Berlin Fashion Week and Copenhagen Fashion Week have just announced their sustainability partnership, with Berlin adopting Copenhagen’s sustainability requirements as of its July 2024 edition. These guidelines emphasize sustainable fashion through practices such as upcycling and recycling. A prime example of upcycled materials is the Fall 2024 collection by Rebekka Ruétz, showcased at Berlin Fashion Week earlier this year. This collection featured upcycled Skechers sneakers transformed into corsets and bags, blending seamlessly into the mainly lace looks on the runway. I was there as a press photographer – explore the runway photos below to see more of this innovative collection.
Rebekka Ruétz, an Austrian designer, graduated from the AMD Academy of Fashion & Design Munich in 2008, winning the Cognos Relevance Award the same year. Her diverse experience includes working in New Delhi during her studies and a stint at British label Peter Pilotto before founding her own label in 2009. Since 2011 she has been a staple at Berlin Fashion Week, designing her collections in Austria and manufacturing them in Germany.
A committed advocate for sustainable fashion, Rebekka Ruétz produces only two collections per year, along with made-to-order and limited-release pieces. She upcycles unsold items from previous seasons, creating new fabrics only as a last resort. Keep reading to expore her Fall 2024 collection shown earlier this year at Berlin Fashion Week – the upcycled sneakers are not the only appearance from Skechers as the models wear Skechers sneakers, most notably the Uno model in a quasi-fluorescent yellow.
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Theme 1: Lacy Reveal
Rebekka Ruétz Fall 2024 at Berlin Fashion Week Look 17; Photography: The Fashion Fold
Dresses in Looks 17 and 32 feature an extreme scoop neck with a lace bra top showing through from beneath – a similar top is worn in more relaxed styles with low-rise trousers in Looks 23 and 30. Lacy underwear becomes outerwear in Looks 1 and 24.
Look 17
Look 32
Look 23
Look 30
Look 1
Look 24
Theme 2: Industrial Accents
Rebekka Ruétz Fall 2024 at Berlin Fashion Week Look 16; Photography: The Fashion Fold
A striking contrast to the previous lacy looks, metal hardware is applied to corsets, bandeaus, and dresses. Zips decorate tulip skirts in Looks 10 and 19.
Look 15
Look 6
Look 10
Look 19
Theme 3: Corset Revival
Rebekka Ruétz Fall 2024 at Berlin Fashion Week Look 16 (back view); Photography: The Fashion Fold
Corsets, one black and one white, are created from upcycled sneakers, while corset dresses with a handkerchief hem have lace inserts for contrast that is both textural and tonal.
Look 16
Look 21
Look 22
Look 35
Theme 4: Leather-Look
Rebekka Ruétz Fall 2024 at Berlin Fashion Week Look 33; Photography: The Fashion Fold
A leather-look corset is layered over a crisp white shirt but worn without bottoms in Look 33; a casual tracksuit in Look 7 is giving some military flair with the addition of gun flaps lifted from the trench coat.
Look 33
Look 3
Look 7
Theme 5: Martial Elegance
Rebekka Ruétz Fall 2024 at Berlin Fashion Week Look 9; Photography: The Fashion Fold
The gun flap features again in looks that are more overtly military-styled – thick fabric in khaki in Look 9, a double breasted coat with contrast piping in Look 37, and a smart double breasted coat in Look 28 worn with yellow lace trousers for contrast.
Look 9
Look 37
Look 28
Theme 6: Delicate Lace
Rebekka Ruétz Fall 2024 at Berlin Fashion Week Look 20; Photography: The Fashion Fold
Distinct from the military looks above in their more romantic feel, but still connected through the juxtaposition of heavier fabrics in Looks 27 and 36. Looks 29 and 31 achieve a semblance of contrast with layers of heavy necklaces.
Look 27
Look 36
Look 31
Look 29
Theme 7: Fluid Shapes
Rebekka Ruétz Fall 2024 at Berlin Fashion Week Look 5; Photography: The Fashion Fold
Fluidity is manifest through the use of styling or draping. Fabric is folded away from the body in Look 5, while the coat in Look 26 hangs low, pooling around the mid-back. ks to a certain degree. Draped sleeves in Look 20 are elegant, while Look 25’s sleeves appear to be peeling away.
Look 5
Look 26
Look 20
Look 25
Theme 8: Almost Anatomical
Rebekka Ruétz Fall 2024 at Berlin Fashion Week Look 13; Photography: The Fashion Fold
Perhaps it was intentional, or maybe it’s just pareidolia on my part – the smoky prints seemed to be positioned anatomically sometimes – the base of hip bones in Look 11 and kidneys in Look 12.
Look 11
Look 12
Look 13
Look 14
Theme 9: Negative Space
Rebekka Ruétz Fall 2024 at Berlin Fashion Week Look 4; Photography: The Fashion Fold
Openwork looks in the collection use khaki and black in a heavy fabric. Looks 4 and 18 have a hint of tenniscore to them which is made glam through the jewellery styled with the dresses.
Look 4
Look 18
Look 8
Look 34
Finale
Rebekka Ruétz Fall 2024 at Berlin Fashion Week Final Walk; Photography: The Fashion Fold
Models take their final walk of the venue; Rebekka Ruétz takes her bow to a round of applause.
Looks 26 and 31
Rebekka Ruétz
All photos are by The Fashion Fold.
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London College of Fashion alumna (PGCert Fashion Buying & Merchandising). 15 years in fashion across styling, buying & merchandising, trend forecasting, e-commerce, and marketing. Includes roles at Vivienne Westwood and multi-brand retail stocking 50+ brands including Adidas, Nike, and Puma.
