Shadows and Suits: GmbH’s Meditation on Resilience photos by Finnegan Koichi Godenschwege

Dear Shaded Viewers,

GmbH’s Fall/Winter 2025 collection at Berlin Fashion Week was a poignant reflection on the role of fashion in turbulent times. The designers, Benjamin Huseby and Serhat Isik, turned inward for inspiration, revisiting their past work and musical selections from previous shows1. This introspective approach wasn’t an exercise in nostalgia, but rather a search for clarity and purpose in a world that often feels destabilizing.

The collection, titled “From Another Reality” after a poem by Norwegian modernist Gunvor Hofmo, explored themes of loss, isolation, and melancholy1. Yet, it also celebrated grace, dignity, and elegance, particularly through tailoring and craftsmanship. The designers drew inspiration from the formal attire of their fathers, considering how dressing up can be an act of self-worth in the face of societal prejudice.

GmbH’s presentation was set against a backdrop of draped muslin, reminiscent of couture salons from a bygone era. This choice of humble material, destined to be repurposed in their atelier, underscored the collection’s focus on craft as a grounding, human process.

In a fashion landscape often criticized for frivolity, GmbH’s FW25 collection stood as a testament to the power of serious, thoughtful design. It demonstrated how fashion can serve as a medium for introspection and resilience, even in the face of global uncertainty.

mm
Diane Pernet

A LEGENDARY FIGURE IN FASHION and a pioneer of blogging, Diane is a respected journalist, critic, curator and talent-hunter based in Paris. During her prolific career, she designed her own successful brand in New York, costume designer, photographer, and filmmaker.

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