On The Town.

ON THE TOWN

It wasn't too long ago that people justifiably questioned whether Berlin's runway and trade show offerings had sufficient critical mass to fully interest a professional audience. Now, as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin enters its sixth season of runway shows Jan. 20 to 23, flanked by a booming Bread & Butter, Premium, five additional trade shows and assorted presentations and parties, the most critical challenge these days may be managing the sheer mass of goings-on about town.

Berlin is a pretty big city, as visitors will discover as they attempt to get from point A to point B on an ever-widening map of trade events. Indeed, it's about 15 miles from the Berlin fairgrounds, the home of 5elements.berlin, to Jam in the Rathenauhallen, though retailers interested in 5elements.berlin's lingerie offerings are less likely to be in the market for Jam's midmarket denims. Curtailed service on the S-Bahn, Berlin's elevated train line, some construction breaks in the U-Bahn (subway), plus snowy streets won't make getting around any easier, but show organizers have taken greater pains to organize shuttle services. It may not be possible to do it all, but with a bit of pre-planning, visitors should be able to get where they need to go during Berlin's busy run.

To help guide the way, here's a breakdown of the main shows and events.

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