Southeast Asia met East Berlin on Friday as Singapore label Depression made its debut in the German capital with a gritty all-black collection that spoke directly to Berlin’s techno subcultures. Gender-bending looks — short hooded jersey dresses on men and masculine cuts on the women — are oh-so-Berlin, and the chain mail detailing and leather leashes are must-haves to gain entrance to the city’s most hedonistic nightclub, Berghain. It is the design duo’s first trip to Berlin, and they certainly didn’t leave their culture behind: Chinese letters and tiger and dragon motifs were big and bold across hoodies and jersey tops. “Chinese symbols are always seen as a bit exotic, but we wanted to give them a bit more of an urban and cool feel,” co-founder and designer Kenny Lim told WWD. Vegan leather basketball shorts and jersey tunics were streetwear highlights, and several looks were toughened up with oversize septum piercings sewn into back pockets or down the front of ripped black jeans. The label’s somber name refers to the burnout the designers felt for years, designer Andrew Loh explained, when they were working for other companies prior to starting their label. The phrase “from a dark place” running down the spine of a hoodie is open for interpretation, but felt somehow pertinent given the political significance of the day.
Depression Men’s Fall 2017
East met East at Singapore streetwear label Depression’s Berlin runway debut.