21 German Clothing Brands Every Highsnobiety Reader Should Know
Cars, beer, electrical appliances, and more cars; fashion is not the first thing that springs to mind when one thinks of German craftsmanship. While brands from the fashion capitals New York, Milan, London, and Paris will always be keen to shout their patriotism from the rooftops, German fashion brands tend to be a little less forthcoming about their roots — a shame, as the nation boasts a thriving fashion scene. Something that has never been more apparent than after a successful Berlin Fashion Week 2026 comes to a close.
Similar to their Scandinavian cousins, German fashion tends to lie low on the radar, specializing in minimal, disciplined aesthetics that put design first and foremost.
Without further ado, here's a breakdown of the very best German clothing brands on offer in the land of currywurst and bureaucracy.
Shop the best German clothing brands below.
Jil Sander
A designer of legendary status — who The New York Times crowned "The Queen of Less" — Jil Sander has pioneered minimalism in fashion since 1968. That's over 50 years of the low-key aesthetics that have come to dominate Scandinavian and German clothing brands, altering the fashion landscape heavily. Her label has had a rocky history; it was bought out by Prada in 1999, before Jil Sander abruptly quit six months later, sending the company into a tailspin that saw sales plummet and nearly all of the brand's production and design staff resign.
Sander returned to the house in 2003, before resigning again in 2004, citing insurmountable differences with Prada's CEO Patrizio Bertelli. Prada subsequently appointed Raf Simons to head up the house. After Simons left for Dior in 2012, the label kept a steady course without a big-name creative director, later employing husband-and-wife creative directors Lucie and Luke Meier in 2017; Then it was bought by Only The Brave in 2021, a year in which spawned headline-grabbing collaborations with the likes of Moncler and Arc'teryx.
GmbH
Founded by Serhat Isik and Benjamin Alexander Huseby and a diverse community of contributors, GmbH is a collaborative brand born from the dance floors of some of Berlin’s most legendary nightclubs.
Featuring pieces crafted from deadstock materials sourced from a high-end factory in Milan, the label resists the over-consumption of today’s fashion industry, tight jerseys, PVC pants, bulky leather jackets, and tactile vests.
After years of showing in Paris, the duo started showing at their home base's Berlin Fashion Week, where they've quickly become an all-out highlight.
Ioannes
Ioannes' vision of fashion presents a beautiful dichotomy. On one hand, the Berlin-based label looks to classic silhouettes for both its men's and women's collections.
Pieces like stone-washed jeans, chore coats, and cashmere cardigans land in subdued color palettes — while a on the other hand, a closer look at detailing like frayed hems and gathered seams points more clearly to Ioannes' grungey inspirations.
OTTOLINGER
Born from the artistic union of designers Christa Bösch and Cosima Gadient, Ottolinger is a Berlin-based brand that thrives on lacerated silk dresses, unfinished hemlines, vivid cuts on tops, ravaged pants, and drama-glam styling.
Theirs is a proposal for a new concept of luxury that borrows from tradition whilst challenging stereotypes of beauty.
032c
Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Berlin's Kreuzberg, 032c is an unorthodox addition to the roster of German clothing brands. Originally started as a contemporary culture magazine, they expanded into apparel only recently under the creative direction of Maria Koch.
032c's clothing line serves as an extension of its magazine's editorial agenda, comprised of graphic and embroidered hoodies, t-shirts, and much more, celebrating the magazine's collaborations with the likes of ALYX.
Gerrit Jacob
Known for his airbrushed leather garments, German designer Gerrit Jacob decided to establish his own brand in Berlin in 2021. Having lived for years between London, Paris, and Rome, working for brands like Gucci, Balenciaga and Martin Rose, the designer returned to Germany after his 10 year tour of Europe to launch an own brand.
Gerrit Jacob has quickly established itself with its distinctive airbrushed graphics that are painstakingly added to garments by hand. As such, it's no surprise how quickly the fashion-attuned likes of of everyone from A$AP Rocky to ROSALÍA and Dua Lipa have taken an interest in the award-winning newcomer.
adidas
To say adidas is an icon of streetwear would be an understatement. Indeed, the undisputed king of German clothing brands is so ingrained in sneaker and street culture that you'd be forgiven for thinking it was birthed in America. The brand with the Three Stripes has found adoration everywhere from old-school rappers to British football hooligans, all of whom are drawn to the brand's sporty-yet-timeless design language and commitment to innovation.
While nowadays adidas' biggest competitor is Nike but it's worth remembering the altogether more intimate conflict that runs through the brand's history. The brand's founder Adolf Dassler initially designed footwear with his brother Rudolf back in the 1940s, before the pair split and Dassler's brother went on to found PUMA. Their hometown of Herzogenaurach is still divided to this day.
Willliam Fan
William Fan celebrated its 10-year anniversary in 2025, and the 'Ring the Bell' collection which showed at Berlin Fashion Week 2026 offered a fitting reflection on a decade of originality. Looking to texture through corduroy, velvet, or even technical fabrics, William Fan tells a story of a European upbringing with strong Asian roots.
Subtle details nod to Asian design heritage while classic European silhouettes are modernized to invite the viewer to connect the dots, effectively tracing the designer's inspirations and heritage.
Birkenstock
Believe it or not, Birkenstock was founded in 1774. That's the kind of legacy that even luxury watch brands would hope for. Since then, the iconic German label has proven that originality transcends trends. With a classic cork sole and a handful of fan-favorite silhouettes, Birkenstock has succeeded in becoming the last word in summer footwear.
