Creative Technology

3D-project

“Interdependence”

Berlin, a city known for nonconformity and individuality, becomes the canvas for a critical exploration of social perceptions and clichés in this photography and 3D-project. In an extraordinary collaboration, fashion stylist Ingo Nahrwold and photographer Emil Dietrich staged Berlin-based models across iconic locations in the German capital. By merging Balenciaga’s provocative design language with Berlin’s contrasting urban backdrops, the project creates a visual dialogue that goes beyond fashion and aesthetics. Featuring diverse personalities in symbolic cityscapes, it both embraces and satirizes the stereotype of “Berlin style.”  

Through Gaussian Splatting technology, 3D scans are produced to form a multimedia experience. This project is not just about creative expression and rebellion—it also questions how authentic societal perceptions of Berlin and its fashion scene truly are.

select the following link to discover the corresponding images: interdependence images

Platz der Republik - Vladislav wears Balenciaga Summer 2023

The open space in front of the Reichstag building is inherently political. At the time of the shoot, the area was under construction, visually blocking the Parliament - a fitting metaphor for the current politic situation in Germany as a symbol of "work in progress.” With upcoming elections and governmental restructuring, the site represents the country’s political instability. The model’s ripped pants and corset symbolize fragmentation, restriction, and tension - echoing Berlin’s long-debated slogan of former mayor Klaus Wowereit: "Poor but sexy."

Model: Vladislav Erzihn with Izaio Model Mgmt

Creative Technology: Emil Dietrich

Fashion Styling: Ingo Nahrwold

Hair & Makeup: Sophie Lerche with Bigoudi Agency

Kleingärten Westend - Ursula wears Balenciaga Summer 2020

According to Berlin’s Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection, and Environment, the city has around 71,000 allotment gardens—more than any comparable metropolis. These gardens represent both the lack of affordable housing and the human need for retreat. The chosen concept plays with the stereotype of allotment gardens as "spaces for retirees", featuring an Angela Merkel lookalike in an exaggerated shoulder blazer - a nod to the feminist symbolism of power dressing in the 1980s.

Model: Ursula Warnecki as Angela Merkel with Jochen Florstedt Doubles and Artist Agency

Creative Technology: Emil Dietrich

Fashion Styling: Ingo Nahrwold

Oscar-Niemeyer-Haus - Anna wears Balenciaga Winter 2020

Located on Altonaer Straße at the edge of Berlin’s Tiergarten, the Oscar-Niemeyer-Haus was built as part of the 1957 International Building Exhibition. Designed by the renowned Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, the residential building reflects a modernist vision that remains significant today. In this setting, the Best-Ager model represents the connection between past and present, highlighting how style and elegance transcend age.

Model: Anna von Rüden with Let It Go Mgmt

Creative Technology: Emil Dietrich

Fashion Styling: Ingo Nahrwold

Hair & Makeup: Peggy Kurka

Production: Jada Joyce

Zoologischer Garten - Jada wears Balenciaga Fall 2016

The Zoologischer Garten train-station gained global attention through Christiane F.’s book, "Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo" (1978), exposing the struggles of homelessness, drug addiction, and sex work in Berlin. Even today, these issues persist. The use of red in the background, as well as on the model’s nails and lips, carries strong symbolic weight. Fur coats and thigh-high patent leather boots are often associated with a particular aesthetic and is stereotypically associated with a "Nutte", which means "prostitute" and fittingly originates from the Berlin dialect.

Model & Production: Jada Joyce with Mint Artist Mgmt

Creative Technology: Emil Dietrich

Fashion Styling: Ingo Nahrwold

Hair & Makeup: Peggy Kurka

Nollendorfplatz - Aleks & Alto wear Balenciaga Summer 2019

The space in Schöneberg is widely recognized for its significance to Berlin’s LGBTQ+ community. On the southern side of the Nollendorfplatz building, the "Rosa Winkel" memorial is the first of its kind commemorated to the homosexual victims of the Nazi regime. This location serves as both a historical reminder and a symbol of inclusivity and resilience. 

