World Suitcase Trip To Berlin

Our world suitcase trip takes place when we are seeking our next big inspiration before designing our newest collection. We are currently in the process of designing our Fall/Winter 2019 collection. We travel to keep our shoes/boots fashion-forward and fresh, confirm trends and see what other ideas are out there.

Last month our design team went on a whirlwind trip to Germany, including a visit to the picturesque city of Dresden and the electric, avant-garde city of Berlin!  At Fashion Week in Berlin, we were immersed in global trends by hitting up 7 shows, including Premium.

Some of the trends we noticed were:

  • mirrored metallics
  • metallic leathers
  • crinkled or cracked leathers
  • velvet faux fur
  • camo print
  • dusty rose - so much dusty rose!! 

Yes, we went to Germany for Berlin’s Fashion Week but the side stories, and the day to day comings and goings, are what made the trip so special and complete.

First, it was OH SO cold. One night, at the urging of several fashionistas, we set out to find a concept store called Voo. Apparently if you want to understand how fashion is born in Berlin, you have to take in this shop. We decided to take the train there but because we didn’t speak the language, we ended up on the other side of town... Through freezing air and blowing rain we determinedly trudged around Berlin until we finally found Voo! It was worth it.

And so many cool food experiences!  I had never tried a curry pretzel before - it was the bomb. I loved the whole experience of getting my fresh pretzel straight from the baker and the fusion of curry mixed with an iconic German food. Because it was so cold, I also fell in love with mulled wine they served in Dresden. My cups of mulled wine in this quaint storybook town heightened the whole travel experience.  

For me, one of most beautiful motivators when traveling is learning about other cultures and having conversations with people who have different ways of looking at the world. Fashion week is the blanket that covers more than just the fashion. It’s a platform where people can exchange points of view on topics that go further and deeper than what you see on a runway. The sharing of stories and cross pollination of ideas that happen in this sort of creative space are what enrich our travels and expand our minds.

For example, I met a young woman, Denise Loga, at Fashion Week who was there to share her commitment to educating people about sustainable food systems that will be able to feed our growing global population. Denise, of The Sustainable Food Academy, believes that ‘radical transparency’ is one of the tools to foster sustainability across all markets. As a growing company that cares about our legacy, this is important and inspiring.

I just loved meeting her and hearing her passion and story. While she was talking, all I could think about was, ‘wow I want to share her story too’. We all have power and give power if we exchange our ideas and stories. If I share her compassion with my community at Livie & Luca and invite all of us to think about things we don’t think about everyday it’s an actionable way to help push forward Denise’s mission.  I’ve passed on her story to everybody, from our team here to the folks I met in Arkansas on my road trip, to you, reading this now. It’s one way to to push more minds into thinking about our future and the well-being of our children.

As you can see, we came home totally inspired by what we saw at the shows, in the shop windows and by the essential exchange of ideas. We can’t underestimate the importance of getting outside our designing box and being exposed to trends and ideas from across the world.

Now that we’re home we can get to work filtering these influences through our own brand and designer eye to create yet more magical and innovative Livie & Luca footwear.

Here’s a little video to give you a sense of the streets of Berlin!

Tschuss!


Mitzi xo


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