Tom Felber for creative face Magazine

For one week, from July 14 until July 20, 2008, Berlin's best young fashion designers will be found at Galeries Lafayette Berlin under the title BEST OF LABO MODE. Among others designers like c.neeon, Penkov or Smeilinener who show their latest collection during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week with an own fashion show can be found. BEST OF LABO MODE is an event within the LABO MODE project of Galeries Lafayette Berlin and part of the Berlin's 1. SHOWROOM MEILE.

LABO MODE started in January 2004 at the PREMIUM trade fair. In co-operation with the international fashion school ESMOD Berlin, Galeries Lafayette Berlin was the first department store in Germany to kick-off a project promoting regional up-and-coming designers. In this project, the department store serves as a platform and opened its second floor to talented young designers, allowing them to sell their creations directly next to international designer labels for an extended period to a large clientele. Every three months the LABO MODE program changes and new designers are shown. The first labels were Smeilinener, Kaviar Gauche and Immer. Additionally the platform is used for fashion events like the one this week or the social commitment projects of i-magine e.V..

Within the LABO MODE concept Galeries Lafayette Berlin also provides young designers with their expertise as well as information on pricing and creating collections within the scope of the coaching program of the Fashion Patrons agency. In October 2007, Fashion Patrons and ESMOD Berlin launched their new project for promoting recently graduated up-and-coming designers. The project's goal is to coach the graduates along their path into the working world and pave the way for them into a successful and independent future. Individual coaching sessions will help fashion graduates learn the facts involved in professionally establishing a company within a 6-12 month period. Topics including, among other things, how to create a business plan will be explained in preliminary interviews with bankers. Additional seminars address topics such as PR, sales and collaborating with subcontractors that do not produce for end customers, but rather manufacture for fashion designers and fashion companies.