Models: Aleksander Łukowski with Two Mgmt & Alto Thobega with Let It Go Mgmt

Creative Technology: Emil Dietrich

Fashion Styling: Ingo Nahrwold

Grooming & Production: Jada Joyce

Schlossgarten Charlottenburg - Luthando wears Balenciaga Winter 2022

Berlin is often criticized for being dirty and chaotic, yet the Charlottenburg Palace Gardens remain pristine, symbolizing the contrast between the city's historical grandeur and its modern-day image. Despite the lack of public trash cans, the gardens are meticulously maintained - showing how Berlin tries to preserve its legacy of opulence amidst everyday urban life.

Model: Luthando Ngema with Eli x Casting

Creative Technology: Emil Dietrich

Fashion Styling: Ingo Nahrwold

Hair & Makeup: Stefanie Mellin

Hair & Makeup Assistant: Steven Sbizien

Frankfurterallee - Marlon wears Balenciaga Fall 2020

According to TAZ, Frankfurter Allee is Berlin’s most traffic-jammed street. Symbolically, it represents not only physical standstill but also stagnation in fashion and urban life. To contrast this, a modern, avant-garde look was chosen - challenging the tension between movement and tradition.

Model: Marlon Preis with Mint Artist Mgmt

Creative Technology: Emil Dietrich

Fashion Styling: Ingo Nahrwold

Grooming & Production: Jada Joyce

Marzahn - Kristin & Lilja wear Balenciaga Summer 2017

Marzahn is known for its large apartment blocks and is often associated with social challenges. But this creates an intriguing contrast: high fashion meets a neighborhood shaped by preconceptions. Sisters Kristin and Lilja Drab wear fashion and hair looks inspired by the DDR era—a visual reflection on the past, social reality, and the transformation of Marzahn.

Models: Kristin Drab with Republicist und Lilja Drab with Elf Mgmt

Creative Technology: Emil Dietrich

Fashion Styling: Ingo Nahrwold

Hair & Makeup: Stefanie Mellin

Hair & Makeup Assistant: Steven Sbizien

Kantstraße - Tin wears Balenciaga Summer 2017

Often referred to as "Berlin’s Chinatown," Kantstraße represents the city’s global connections and cultural exchange. Known for its Asian influences, this street showcases how fashion, culture, and identity intertwine in Berlin. The model’s outfit and the vibrant setting reflect this dynamic fusion. 

Model: Tin Gao

Creative Technology: Emil Dietrich

Fashion Styling: Ingo Nahrwold

Hair & Makeup: Andrea Young

Gleisdreieck - Amy Lu wears Balenciaga Fall 2022

Named after a former railway junction, Gleisdreieck Park is now one of Berlin’s most renowned urban meeting points, seamlessly connecting neighborhoods through its green spaces. The contrast between its industrial past and modern recreational areas showcases Berlin’s unique ability to merge history with contemporary city life. The park’s diversity reflects the city’s openness and spirit of self-expression. Beyond its daytime charm, Gleisdreieck is also known for its underground and illegal party scene, playing also a role in Berlin’s legendary rave culture. To capture the essence of the city's work and nightlife balance, the scene features a partygoer who has danced until dawn—wrapped in an oversized coat, holding a morning newspaper, with traces of the night still visible beneath.

Model: Amy Lu

Creative Technology: Emil Dietrich

Fashion Styling: Ingo Nahrwold

Sportplatz Mitte - Mika wears Balenciaga Fall 2018

On this sports field in Berlin-Mitte, layered clothing, featuring a colorful fur vest over small checkered shirts, symbolizes the concealment of fashion or sexual identity. The outfit reflects societal pressures, rigid mindsets and the struggle for self-expression. The shoot specifically references the stereotype of closeted football players, a reality in a sport still dominated by toxic masculinity. Berlin, however, remains a place where diversity finds greater acceptance and is a safe space for people to open up and shead their shields/layers.

