Only a few weeks left until the next edition of Premium Exhibition events taking place from January 17 to January 19, 2023 at Messe Berlin, in Berlin.
Anita Tillman, managing partner, Premium Exhibitions, explained to The SPIN OFF what the next Berliner events will reveal while celebrating the group’s 20th anniversary while always thinking ahead.
What are the highlights of the next version of the Premium program and the events associated with it? What key events or initiatives will visitors enjoy?
The focus of our next edition is on the most important trends for retail, inspiring brand activations, store emotion, and new brands that we think are very promising.
These are Unützer, Tombolini, Becksöndergaard Copenhagen, Cycle Jeans, Guard London, Preach, Second Female, Fabienne Chapot, Oilily, Sportalm, Ted Baker, Herrlicher, Moose Knuckles, Peuterey, Hi-Tec, Les Visionnaires, Costa Copenhagen, Inuikii, Ibana , Duvetica, Briglia, Bombers Originals, Lollys Laundry, EcoAlf, Colors of California, V von Goat, Hurray, SPSR, Jane Kønig, Drykorn, Izipizi, Canadian Classics, Blau Max, JNBY, Fynch-Hatton and Look by Wolfgang Joop at PREMIUM as well as Snow Peak, Herschel Supply Co, Ed Hardy, Huf, Homecore, Spanish Flannel, Mads Nørgaard, Schott NYC, Edwin, American Vintage, Girlfriend Collective, VEJA, Campion, Sandqvist, Merz B Schwanen, Novesta, Pyrenex, etc. .
Does Premium organize any initiatives related to eco-friendly fashion?
Another highlight of the next release will be our expanded Conscius Premium Group Club. The separate modules, projects and collaborations in this selection aim to provide the industry with a collective “sustainability reality check” that showcases the most important sustainability trends, showcasing partners and concepts, and present suggested actions from there.
Premium, January 2022
What initiatives will Premium programs in Seek, Fashiontech and sustainability-focused events or projects for the next release?
In the Premium Group Consciousness Club Community, we will feature around 100 conscious brands, which are the largest curated sustainability portfolio in the whole of Europe. As part of this section, we’ll be showcasing the best new collections and brands from the pioneers who have been responsible for so many good changes over the years. Conscious club members, for example, for next January would be Veja, Lanius, Dedicated, Bask in the Sun, Camper, Ecoalf, Girlfriend Collective, Merz B Schwanen, Sandqvist, Snow Peak, and Ucon Acrobatics.
Following a successful summer partnership, we will be hosting an expanded Conscious Club program in partnership with Max Gilgenmann and Magdalena Schaffrin from studio MM04, who are known as durability professionals. long lasting. Their progressive 202030 – The Berlin Fashion Summit takes place in January against this backdrop and features leading expert talks and seminars, which will be held in the trade show lobby for the first time (South entrance).
A guest at Premium in January 2022
The theme of the fifth edition of the summit is “Active Alliance for Positive Fashion”. Visitors and exhibitors can expect new insights into the future of secondhand and re-commerce, new corporate cultures, alternating feminist leadership, regenerative agriculture, material innovation, transparency in the value chain, etc.!
Sustainability also played an important role at the combined Yonnaverse conference, hosted by Anna Franziska Michel from Yonna.ai and her team. The purpose of this format is to accelerate digitization and circularity, and to bridge the points between sales, sustainable fashion, and technology.
Premium, January 2022
We want to demonstrate our commitment to sustainability that not only means using organic cotton, but the many other ways you can improve as a company. We want to show what’s possible and where themes can thrive – while taking our brands and visitors on a shared sustainability journey.
As Premium is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, can you tell us how the approach to sustainability has changed over the years in the fashion industry? And where do you think it’s headed now?
We have tackled the topic of sustainability for over fifteen years. For the first time, one can see a generational change in the industry. Even in Gen X, Y and Z, they have different attitudes, different self-images – even when it comes to sustainability.
Premium, January 2022
Change has come, we’re pushing it with joy and doing what we do best: bringing the right people together. It is important to us as organizers that we fulfill our role as good organizers and initiators. Therefore, we provide space and opportunity for our community to better connect and exchange ideas in a positive atmosphere.
What other initiatives will be part of the schedule for the next edition?
