Seek, the new agent for urban and contemporary in Berlin

By

Bruno Joly

Published
Dec 16, 2014

Seek, or the follow-up to Bread & Butter? Launched in January 2009 as a space within the Premium trade fair, Seek has found its independence and its place, all while benefiting from the power of Premium's organisers.

The Berlin trade show, which is moving to the Arena Berlin this winter as planned, is clearly welcoming the defectors of Bread & Butter in search of a smaller and more convivial setting, with, among other things, smaller stands often showcasing a specialised line. "Yes, some of the labels have left Bread & Butter for Seek but with very small stands and a single line, reflecting the harsh reality of generalist trade fairs," said a specialist.

Thus, Levi’s Vintage or Made & Crafted, Nudie Jeans, Aigle, Lyle & Scott, Edwin, New Balance, Ben Sherman, Carhartt and even Original Penguin and Fred Perry join the Seek regulars, which include Veja, Puma Select, Dr Martens, Cheap Monday, Gola, Stutterheim…. The offering will be divided up into several spaces: Modern Menswear, Upper Streetwear, Elevated Sportswear, New Classics and Designers.

In the end, between 19 and 21 January, Seek will welcome more than 200 brands compared to 120 in July. But, as the organisers have pointed out, this increase in the number of exhibitors has been made possible by the change in location. Indeed, Seek will cover 65,000 square feet at the Arena Berlin, compared to 22,000 at the Kühlhaus, the site chosen by the trade fair in January 2012.

Adjacent to the former freight rail facility that hosts Premium, Kühlhaus allows the cutting-edge fashion trade fair to grow bigger.