For the third time, Nan Li and Emilia Pfohl presented their Namilia collection at Berlin Fashion Week. After the huge buzz around their last outing “In Loving Memory of My Sugar Daddy,” it was no wonder that the venue (Berlin s Kulturforum) was crowded on Tuesday night with a mix of techno kids, TV celebrities and big fashion names.
Under the theme “Paws Away” (“Pfoten Weg”), the designers wanted to draw attention to misogynistic, trans- and queer-phobic attacks in everyday life. “We all ask ourselves whether we should dress the way we feel or the way we can be safe, for example on the metro,” said Li. The conflict between having to hide and still wanting to live out your inner self was expressed by the camouflage pattern that dominated the looks—a print that was made to make you invisible, but employed on garments that were about anything but hiding away. Short stretch pieces, pink metallic mesh dresses, skirts reminiscent of Paris Hilton s shredded party outfits, and large, heavy suits and coats were all covered in camouflage.
Elements such as helmets and gloves, or moss-covered coats also underlined the military vibe. Another, surprising part of the collection: voluminous and elaborate couture-like dresses. “The intention of the collection was to create a mix of protection and freedom. How can I feel safe but still live my ‘most cunty self’—because that’s what Namilia stands for,” said Li. In addition to camouflage patterns, there were also typical Namilia leather jackets, bodysuits and short two-pieces, which this time were decorated with “Faggot,” “Bitch” or “Diva,” printed with the new Namilia monogram. “We want to draw attention to this inner conflict between freedom and security in an ironic way and still show that people need to be protected from attacks,” said Li.
