System!

Introducing Helena Becker, a fashion design student from Düsseldorf with an editorial and fashion film. Presenting Helena´s third semester collection named “System to you”. It’s a reflection of life in the GDR (East Germany), viewed through the lens of her family history. This collection is divided into three distinct chapters, each represented by an outfit that embodies a significant aspect of life in the GDR (East Germany)-

“When you come from a little town with nearly 2000 inhabitants, you live in a kind of small bubble where everyone knows everyone and everyone talks about everyone. It’s more difficult to get out of your comfort zone, especially as a creative person, because of the less possibilities you have. From a young age, I was always fascinated by fashion and spent a lot of time sketching outfits. I loved dressing and playing with make-up a little differently from those around me to stand out more, even though I was quite shy in school and never really came out of my comfort zone. I collected magazines such as Vogue, and over time, my creative interests shifted, and I became more focused on photography and graphic design and the technical aspects of creating. I then explored visual storytelling and design in new ways, which allowed me to grow creatively. When I moved to Frankfurt, I had to start over again, and when I started studying communication design, I opened up in many ways, especially in gaining more confidence. That was also the point in my life where I started to express myself more through clothes, and I found my way back to fashion. By questioning and thinking about my choice of study, after some time, I reconsidered fashion.

I then realised I wanted to merge both disciplines—bringing together visual communication and clothing as a form of self-expression. That led me to study fashion design in Düsseldorf.”

“This collection is a personal reflection on life in the former GDR (East Germany), told through the lens of my family history. It is structured in three chapters, each represented by a look that embodies a key aspect of life in the DDR.
During the COVID pandemic, I noticed from some family difficulties that people are still facing some personal trauma from the past and how it defines the person’s character traits.

Those traumas are shaped by constant control, surveillance, and a lack of personal freedom. It made me wonder: how does the legacy of the GDR still affect people today?

I began researching more deeply, looking through old family photos, asking questions, and studying the history of East Berlin. Based on this, I decided to divide the collection into three thematic chapters:
The System – representing the rigid structure and control of the state.
Desire – capturing the yearning for individuality, freedom, and the influence of the West.
The Breakthrough – symbolising the fall of the Berlin Wall and the transformation that followed.
To make the collection even more personal, I printed an old wedding photo of my grandparents onto the coat, turning a family memory into a wearable narrative. I also used a historical broadcasting logo as a print element on several pieces, referencing the power of media and propaganda during that time. It’s a part of the history of my heritage being printed on my clothes.

This collection is a visual exploration of memory, trauma, and change. It reflects on a past that still lingers in many ways socially and personally, and aims to give voice to those quiet, private personal stories woven into larger historical moments.”