What's more, having introduced the Birkenstock 1774 offshoot in 2019, the brand has realigned its collection with a more fashion-conscious consumer. Under the 1774 name, Birkenstocks offers elevated fabrics and collaborations with well-known and burgeoning designers alike, from Proenza Schouler to Valentino and Thibo Denis.
A Kind Of Guise
Munich's A Kind Of Guise is one of the most forward-thinking German fashion brands for high-quality menswear. Their domestically made collections reference broad, eclectic influences — quite a big step away from their country's typically conservative menswear culture.
This far in, A Kind of Guise collections have taken cues from Mongolian football culture, the picturesque highways of North America, and everything in between. As such, it represents take on cosmopolitan casualwear that explores unknown territories while keeping one foot firmly planted on wearability.
Haderlump
Founded in 2021, Haderlump is a Berlin-based label making waves with its ultra-modern collection. Sticking to a pared-back color palette of grey and black, the collection emphasizes the importance of silhouette in crafting identity.
The ready-to-wear collection fluctuates from super-baggy pants and sweaters to skin-tight longsleeve tees and dramatically cropped quarter-zips.
NO/FAITH STUDIOS
A label that has been bubbling around amongst fashion circles for some years, anyone who has followed NO/FAITH STUDIOS from its infancy will have seen the label transition from a graphics-heavy streetwear label to one producing some of the most innovative and experimental silhouettes imaginable.
Never abandoning its routes, the label combines punk-inspired distressing with utilitarian detailing to create a distinctive look. Based in Cologne, the label's designer Luis Dobbelgarten is surely one to watch in the fledgling German fashion scene.
PUMA
Founded by adidas founder Adolf "Adi" Dassler's brother and arch-rival Rudolf, PUMA sneakers and sportswear pedigree is perhaps less iconic, but by no means insignificant.
From cult classic shoes like the PUMA Suede and the PUMA State up to contemporary collaborations like with Rihanna's Fenty Creeper, Herzogenaurach's second-most famous label has a long and illustrious streetwear history — albeit one that still lies in the shadow of their arch-rival's. For how much longer though?
ACRONYM
ACRONYM is a world leader in performance gear, with garments expertly articulated for a range of motion and with high-end technical fabrics for maximum performance. Innovative detailing means jackets can be fully unzipped and taken off in one movement and slung on the back like a rucksack, with mechanisms like the Gravity Pocket, capable of springing items — like a phone — into the user's hand on command.
Errolson Hugh's ACRONYM is constantly innovating and pushing boundaries with what clothing can and cannot do — check out the brand's highly tactile seasonal collections for a perfect example of a futuristic, functional design language.
Kasia Kucharska
The winner of our very first fashion prize, Kasia Kucharska is the Berlin-based label creating body-conscious clothing made of latex. Created using a self-developed digital printing technique without any waste material the innovative techniques used to create its figure-hugging creations are unlike those found anywhere else.
Bringing a contemporary twist to the 17th and 18th-century use of lace that it is inspired by, its distinctive technique has been used to make everything from dresses to socks.
sf1og
Imagine a post-apocalyptic future where everything is grey, hunting and derelict, but with everyone wearing tailored clothing that are either black, or white. That is sf1og aesthetic in a nutshell. Founded in 2019 by Rosa Marga Dahl, sf1og brings a breath of fresh air to German fashion by creating items that as they say "function on various levels - aesthetically, culturally, partly politically, but above all sustainably." The brand's options are both limited and endless at the same time.
Their artisanal line "101-Line" has almost only upcycling products and is characterized by an experimental design. The second, and only other product line, "multiplied line" instead offers the consumer ready-to-wear pieces that are ideal for daily use.
Unvain Studios
Founded in 2020 by Robert Friedrichs, Unvain is Berlin-based and finds its inspiration in the city's world-famous culture. Combining precise, out-there tailoring with the uncut energy of the city's subcultures, the collection offers a beautiful tension between the classic and the cutting-edge.
Industrial boots play with wide-leg, pleated suit pants for an almost oxymoronic aesthetic that turns heads. Imagined in a dark palette, Friedrich's goal is to create a wearable capsule that is distinctive yet accessible: A universe built around the people who wear it.
Nowrubi
Founded by Ruben Nowak in 2022, Nowrubi is still a relative newcomer in the world of German fashion but has already built a strong cult following with its shows at Berlin Fashion Week. The Autumn/Winter 26 collection, entitled 'Innocence' displays the label's talent for storytelling.
Split into three chapters, each a stage of life: first childhood, then rebellion, and finally adulthood, 'Innocence' platforms the brand's range. From the fluid imagination of childhood through to the defiance of teenage years, and finally the mature reflection of adulthood, Nowrubi's latest collection acts as a proving ground for a label with a very bright future.
Mykita
The avant-garde eyewear label uses next-level technologies to create glasses of unbelievable strength and lightweight — all of which are manufactured onsite at the label's Berlin HQ.
Having patented its very own screwless hinges and offering shades in seemingly every color and lens combination under the sun, the high-end German fashion label is for those who want a little more from their eyewear.
Avenir
A truly sustainable brand that is able to combine their cause to fashion like very few other brands worldwide can. Avenir is an upcycling fashion brand with the mission to avoid textile waste and protect the environment.
Their pieces are made from the often overly-produced and thrown away garments that end up in landfills around the world. A must have!
g-lab
If you're looking for athletic brands that will withstand fall and spring showers, g-lab is your label. The weatherwear brand combines contemporary fashion aesthetics with true performance, ensuring you stay dry while looking the part.
Utilizing multilayer fabrics with a water column of up to 10.000mm, g-lab’s garments will protect you from even the most inclement weather.
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