As part of our internationalization project Berlin Fashion X International , the third delegation trip to New York City took place from the 20th - 25th of October 2024. The initiative pursues the overarching goal of supporting fashion brands in their international market entry and providing them with relevant, trend-setting business contacts.

The delegation consisted of the nine fashion labels BALLETSHOFER, Carolin Dieler, Clara Colette Miramon, Effenberger Couture, Gerrit Jacob, Human Touch, LUEDER, Selva Huygens and Vladimir Karaleev. They received a week-long program specially tailored to them, which was designed to familiarize them with the special features of the US market and included sales and communication workshops as well as strategic market entry recommendations. They were also connected with local stakeholders, press representatives and industry experts, enabling them to establish and expand their international contacts.

The five-day program offered unique experiences and valuable insights into the US market. Here are a few highlights of the program:

Day 1

The trip began with a welcome meeting at the Berlin Business Office, followed by Jens Daum from GACC New York, who spoke about doing business in the US, focusing on the legal framework and cultural differences.

Emma Oleck spoke about 'Celebrity Dressing', her work as a stylist, the press landscape in the US and what it's like to work with some of the biggest names in the industry.

The 'Pitch Prep' in the evening was led by Kim Lenar-Ehrhardt (CEO The Kim Code) and prepared our participants for their pitch presentations. At 16 Beaver Studio, the nine delegation participants presented their labels and were judged by a panel of industry experts: Lili Radu (CEO Vee Collective), Maika Nakaoka (Head of Creativity Swarovski), Joan Myung (Managing Director Samsung & CT Fashion Group) and Melissa Wiggins (Managing Director Fashion Division, BPCM).

Day 2

The delegation began their Tuesday at the FIT DTech Lab to learn more about the latest innovations in fashion and technology in the US.

The morning was followed by a factory tour of the NY Embroidery Studio, where the group gained hands-on experience with the garment manufacturing and design process.

In the afternoon, they met Julie Anne Quay, Executive Director of VFiles, and talked about the process of promoting minorities in the fashion and music industries.

The group also had the privilege of an exciting meeting with Mark Holgate and his team from VOGUE US, where the participants gained further insights and details about the US market.

Another FCG Fireside Dinner was held in the evening in New York City at Loft 29, the photo studio of German photographer Udo Spreitzenbarth. The exclusive dinner was accompanied by prestigious German Chef Simon with his unique German fusion cuisine. In addition to the participating brands, the guest list also included various industry experts, photographers, stylists and network partners. Also in attendance were Scott Lipinski, CEO of the Fashion Council Germany, Mark Holgate from VOGUE US and designer Melitta Baumeister.

The evening was filled with stimulating discussions and valuable networking opportunities that created a dynamic environment for collaboration and contact between our guests.

Day 3

The group began their day with a tour of DOORS NYC to learn more about retail and PR before getting an overview of DOORS' internal operations with Alise Trautmane-Uzuner and Kristine Papane.

This appointment was followed by a visit to the Nordstrom flagship store, where participants were given an insight into one of America's best-known retailers. The tour was led by Jian Deleon (Menswear Director, Nordstrom), who took the time to show the delegation around and give them insights into their sales, buying and retail strategy.

The delegation then met one of the founders of the Café Forgot store - Lucy Weisner. She gave insights into her retail business and talked about her buying and sales strategy. She also gave the participants valuable tips on how to be included in retail concepts and analyzed a possible fit with the respective labels.

In the afternoon, they visited Atelier Jolie, a creative space founded by Angelina Jolie to bring the community together to work while shifting the focus on sustainability.

Day 4

The fourth day of the delegation trip was filled with more exciting appointments. The first item on the agenda was a meeting with Karina Trofimova from Haus Incubator. She exchanged ideas with the group about US retail and brand strategies and discussed the individual strategies and approaches of the respective brands.

Afterwards, the delegates were given an in-depth look into NYFW and other CFDA initiatives. The Director of Fashion Week Initiatives Joseph Maglieri gave valuable insights into his work. In conversations about NYFW and BFW, they discussed how synergies could be utilized and how forces could be bundled in order to network the two locations in the best possible way.

In the afternoon, the group met with PR expert Lindsey Solomon from Lindsey Media, whose agency focuses on fashion and lifestyle communications, particularly for emerging brands. During the meeting, the participants learned more about PR and branding in the USA.

Day 5

The delegation had a final meeting with Melitta Baumeister, winner of the CFDA/VOGUE Fashion Fund, in her atelier. She talked about her history and shared insights on how to successfully position yourself as a German brand in the US market.