Fashion Garments

Berlin – In the world of fashion, a certain order prevails, with Paris and Milan at the top of Europe’s capitals. Yet one German is trying push Berlin into the spotlight by drawing fashion-conscious tourists to the city’s small boutiques and independent designer shops. Marcus Maienschein is a fashion guide and former shopping mall salesman with a taste for exclusive clothing. He runs the fashion tour business Buy Buy Bln in the German capital. “When I worked for one of the big stores, lots of people came to ask me for advice about more original Berlin style,” he says. It was this that inspired Maienschein’s idea to organize his “shopping tours for fashion addicts,” designed for those wanting to avoid the beaten track in search of clothes. He also saw an opportunity to promote young Berlin-based fashion designers. “I want to support smaller shops and more exclusive brands. In shopping malls, you can find the same brands found in London or Barcelona,” Maienschein told the German Press Agency dpa. Like many who sign up for his tours, he is not very fond of mass- produced big brand clothing, he says. Maienschein limits his tours to groups of six people, which allows him enough time with each individual. Tours run for anywhere from two to five hours.

“I want to make it personal,” says the 32-year-old fashion guide, who operates tours in both German and English. Before each tour, Maienschein tries to get an idea of the style his clients are looking for, the colours they prefer and the time they are prepared to spend. He also tries to get an idea of their budget before creating a route plan. Since he launched his business in May, Maienschein’s clients have included tourists from other parts of Europe and the Americas. He organizes around 10 tours a month. The cost ranges from 25 to 100 euros (36 to 143 dollars) per person. While the sneaker tour – “for friends and collectors of exclusive sports shoes” – is always in high demand, a tour for children over the age of 12 and trips to Berlin’s second-hand clothing outlets are also an option. Tour participants are given discounts at some of boutiques they visit. The shopping expeditions also include a bit of sightseeing. “If they like art, we can go to a gallery between the shops, especially the street art stuff,” he says. Maienschein offers a free tour every three months, with the next coming up in February. This tour, he says, focuses on young designers and boutiques in Friedrichshain in east Berlin. “I lived there all my life and I feel I want to support shops there.” Internet: www.buybuybln.de.

source:http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/301298,berlin-tour-offers-fashion-addicts-a-fix.html