What does it actually take to put on a show? Lots of looks? Lots of models? Does a designer even need a show? Alan Balletshofer’s fashion repertoire is very clearly defined: a capsule wardrobe with sharp tailoring and modern silhouettes that are often so minimalist they can be classified somewhere between casual dressing and business wear. The problem: the danger of repetition. “I wanted to leave my comfort zone so I wouldn’t start repeating myself,” he said. “I met director Mischa Gurevich. And the idea for this season’s film was born.”

His guests arrived, flooding a large Berlin cinema with the expectation of seeing not a show but a fashion film. It definitely didn’t take many minutes of screen time or lots of characters and looks (there were just six) to grasp Balletshofer’s fashion direction. The set-up was a psychoanalytical job interview in a dystopian corporate headquarters. Naturally, character dressing naturally played an important role, with the designer stating that he only designed the looks after the script was completed. Apparently, Balletshofer plans to build more looks before the start of the season. But for now, he wanted to leave it at this introspective portrayal. Was that enough? It was definitely worth a thought. Or two.