Fashionistas, designers and celebrities are descending on Berlin for Fashion Week.
The seven day event has long fought to compete with the glamorous shows in Milan and Paris - but has now found its groove by showing more wearable designs in line with the fashion direction of the city.
The city is filled with emerging talent, says IMG's head Peter Levy, who co-produces Fashion Week with Mercedes Benz.
SOUNDBITE: Peter Levy, head of IMG fashion worldwide, saying (English):
"I would say, Berlin is really seen globally as an emerging market of talent. I mean, as you are probably aware there are more design schools in the city of Berlin than anywhere else. And when we started organizing this event in 2007 it was about the potential. It wasn't about what was here and our goal at that point was, how can we take a market place that was really all about creativity and organize it in a relevant way so that talent could be really glimpsed by the market place in the way that the talent is meant to be or really chooses to be."
Escada Sport, from German luxury fashion house Escada, got things started by presenting a series of ready-to-wear trousers and dress selections.
The Munich-based company brands itself on being "understated chic, metropolitan allure, and cool femininity."
More than 50 labels will present their Fall 2012 collections during the week that runs from January 18 to 21.
Alicia Powell, Reuters.
