Is the end near for Berlin fashion fair Seek?

Is Berlin’s last remaining fashion fair, Seek, now also facing closure? After the recent resignation of the leading minds behind the fair, the event’s owner, Premium Exhibitions, is vague about the future of Seek.

“The desire for a uniform platform remains great – at the same time, commitment within the industry is currently extremely cautious. We are taking on this challenge and will examine what a future-oriented format could look like that best suits the current and future market environment,” said the Premium Group in a statement to FashionUnited.

Seek team goes

The streetwear and sustainability-oriented trade fair has been undergoing a transformation for some time. Since Monday, the current edition of Seek has been taking place with a new showroom concept in the Berlin district of Kreuzberg. However, during the first two days, long-time Seek creators Maren Wiebus, Marie-Luise Ahlers, Damien Winpenny and Ellie Moreno announced their departure. What led to the separation and how things will continue without the management team is unclear.

“Together with the Clarion Group, I respect and support the Seek team’s desire to take on new challenges,” said Jörg Arntz, managing director at Premium Exhibitions GmbH. “We would like to sincerely thank the entire team for their commitment and wish them every success in the future.”

Premium Exhibitions remains

In November 2023, the organiser discontinued the flagship event of the same name because large trade fair formats such as Premium were no longer up to date. At the time, Premium saw the future in “boutique fairs and specialised events”. But now the existence of the Seek concept, which specialises in streetwear, also seems uncertain.

Even if the future concept of its only remaining event is unclear, Premium Exhibitions GmbH wants to continue as a trade fair organiser. “Our belief in the potential of a strong, joint German platform is unbroken. Accordingly, Premium Exhibitions GmbH will continue to exist,” they said from Berlin.