenote: I got lost searching for the office and decided to enter any building, asking for the way. Lucky me, I went straight into the studio of Gareth Pugh, where the fitting and hair and make-up tests where going on. HE was not there, though.

/mary

Paris Fashion Week: Aymeric Bergada Du Cadet

Aymeric, 25, Stylist

Wearing all vintage, except for Vivienne Westwood shorts.

I saw Aymeric (I'm still not sure if that's his real name) standing outside of the Bernhard Wilhelm presentation, dressed as if he had come straight from the renaissance, with a little more theatricality added in for effect. It reminds me a lot of last year's photo of Igor.

Milan Women's Fashion Week: At Gucci

Sorry that I haven't been posting names and labels on some of the photos, but I lost my notebook with all the information written down!

Paris Women's Fashion Week: At Comme des Garçons

Lea, Fashion Student living in Belgium, wearing a vintage Burberry trenchcoat.

Paris Women's Fashion Week: At Comme des Garçons

Pablo, Fashion Student living in Belgium

Every time I'm at Fashion Week, the best looks are always from those who have come to the shows just to experience the environment, hoping to get in without an invitation.  Pablo was dressed all in vintage, but he stood out more than anyone amongst the high-end designs being worn by the editors and buyers standing outside the shows.

/dario

Paris Women's Fashion Week: Stripes

Andy, Blogs at Style Scrapbook (At Rick Owens)

Zara jacket,
River Island skirt,
Miu Miu sunglasses

It's chaos at Paris Fashion Week, more so than I remember there being one year ago, and definitely more so than in Milan. At the Balmain show I attended yesterday, I'm quite sure there were nearly as many photographers outside as there were people attending inside! Mary and I always try to keep a clean background when we take our photos, which is nearly impossible with the mass of photographers competing for shots of the same people, but I'll try my best!

/dario

Paris Women's Fashion Week: Alban

Alban, Reporter for Dossier Journal (At Rick Owens)

Laitinen suit,
Raf Simons sweater,
Vintage shirt,
Jil Sander bag

Milan Women's Fashion Week: Jessie

Jessie, one of Les Mads, showed up unexpectedly in Milan, rescuing me from the camera flashes and crowded streets, which can get a bit frustrating when you're used to shooting in a much more relaxed Berlin. For the German-speakers, read about her day trip to sunny Milan here.

Weekday trenchcoat,
Alpha60 scarf,
Gardenia Copenhagen shoes,
Karen Walker sunglasses

/dario

Paris Women's Fashion Week: Miss Pandora

Louise is one of France's most well-known bloggers, documenting her style at Miss Pandora.

Zara jacket,
H&M skirt,
Topshop blouse,
Hat and gloves from Le Marais
Rayban glasses

There are more Milan photos, but I'll mix them in with Paris Fashion Week photos from now on.

/dario

Milan Women's Fashion Week: At Gucci

Betty Bachz, Model from Bergen

Milan Women's Fashion Week: At D&G

Madisyn, Model from New York

Milan Women's Fashion Week: Davide

Davide, 23, Designer

Vintage coat and bag,
Raf Simons shoes,
Vivienne Westwood brooch

Milan Women's Fashion Week: Bryan Boy

The one and only Bryan Boy, outside Gucci.

Milan Women's Fashion Week: At Dolce & Gabbana

Milan Women's Fashion Week: The double blazer

Andrea, 20, DJ

Outer blazer vintage,
Inner blazer MSGN,
Zara t-shirt
SUPER sunglasses,
Self-made necklace