Review of Namilia Fall 2023 Fashion Show
Namilia Does Berlin Proud
By Dao Tran
In Berlin, you can live like you want, you can love whom you want, and you can wear whatever you like.
– As Franziska Giffey, Governing Mayor of Berlin, said in her speech opening Berlin Fashion Week
This is perfectly embodied by Namilia, a hot young brand founded in 2015 by Berlin-based
designer duo Nan Li and Emilia Pfohl, which hit the ground running with their first collection,
“My Pussy, My Choice” and its emphatic proclamation: “I can be whatever, I can wear
whatever and I can do whatever I want to.” As self-proclaimed rebels, provocateurs and
destroyers of false perception, their vision is one of “a radically new and youthful
understanding of feminism,” where they “constantly question and rebel against common
rules and perceptions of gender, femininity and social norms of the patriarchy.”
Their empowering slogans include: “I’m major. I roar. I swear I’m not a whore.” “I’m wanted. I’m hot. I’m everything you’re not.” And my personal favorite: “Feminism fucks!”
Namilia champions sex positivity and celebrates sex as a natural and healthy part of life. To
this end, they collaborated with Pornhub in 2020 on the Herotica capsule collection,
featuring Pornhub models Asa Akira and others in an NSFW lookbook video and on the
catwalk. They wanted to reclaim the female perspective, rewrite the narrative of porn, and
break down sexual fantasy archetypes like “the submissive exotic Asian, the accessorized
eye candy and the dirty porn star.” Think: an all Asian cast in beautiful Chinese brocade and
traditional cheongsam design elements in a modern motorcross mashup that absolutely
slays. There is more of that as this outing is the launch of their see now/buy now Need For
Speed TM capsule collaboration with Criterion Games. That fits well with the futuristic
makeup by La Biosthétique and prosthetics by Juliette Ruetz, Julian Hutcheson and Tamar
Aviv, playing with the gaming aesthetic and subculture of body modification.
This season was titled “Cruising Utopia” in reference to José Esteban Muñoz’s foundational
text on queer utopia and envisions one in which queerness is permitted to “flourish outside
of expectations of positivity, productivity, or professionalism.” In our modern obsession
with self love, implicit thereto is self acceptance, including all aspects, desirable and
otherwise. In extending this acceptance to others, we must therefore understand that this
actually includes all traits and behaviors as well as all people.
Modern utopia is not one in which everything is perfect, but in which everyone is accepted for who they are.
People from around the world flock to Berlin for its notorious culture of acceptance, its
vibrant creative and nightlife scenes, and its cheap rents and generous support of the arts.
You see it reflected in the casting of the shows, which were diverse and inclusive long before they became catchphrases. Berlin embraces different body types, age groups, ethnic
groups, and is historically known for its gender fluidity and sexual permissiveness. In stark
contrast to the decked out front row looking rave ready in the flashing strobe lights and
pulsing Berlin beats by DJ Yazzus, the LML show held across town also celebrated queer
inclusivity – in the diametrically opposed sacral atmosphere of an Evangelical church. An
unexpected safe space, which is the beauty and safe haven that is Berlin.
But it’s not all motorcross and raver wear, they also subverted Marie Antoinette silhouettes
in their SS18 collection, before Nicolas Ghesquière popularized panniers at Louis Vuitton.
They play with shape and proportion in a super creative, fresh, modern take that can be
over the top but, also: Just do it. You know you want to! If a 60-year-old can rock these
looks at Kit Kat Club, so can you. And if you don’t make it to Berlin, let Berlin come to your
neck of the woods. Their shipping materials are zero waste, meaning biodegradable
polybags and shipping bags made of 100% recycled paper, and they pay to offset the carbon
dioxide produced in domestic orders.
No wonder celebrities have fervently embraced the brand – including Rihanna, Cardi B, Nicki
Minaj, J Lo, SZA, Megan Thee Stallion, Chloe Bailey, Dua Lipa, Ciara, Rita Ora, Charlie XCX,
the list goes on! Namilia warrior queens are sexy, fierce, empowered beings flaunting their
sexuality and redefining feminism – or, shall we say, femme-inism? And, at their affordable
price points (starting at 15€ for a bikini top or bottom, with the biggest ticket item being a
long moto coat for 460€), you can look like a star, too! There’s nothing to lose but your
inhibitions.
PS Don’t worry – all their “leather” products are made of vegan leather, more precisely,
water-based polyurethane resin, which is pollution-free and non-toxic, making it better for
the environment and the people producing the fabrics, while their “patent leather” is made
from recycled vegan materials.