Berlin Fashion Week: Marcel Ostertag Brings the Seventies Back to Life
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Did you follow the Paris Fashion Week with Isabelle Huppert strutting (or rather gliding slowly) for Balenciaga? Well, in Berlin, it’s the complete opposite: no sauntering here, we walk, and we walk fast, to the beat of techno and 90’s pop (yes, it’s still Berlin).
Fasten your seatbelts: we’re heading to the recap of Marcel Ostertag’s rocket show, who presented his Paradise collection at the Uber Arena in Berlin on July 2nd. It was a reflection of his persona: tolerant, sexy, intergenerational, all infused with the power flower essence of the seventies.
The Flowers
One of my favorite outfits. The little shorts with high socks, glossy shoes, a side part like Superman, and the seventies glasses. All the details are perfect in this summer look that is powerful and sexy, truly representing the label’s DNA.
But what makes this silhouette truly special are the flowers. Embroidered, printed, or stylized like vintage tapestries, they shake up the codes of classic masculinity. At Marcel Ostertag, flowers have no gender; they represent freedom, embraced softness, and fluidity between genders. And when they are featured on a confident male outfit, they become a symbol of sensuality. It’s a way of saying one can be strong and floral, proud and sensitive. In short, 100% Paradise.
Flared Pants and Flair
No way to draw inspiration from the seventies without flared pants! Marcel Ostertag revisits this classic with a masculine lace trouser, open at the sides.
What I love about him is that he goes all the way with his ideas: lace, flared pants, blonde discoloration, sunglasses… nothing is left to chance, he doesn’t do things halfway. And while ruffles are more prevalent on feminine silhouettes, gender clearly has no boundaries in this new collection. Male models proudly strut in open lace trousers, never losing an ounce of their masculinity — quite the opposite!
The Ruffles
Ruffles are a bit of a passion for Marcel Ostertag. Used on lace dresses, they accentuate the femininity of the designs even more, beautifully dressing the summer dresses of this new collection, and above all… they flutter like butterflies on the runway, carried by the swift steps of the models.
These baroque-rock looks are Marcel Ostertag’s signature, that little twist that sets him apart from other designers. Personally, I feel he has something of a modern Marie Antoinette: a slightly crazy creative spirit, a passion for the baroque, and an unapologetic love for ostentatious aesthetics.
The Superman Hot Look
This look probably isn’t called that, but between the outfit, the glasses, and the hairstyle, I can’t help but think of Clark Kent (The Superman version from the 1990s: Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman). I love these male silhouettes in shorts and high socks, not to forget THE killer detail: the bow tie. From afar, the pattern resembles paisley, but upon closer inspection, it looks more like a fine tapestry with embroidered flowers.
Leather, Dangerous and Sexy
Well, let’s admit it, it feels more Charles Manson than flower power, but that’s also the paradox of the seventies, it was a time when anything was possible and anything could happen, though I wasn’t there.
After the 70s, came… the 90s (sorry millennials, we’ll skip the 1980s!). Here comes a grittier, more provocative decade. The nineties reveal themselves in a more violent way. The world has changed, technology has taken off, and the nineties rage that appears after the fall of the Berlin Wall is clearly felt. In Berlin, techno pulses, and punk aesthetics become a cry of the people.
History is never far from art, and with Berlin designers, visual aesthetics are always rooted in their personal journeys.
Upcycling
With 70% of fabrics sourced from deadstock (unused fabric stocks), Marcel Ostertag is a designer known for his eco-friendly collections.
The upcycling is a bit of his signature. He transforms the old into desirable, scraps into treasures, and breathes new life into forgotten materials.
The Final Word
In short, we loved the “Paradise” collection by Marcel Ostertag at the Berlin Fashion Week 2025. We braved the only heatwave day in the country to see him, and we were absolutely right to do so!
As always, we came away energized, with the desire to party (he’s not Berlin for nothing).
But this collection is above all a love letter to women, an invitation to explore identity and gender, all with a sustainable approach.
With references to the baroque, the seventies, and the pop culture of the 90s raves, Marcel Ostertag signs a rich, provocative collection that brings back an aesthetic we all adore — whether we’ve experienced the seventies or nineties… or not!
Featured image: Marcel Ostertag, Matt Jelonek