Model: Mika Baum with Izaio Model Mgmt

Creative Technology: Emil Dietrich

Fashion Styling: Ingo Nahrwold

Grooming & Production: Jada Joyce

LSD - Hannah wears Balenciaga Winter 2017

Located on Potsdamer Straße, the LSD Sex Shop (Love, Sex & Dreams) is situated in an area historically linked to prostitution. Over the years, multiple attempts have been made to close the shop in an effort to reshape the neighborhood’s image. In response, the model was styled in an overly buttoned-up coat, symbolizing societal and political resistance to sexual liberation.

Model: Hannah Weber with Girls Club Mgmt

Creative Technology: Emil Dietrich

Fashion Styling: Ingo Nahrwold

Grooming & Production: Jada Joyce

Tempelhofer Feld - Kyungseok wears Balenciaga Fall 2020

Once an airport, now Berlin’s largest open space, Tempelhofer Feld serves as a public park and cultural meeting place. Its vast horizon is a rare sight in the city known for its dense urban landscape. The model wears an all-denim look, referencing the symbolism of jeans as a statement of freedom and rebellion, as noted by NDR.

Model: Kyungseok Kim with Modelwerk

Creative Technology: Emil Dietrich

Fashion Styling: Ingo Nahrwold

Volksbühne - Nina wears Balenciaga Winter 2020

The Volksbühne at Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz was one of Berlin’s first modern theaters, founded in the spirit of artistic and social progress. Built between 1913 and 1914, its connection to the Roaring Twenties/"Goldenen Zwanziger" is reflected in the chosen look—an extravagant costume with golden boots. Even today, the theater continues its progressive and political stance, as shown by its current banner: “No Place for Nazis.”

Model: Nina Heimlich with Iconic Mgmt

Creative Technology: Emil Dietrich

Fashion Styling: Ingo Nahrwold

Hair & Makeup: Sophie Lerche with Bigoudi Agency

Production: Jada Joyce

Schöneweide - Steve wears Balenciaga Winter 2017

Schöneweide was once a major hub of Berlin’s industrial history. Today, it symbolizes progress, innovation, and the city’s continuous reinvention. The juxtaposition of industrial architecture with high-end fashion underscores this evolution. The chosen look - a long wool coat with a shirt, tie, and rugged motorcycle boots - reflects the interplay of heritage and modernity. 

Model: Steve Morell with Izaio Model Mgmt

Creative Technology: Emil Dietrich

Fashion Styling: Ingo Nahrwold

Hair & Makeup: Peggy Kurka

Production: Jada Joyce

Tiergarten - Winter wears Balenciaga Fall 2017

Described as "Berlin’s green heart" on the city’s official portal, Tiergarten is a vast park in the middle of the metropolis. It serves as a bridge between urban life and nature. The model’s neon-green Balenciaga outfit highlights this contrast, standing out against the park’s natural tones—symbolizing the relationship between fashion, humanity, and the environment and also deals with the question of whether to blend into the crowd or stand out in terms of fashion. 

Model: Winter with Eli x Casting

Creative Technology: Emil Dietrich

Fashion Styling: Ingo Nahrwold

Hair & Makeup: Sophie Lerche with Bigoudi Agency

Hallesches Tor - Betty wears Balenciaga Fall 2022

Now a subway station and transport hub in Kreuzberg, Hallesches Tor symbolizes the exchange between Berlin’s districts and their various identities. Every day, people from different backgrounds and styles cross paths here - young and old, local and international. The model in the triangular Balenciaga coat reinforces this symbolism: its three-part shape and the bow on the back reflect the connection and movement of this dynamic space. 

Model: Betty Schupp with Mint Artist Mgmt

Creative Technology: Emil Dietrich

Fashion Styling: Ingo Nahrwold