About 15 Ukrainian designers will receive support when they first launch at Premium. The German Fashion Council will present a number of projects and initiatives aimed at promoting the German fashion industry. There are new developments in the plan in the field of Fashiontech. The latest trends in Metaverse, digitization and sustainable transformation will be presented as part of the experimental Yonnaverse Conference hosted by Yoona.ai. There will be a special focus here on innovations from female entrepreneurs.
All retailers can sign up for the extended buyer program, which is going to be a lot of fun. They are invited to draw inspiration from Europe’s most cutting-edge stores, including KaDeWe, Voo Store, Andreas Murkudis, The Corner, Overkill, Supreme, Firmament, The Store, Merz B Schwanen and 032c Workshop, etc.
Why did you choose the location of Messe Berlin, the upcoming program edition? Taking place in parallel with Berlin Fashion Week, isn’t it too far from the rest of the events?
We chose Messe Berlin’s old hall as the venue because we wanted to fulfill the industry’s desire that all of our formats take place in one location. Previously, our Premium, Seek and other programs spread across different locations in Berlin and that was always criticized. There aren’t many venues in Berlin that are big enough for all of our formats to take place in one place. Now all of our formats are consolidated in one place, which is very convenient for everyone.
Premium, January 2022
Berlin is exciting in many different ways and there is always something new to discover, both for Berliners and people from far away. Lots of different ‘Kiezes’ to explore! we love and cherish West side of the city and proudly presents its perks to our audience. Places like Kant Garagen are close by and will offer a great selection of shows. The West side of Berlin has opened many new restaurants, locations and shops. The world-famous boulevard west of the city, known as Kudamm for short, is not only a mile walk away, but is architecturally and culturally interesting.
As part of Premium’s 20th anniversary celebration, you’ll host any performance, exhibition or flashback video that will showcase the most important events of the past for your next Premium performance. ?
“Never forward, never backward” is our motto and while we love what we’ve been through in the past, we still believe in “now”. We will celebrate with our brands, visitors and friends. That means free drinks every day, aperitifs, great conversations and a lavish party on the second day at Telegraphenamt, Berlin’s new and charming venue! We realize a great desire for luxury, lightness and a sense of freedom – we wanted to celebrate our birthday to bring this feeling to everyone who attends our events! And of course, there will be lots of little surprises on the birthday too!
Can you name the 4-5 most important events or projects Premium has organized over the past 20 years that you consider memorable and why do you think they are so interesting?
It’s hard to limit myself to just four or five anniversaries, because of course we’ve achieved an incredible amount in the last 20 years.
From left: Anita Tillmann, Klaus Wowereit, Pharrell Williams at Premium in July 2013
One of my absolute highlights was the partnership with Pharrell Williams and Parley for the Ocean in 2013. For three days we held a conference on plastic recycling in the courtyard of Station Berlin. Soon after, Adidas launched its first sneakers made from recycled plastic. The song “Get Lucky” has been one of the Premium Group’s favorites ever since.
We were the ones who organized and organized the first Fashion Week in Germany, and solemnly opened and founded it with then-mayor Klaus Wowereit and with IMG at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin .
We were also among the first to bring topics like sustainability and digitization to the fore. For example, we organized a symposium on the topic of sustainability, in which Katharine Hamnett, Adriano Goldschmied, Elio Fiorucci and Francois Girbaud participated.
Diesel Party at Premium 2008
We recognized the blogger movement early on (then they were called bloggers, today we would call influencers or content creators) and invited the industry to talk to influencers like Bryan Boy, Veronika Heilbrunner and Imran Amed from Business of Fashion on digitalizing the fashion industry and social media.
We then launched the Fashiontech Conference and brought together the most important players in the field, such as Michael Kliger (Mytheresa), David Schneider (Zalando), Tarek Müller (About You), David Fischer ( Highsnobiety), Pamela Reif, but also Vestiaire Collective, Bon Prix, Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, etc.
Premium parties are also legendary. We stood in knee-deep mud in the garden of Station Berlin in the rain and danced to the electronic music of Berlin’s best DJs. Virgil Abloh and Peggy Gou DJ at Seek. We also hold live concerts with Ne-Yo and Universal Music, Matt Damon and his friends sitting at the same table among our exhibitors in the Cookie club restaurant.
Photo: Swenja Trierscheid
Peggy Gou, at the Seek party in 2016
Is staying in Berlin the right choice, also after 20 years
Totally agree. Berlin was and still is a city of great innovation and trends – where diversity, club culture and freedom thrive.
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