Fall of the Berlin Wall - Daniel Rodan, German leather fashion designer celebrates 20th anniversary
Last updated 6/12/2009 2:38:31 PM
Fall of the Berlin Wall - Daniel Rodan, German leather fashion designer celebrates 20th anniversary
Berlin's leather fashion designer to the stars, Daniel Rodan, has unveiled a new collection of Berlin Wall art-themed clothing as part of the 20th anniversary celebrations of the fall of the Cold War barrier.
Reuters reports that the leather dresses and menswear feature art from the East Side Gallery, the 1,300 meter-long (4,265 feet) stretch of the Wall painted by 118 artists from 21 countries in 1990.
Its graffiti art quickly came to symbolize the Wall itself. One revealing mini-dress shows a famous image of the Trabi, the classic East German automobile, breaking through the concrete landmark that divided Berlin during the Cold War.
Daniel said: "Bringing together these three things: the political event, fashion design, and the art of the East Side Gallery, and then making sure the clothes fit on the celebrities - it was a real challenge."
The leather outfits will be worn by prominent musicians and athletes at events during the coming months, then auctioned off for charity after the 20th anniversary celebrations on November 9.
"It's great that we can now have fun with things which previously were simply a catastrophe," said the Berlin cabaret artist Chin Meyer at a presentation. "We have to be artistically creative with things we find painful."
Berlin's year-long celebration of the fall of the Wall in 1989 will culminate with a Festival of Freedom at the Brandenburg Gate and the toppling of 1,000 giant dominoes.
Source: www.reuters.com
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