Welcome to The Scoop: a weekly email series where Elektra Kotsoni asks fashion insiders about the week’s top stories. This is a chance for the Vogue Business community to digest the latest headlines and enjoy a special insider look every Friday.

This week’s guest is Scott Lipinski, CEO of Fashion Council Germany. When Mercedes-Benz ended its sponsorship of Berlin Fashion Week in December 2022, many thought the event was finished. But Lipinski, who has held the role since 2017, and his team saw it as an opportunity for a fresh start.

It seems they’ve succeeded—after all, we’re still covering it. With Berlin Fashion Week kicking off today, I gave Scott a call yesterday.

Hi Scott! What’s the scoop?

We’re working on opening a showroom in Paris. It’s part of our international strategy. We set a two-phase plan in early 2023 when we relaunched Berlin Fashion Week after Mercedes-Benz stepped back as organizer and sponsor. The first phase was to establish a new Berlin Fashion Week, which we did. The second phase is “Go International.” We’ve been doing delegation trips—we’ve visited the U.S. four times, and also traveled to Korea and Japan. The next step is opening a showroom during Paris Fashion Week. Things are looking good, and we hope to launch either this October or early next year.

That’s really exciting. How will it work? Who gets to show in the showroom?

At Berlin Fashion Week, we have a program called Berlin Contemporary, where an international jury selects about 20 brands each season to receive support from the Senate for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises. Each brand gets €25,000 to put on their show. We’ll likely choose showroom brands mainly from that pool, but we may also handpick others that feel like a perfect fit. It’s very important to us that the showroom feels carefully curated.

What does it take for a national fashion council to open a showroom?

It takes funding. We’re finalizing partnerships with private institutions interested in supporting us, and we’re also seeking support from governmental bodies—the outlook is positive.

The age of AI is here, and many are worried about job security and how to build their careers. What advice do you give Berlin designers and other creatives in your circle about safeguarding their future?

Early in my career, I worked at Accenture, consulting for large companies like DHL and Deutsche Post on implementing ERP systems like SAP or Oracle. I often compare that time to now. Back then, people were really worried about losing their jobs. And yes, fewer people were needed in some departments like sales or purchasing, but others, like IT, grew.

Looking at AI from a macroeconomic perspective, it doesn’t necessarily mean jobs will disappear—they’ll change. What I see among young Berlin designers is that they’re not very afraid of AI. Recently, we did a delegation trip to Korea and Japan, and I was surprised by how much brands there use AI as a support tool. They use it to complement weaknesses, like writing formal letters or planning content. I haven’t seen any brands use it to replace their creative work.

Heated Rivalry has taken over the world. Those guys were everywhere at the men’s fashion shows. And with the Winter Olympics in Milan, cold-weather sports seem to be having a moment. Are you seeing that in Berlin, or is it just the weather this time of year?

I’ve watched the series too—it’s amazing how it’s taken off. It’s everywhere. But Berlin Fashion Week is only starting tomorrow, so I’m curious to see what the brands present. In general, Berlin fashion has always been a mix of streetwear and sportswear with aThe energy of clubwear isn’t so far off, then. We’re in a complex moment globally, right in the middle of a three-month fashion season. While tariffs are the immediate worry, everyone in fashion is human and feeling the uncertainty. What part do you think fashion plays during such a shift in power and values?

That answer could fill a book, because fashion is so multidimensional. For instance, fashion weeks can be deeply political. I see that clearly in Berlin—we view our platform as one of freedom, inclusion, and diversity. Our independent designers use their shows to communicate their values and ideas. For some of these younger brands, tariffs might not be the top concern, but for the major power brands, they are a massive problem.

I also believe you can’t just sit still and be upset. Now is the time to strengthen organizations like your councils. Take my friend Pascal Morand in Paris, Executive President of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. He’s deeply involved in discussions in Brussels with the European Fashion Alliance—he’s taking action. It’s like a data cube: look from one side, and you see one answer; look from another, and the solution changes.

How do you guide Berlin Fashion Week brands through this uncertainty, especially with online retail struggling—Saks in bankruptcy, Matches collapsing and sold?

A few of our Berlin brands were closely tied to Ssense, and it’s been a disaster for them, losing a huge portion of revenue. But I see a crisis as a dark room where your only goal is to find the light switch. That’s it. I truly admire these young brands; their small size makes them agile, so they handle crises very differently than large companies. They adapt and reinvent. In Berlin, many used the crisis to strengthen their communities by hosting smaller events and selling direct.

You can catch last week’s Scoop with the NFL’s Kyle Smith here.

Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Berlin Fashions Scott Lipinski and his initiative to bring Berlin brands to a Paris showroom

General Beginner Questions

1 Who is Scott Lipinski
Scott Lipinski is the founder and CEO of Berlin Fashion a key figure in the Berlin fashion scene Hes known for connecting and promoting Berlinbased designers on an international stage

2 What is this Paris showroom project about
Its an initiative where Scott Lipinski curates a selection of emerging and established Berlin fashion brands and presents them in a professional showroom during Paris Fashion Week The goal is to give these brands direct access to international buyers press and influencers

3 Why Paris Why not just show in Berlin
Paris is one of the global epicenters of fashion especially during Fashion Week Presenting there offers unparalleled visibility credibility and access to a concentrated highlevel international audience that is difficult to reach solely through the Berlin market

4 What kind of Berlin brands are being brought to Paris
The focus is typically on avantgarde sustainable and contemporary brands that embody Berlins unique aestheticoften characterized by innovative design streetwear influences and a conceptual or minimalist approach

Benefits Goals

5 What are the main benefits for the Berlin brands involved
Key benefits include direct sales to international retailers increased brand recognition in major fashion media networking with key industry players and validation on a global stage

6 How does this help the Berlin fashion scene as a whole
It elevates the profile of Berlin as a serious fashion capital creates a collective Berlin identity on the international market and can attract more talent and investment to the citys fashion industry

7 Is this just for sales or are there other goals
While sales to buyers are a primary goal its also about brand building securing editorial coverage trendsetting and establishing longterm relationships that lead to future collaborations and growth

Process Practical Details

8 How are brands selected for the showroom
Selection is typically based on criteria like design originality production capability brand story market readiness and how well they represent the evolving Berlin style Its a curated process led by Lipinski and his team

9 When does this happen
The showroom typically operates during the official Paris Fashion Week schedules