Politics and industry in direct dialogue

At the Berlin Fashion Week in early July, the German textile and fashion industry focused on building strong networks with policymakers and young designers. Ingeborg Neumann, President of Gesamtverband textil+mode, and Martina Buckenmaier, Vice President of GermanFashion, attended the fashion reception at the Federal Chancellery. Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer and the Federal Government's SME Commissioner, Parliamentary State Secretary Gitta Connemann, had invited guests together with Fashion Council Germany. Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz underlined the importance of the predominantly medium-sized textile and fashion industry for Germany as a business location.

Neo.Fashion.2026 as a stage for graduates

At the same time, Gesamtverband textil+mode acted as an active supporter of Neo.Fashion.2026. In more than a dozen fashion shows, over 100 young talents presented their graduate collections and competed in various categories for the Neo.Fashion.Awards, which were handed over in front of an international jury. For three days, the event at Neuer Ufer highlighted the work of fashion schools across Germany. The association complemented this with an offer designed to provide valuable contacts for the career entry of young designers.

Next.Level.Network as contact hub

With the Next.Level.Network initiated by Gesamtverband textil+mode, the largest platform for young fashion talent in Germany has been expanded into a lively marketplace for innovation, exchange and career opportunities. Companies, start-ups and research institutions showcased their work. Students and visitors used the opportunity to speak to potential employers, founders and researchers and to build contacts for their future careers. Director General Uwe Mazura stressed how important strong networks are for graduates, companies and textile research institutions alike.

Smart textiles, digital manufacturing and recruiting

At the stand of TITV Greiz, smart textiles took centre stage: light-emitting textiles, intelligent textile applications with integrated sensors and concepts for smart and sustainable textiles based on bio-based materials. The "textil trainer" online platform presented the textile value chain in an interactive way and demonstrated modern training formats for conveying knowledge about technologies, production processes and innovation fields.

Start-ups such as Adotc, Schlei Schneiderei, Omimai and Good Garment Collective illustrated how innovations can find their way to market-ready products. Speed coachings with Isabel Blumenberg, the Go Textile! training campaign and recruiting activities by Adidas, CBR Fashion Group, Ofa Bamberg, Singer and Pfaff rounded off the programme. Around 100 guests from industry, associations, politics, media, the start-up scene and research, together with international graduate shows, highlighted Neo.Fashion.2026 as an important platform for the next generation.