From this month on, Berlin lingerie label >Fishbelly< launched >Edition 12<, an exclusive edition of lingerie sets only available online. Fishbelly's designer, Jutta Teschner, will release a new set every month on the 12th at midnight Central European Time, which will be available for only one month, and then a new set is released. Just one set is offered every month, and each piece is limited to 120 each. The sets are mostly 2-piece bra and panty sets, but sometimes a matching garter belt or a sleep mask is also offered. Even though Edition 12 is probably one of the most exclusive lingerie collections, this exclusivity doesn't mean it's out of reach. Credits: Stefan Söll

Attention-grabbing designs and eye-catching colours are the threads which hold together the >Yackfou< fashion range.  Upholding the idea that ‘everything is in forward motion and you can always discover something new’, the creators resist a standardizing appearance for their brand, encouraging innovative and interesting designs. The Yackfou story has all the ingredient s of a street style fairytale.  Its creators Martin Krusche and Tobias Herrmann, both graphic designers from Berlin, were first found flogging their goods at flea markets, and then progressed to managing an online store and finally, on the 5th July they will be opening their very own shop at Friedrichshainer Kiez, Berlin.  They are inviting the public to come and join in with the celebrations and are generously selling everything at half price. As well as selling their new collection there will also be the opportunity to purchase outlet stuff, prototypes and samples.

The concept store >No. 74< will display items traditionally found in a Turkish market, such as oriental rugs, hookahs, shoppers and dishes, with Adidas products such as Adidas Originals, Y-3, and limited edition products, creating a contrast that is very symbolic of Berlin and its popular urban culture. The "Oriental Market" installation will combine eastern trash with western luxury, and will run during the spring/summer 2008 season alongside Adidas Y-3 Spring/Summer collection. No. 74 opened as a combined shop, gallery and workspace on Torstrasse 74, and is curated by Adidas. The shop is constantly changing itself throughout the year, always striving to exemplify the cultural life of Berlin. 

Forty-two artists from nine different countries have all been invited to take up a three-day residency in >The Friedrichshoehe<, which is a new cultural center in Friedrichshain. They all come from different countries and present different mediums, but what they all have in common is that they all work in the “Urban Art” genre. >Urban Affairs< is a large-scale exhibition, the most comprehensive of its kind in Germany to date.  A wide variety of works will be presented, from murals, to sculptures, to installations. Traditionally an anarchic movement, urban/street art is becoming more and more recognized by established art institutions. Two “Urban Affairs” participants are participating in an exhibit at the Tate Modern in London, for example. The exhibition starts on July 5 and runs until August 3, at Landsberger Allee 54.

On Sunday, June 1 the legendary fashion designer >Yves Saint Laurent< passed away at the age of 71. He was one of the most important designers of the 20th Century, alongside Coco Chanel and Christian Dior. He got his start designing for Dior in 1958, and quickly gained widespread recognition for his trapeze dresses.  He launched his own label in 1962 and changed the way women dress with silhouettes we still see in fashion today, from pant suits to pea coats. He was also among the first to release cheaper versions of his couture collections, making them accessible to a broader clientele. To honor Saint Laurent and his work, the >Museum of Decorative Arts< in the >Kulturforum Potsdamer Platz< will be showing a homage to the designer until August 31. The exhibit will include classic pieces from his haute couture collections as well as from his ready-to-wear line Rive Gauche. Credits:
Yves Saint Laurent fr Christian Dior Cocktailkleid Herbst/Winter 1959Foto: Saturia Linke; Yves Saint Laurent Abendmini Herbst/Winter 1966 Foto: Saturia Linke.

"Punk rock is the mission, trash is the religion and Elvis is God”- the motto which guided the creation of Prof. Trash’s label >blowfly shirts< A mishmash mixture of Punk-Garage music, and love of 70s American automobiles is the inspiration for the t-shirt line.  Her subject is reminiscent of the pure, simple and raw designs of the 60s and 70s, which are a far cry from today’s mystical and unintelligible motifs.  Trash will be presenting her t-shirts at the >Roadrunner’s Paradise Festival<, which runs from the 27th to the 29th June.  The festival which takes place in Finow, will also include a motorbike parade and a spectacular race  show.  T-shirts are also available online from www.blowfly-shirts.de

From June 28 until August 9th, >Nezaket Ekici< will present the exhibition “Memories of Objects” at >DNA Gallery< on Auguststrasse 20. The show will open on June 27 with a performance piece called “Madonna,” which features the artist standing under 37 candles attached to the ceiling. As they burn, the wax rains down on the artist. The main “Memories of Objects” installation consists of pieces left behind from past performances. Each piece serves as a sort of souvenir for the performance in which it appeared. This gives a lasting, tactile element to the fleeting nature of performance art.

“RGB” is the name for projecting red, green and blue light to produce a wide range of colours. It is how computers and television show colours, and it’s also the name of a new space on Brunnenstrasse 65. >RGB< is a combined exhibition space, gallery, fashion design studio, shop and bar. The concept is as such: every month, a new colour, new stock and a new opening to introduce it all.  RGB kicked things off in May with the colour Yellow, and in June red will follow.  Blue, turquoise, pink, orange and green are yet to come, and in December the temporary concept-space will close off with white. With each colour, the space changes; sometimes the gallery aspect is stressed, sometimes the design space, and sometimes the bar. Every month it is a new place, where creative people are able to show their face to the world and meet prospective buyers and employers. Foto: Katja Oortman, Installation: Agathe De Bailliencourt.

Modern city life is synonymous with bright lights, creating an atmosphere of 24-hour vibrance. The invention and innovation of artificial light changed the landscape of major cities forever, Berlin included. The Märkisches Museum will host the exhibition >Berlin im Licht< (Berlin Alight) from June 24, 2008 until February 1, 2009 in commemoration of its 100th anniversary. The exhibition will highlight in photographs how the advent of artificial light made the city evolve, both architecturally and socially. There is also a contemporary aspect to the presentation, as renowned international artists will present light-art instillations in the museum, including a large-scale light and sound installation by Christina Kubisch in the great hall. The museum is located at Am Köllnischen Park 5 and the entry is free every first Wednesday of each month.

In the past 20 years, a lot has changed with the Transmediale. In the beginning, it was a small video festival that ran in cooperation with the Berlin International Film Festival, and today it has become a cultural institution.
Despite its large success, the question of what will happen next still remains at the end of each event.  Stephen Kovats, who recently became the director of the Transmediale, talks about thinking of survival strategies and new ideas for the festival.

Read the entire interview with Stephen Kovats in the "Interviews" section