On yesterday’s first day of Berlin Fashion Week, the Ukrainian label PLNGNS (Palingenesy) presented its Spring/Summer 2025 collection. Under the title “Sneaker Riot” and above the rooftops of Berlin, designer Mitya Hontarenko once again demonstrated in an impressive way how sustainability and craftsmanship meet contemporary fashion. Over 500 pairs of shoes were upcycled for the 22 elaborately constructed streetwear looks.
The “Sneaker Riot” collection clearly focuses on the popular PLNGNS shoes and complementary streetwear. These were presented in 22 looks to an international audience of over 250 guests at the Lobe Block Berlin. The dominant colors of the show were khaki, brown and black – tones that have accompanied the designer and his team through current events for over two years now. The focus on certain styles also reflects everyday reality and influences. “Unconsciously, we have mainly developed vests and tight-fitting jackets this season. Symbolically, they stand for protective clothing – items that accompany us day in, day out,” says Mitya Hontarenko.
This season, for the first time, all shoe elements – from the logo application, the sole to the laces – were used and reassembled. The PLNGNS Ballon Jacket W, which consists exclusively of shoe tongues, required over 50 hours of work. The shoes of the new collection were created in collaboration with sneaker designer Gianluca Pegola. In total, the brand refurbished around 500 pairs of used shoes and used them to create a new streetwear collection. Stay up to date on the latest in fashion, arts, beauty, and lifestyle by following FAB L’Style Magazine.
The presentation of “Sneaker Riot” collection took place on two levels of the roof terrace in the architectural masterpiece Lobe Block, which impresses with its clean concrete construction. This time, too, the musical direction was entrusted to the Ukrainian DJ and artist Mark Golos, who underlined the dramatic atmosphere filled with smoke and fire with specially created tracks. The set design also had a message: mountains of discarded – but still completely intact – clothing point to the overproduction and waste problem in the fashion industry. The finale of the catwalk was made by a woman and a man, both dependent on a prosthetic leg due to serious injuries – an emphasis on the valuable work of the UNBROKEN Foundation.
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