Reference Festival Recap
by Adriano B.
From January 21st to 23rd, the second edition of Reference Festival was staged on a virtual platform, Reference Realities. Under the theme of Navigating Parallel Realities, activations for the largest part were created in physical space and expanded digitally which attracted a global crowd of more than 28,000 people. It set the perspective for virtual events and experiences.
In absence of a crowd the Zeiss Major Planetarium in Berlin was the festival’s key physical venue which saw exclusive, one time performances by Die Hässlichen Vögel, while in partnership with Carhartt WIP, Bill Kouligas’ label PAN presented Anne Imhof & Eliza Douglas, ‘Act 1’ by MJ Harper & David Jainz styled by Stefano Pilati in Random Identities, Pan Daijing, and Amnesia Scanner whose show was enhanced by after-effects from Freeka Tet that came to life on referencerealities.com. Each performance was site-specific, conceived for the planetarium, and optimized for the environment of the platform. A live chat function enabled registered visitors to communicate and share the experience. Reference Festival became a space of virtual togetherness for like-minded people across the globe.
Organisers Reference Studios gallery space on Berlin Schoeneberg’s famous Potsdamer Strasse became another physical site of cultural content production. It hosted a multidisciplinary exhibition which included a selection of sculptures by Tobias Spichtig for Balenciaga, the launch of a collaborative side table by furniture design duo Chapel Petrassi x Mowalola, an edit of Endyma’s Helmut Lang archive curated by Michael Kardamakis, an interactive installation by creative collective Treffpunkt, an exclusive film screening by emerging designer’s PunkZec’s COLRS as well as the presentation of a suit by contemporary creative studio acte™ in collaboration with Sucuk & Bratwurst that was created for the event.
More detached from location were the film for GmbH’s FW21 ‘Welt am Draht’ collection, 032c’s 20th anniversary activation which sent LCD paneled trucks across Berlin, a purely virtual Blue Room created by EBIT™ (Enjoy Being in Transition) in collaboration with Michel Gaubert, and an experience by Lost Souls of Saturn (Seth Troxler & Phil Moffa) premiered and hosted at the platform’s planetarium stage. The platform proved seamless functionality throughout.
Reference Festival closed with the announcement of a prize for emerging talent in partnership with Slam Jam, that will roll out with further information and the introduction of its full committee in the next weeks. Slam Jam offers an incubator program, while Reference Studios takes on the winner’s PR. The prize highlights underrepresented voices, no degree or even formal education is required to enter. More context was created in panels by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Honey Dijon, with features from Soo Joo Park, Kenneth Ize, Michel Gaubert, Tiffany Godoy, Michael Kardamakis (ENDYMA), Iolo Lewis Edwards (High Fashion Talk), and Michelle Elie.
Carlota Barrera Spring/Summer 2021
Givenchy Spring/Summer 2021 Campaign
“Maricón” speaks of protest, acceptance, naturalness and love. It is a call to action for the new generations. Because equality never goes out of style
Take a look at Casablanca Spring/Summer 2023 backstage, captured by the lens of Marc Medina during Paris Fashion Week, in exclusive for Fucking Young!
This season, Archie Alled-Martinez wants to reclaim the term “metrosexual” -that hides a homophobic tone- and reinterprets its iconic silhouette from the early naughties, “camping” it up, eradicating any hint of fragile masculinity and making it 2022.
Take a look at TAAKK Spring/Summer 2023 backstage, captured by the lens of Sebastian Pielles during Paris Fashion Week, in exclusive for Fucking Young!
FUMITO GANRYU unveiled the lookbook for its Spring/Summer 2023 collection.
DAVIDCATALAN‘s SS23 collection is inspired by the late ’60s/early ’70s dance scene from the New York suburbs, Harlem and Brooklyn.
Set at the Palais de Tokyo, Fucking Young, TRANOÏ, and friends were able to toast to past success and drink to a great future with sets by Faire Music and the incredible Urumi.
Kenzo SS23 is an extension and refinement of the universe established in last season’s first collection, inspired by the attitude of Kenzo Takada, who has developed his ideas from season to season.
The collection was fully embodied from oversized sequence tops, camouflage coat, to low-slung jeans. Palm prints made an appearance making up some California nostalgia and Western references furth afield.
The French capital has once again been chosen to unveil the Spring/Summer 23 collection called “Futuro Optimisto”.
This season, Joey Gollish explores the history and lasting global impact of European cabaret, particularly Le Chat Noir, Cabaret Voltaire, and other central figures in European Cabaret.
Take a look at Gunther Spring/Summer 2023 backstage, captured by the lens of Sebastian Pielles, during Paris Fashion Week, in exclusive for Fucking Young!
Designer Chitose Abe plays with a new take on her signatures and the notion of splicing authentic forms to create something unusual, authentic and original, Sacai-style, by applying a sense of informality to silhouettes and materials that are born of tradition.
The “simplicity can be deceitful” concept is portrayed throughout the collection.
Inspired by the androgynous beauty and seductive allure of American actor Joe Dallessandro, Valette Studio’s new collection is an ode to sartorial freedom and emancipation, underlining playfulness and personality as opposed to stereotypes, rules and uniformity.
Intertwining color and texture with lace, feathers and intricate orange prints, the collection offers “adaptions of feminine features into the ‘male’ silhouette.”
Craig Green’s men have identified a distant new summit to ascend, obscured far from view, but somehow ever present.
One of Jonathan Anderson’s strongest skills that he deserves credit for is being a great observer. He observes, then digests, then filters out what he has taken in. While conversations are being had around nature and technology, »
For the SS23 studio collection, Henrik Vibskov investigates the elements of bridges – a construction born from the hands of humans, allowing the feet to touch where only birds used to inhabit.
SANKUANZ SS23 continues the speculative exploration of life and death from its last season, realizing deep integration of street style and high fashion in multiple ways.
For this collection, Ernest W. Baker wanted to reference Spring 2020: something familiar and comfortable, the sense of innocence, naivety – an impression of sheltering.
Through this men’s line, Kim has endeavored to explore the importance of private spheres and how they provide inspiration and guidance in the realm of creativity.
