In the chilly concrete halls of Berlin's historic Fichtebunker, where echoes of wartime refuge still linger, Richert Beil’s A/W 25 collection MUTTER unfolded like a cinematic fever dream—a visceral reckoning with the roles society assigns to family, labour, and love. Biel’s nuclear family, straight out of the minds of Tim Burton or David Lynch, teetered between the tender and the twisted, challenging perceptions of care and conformity in an era defined by upheaval.
Richert Beil signature sharp tailoring took a provocative turn, blending kink culture with mundane wardrobe wear. The collection flirted with subversion—leather skirts layered over tailored trousers, fetishistic straps meeting pinstripe shirting, and sheer hosiery punctuating traditionally masculine silhouettes. A standout look featured a slick rubberised gimp-inspired suit, its rigid elegance a stark commentary on the binding roles individuals are forced to play in both public and private spheres.
Themes of resilience and in the domestic sphere were embodied with unsettling clarity in look 12. The model emerged cloaked in a translucent hooded cape. Condoms immediately sprang to mind with it’s glossy, latex sheen hovering fetishistic provocation and utilitarian function. Beneath this eerie shroud, a tailored double-breasted suit hinted at the stoic façade society so often demands, while the model's calm, haunted gaze spoke volumes of unseen burdens carried in silence. Gripped tightly in each hand were milk canisters—symbols of sustenance and maternal care.
With every look a quiet narrative of emotional and physical endurance unfurled, weaving a story of the unseen labour that propels society—so often carried on the shoulders of women. MUTTER was not content to languish in dystopia—it was a rallying cry, a fierce call to reclaim tenderness, love, and agency in a world where those values are overlooked.
