Berenika Czarnota
“I START WORKING ON A NEW SEASON BY CHOOSING THE COLOUR PALETTE. EACH SWEATER I BEGIN TO DESIGN FEELS TO ME LIKE A BLANK CANVAS TO A PAINTER.”
Berenika Czarnota
Big cities pulsate with energy of crowds, chance encounters, multicultural influences, random inspiring moments that form a raw essence of life. While this urban jungle may sometimes lack serenity, the chaos brings up a richness of inspiration for creative minds to thrive.
Berlin, known for its multicultural extravaganza, eclectic street style, individualism and vintage-contemporary aesthetics, stands as a haven for people-watchers. One such people-watcher is Berenika Czarnota. A Berlin based designer channeling visual pleasures of everyday styling into chunky knits that feel like best friends.
For her, inspiration comes from anywhere. It can be a spontaneous sight on the go to a grocery store, laid-back French look spotted on a holiday in Biarritz, a meditative gaze in the Polish wilderness… A single moment can spark a train of thoughts and conceptualise the next best-selling jumper.
Prior to starting her namesake brand Berenika spent years working in design for large corporations. She recognises that those years allowed her to find a middle ground between the creativity and business knowledge essential in running a brand. Berenika stresses that both small and large brands are still subject to the very same social, economic and global challenges that impact their performance. She emphasises the importance of business acumen, precise pricing calculations, and the understanding that no product exists in a vacuum. “These are lessons I’ve learnt in corporations, not often taught in fashion schools yet so crucial.” Balancing creative expression with a strategic mindset, allowed her to navigate the complexities of fashion business, ensure her designs resonate with customers and successfully address broader industry challenges.
“When working for corporations after my degree, I would go for business trips to visit factories in India, China. I saw the tones of over produced clothes left for landfill” recalls Berenika. Witnessing this disheartening sight, made her realise some unique advantages of knitwear. Up-cycling knitwear is easier than recycling woven textiles. “In knitwear if something doesn’t work, I can just unravel it. Something doesn’t sell, I can up-cycle it into another product. This way I don’t struggle with remaining dead-stock and waste”.
Undoubtedly, an added value to Berenika’s brand is that all her products are hand-knitted by skilled craftswomen in Poland. The impact of these collaborations goes beyond just fashion. Some ladies she works with, thanks to their collaboration, have found an opportunity to retire early and dedicate themselves to their knitting passion full-time.
Berenika's lasting collaboration with one of artisan knitters began many years back when finalising her fashion degree collection. Seeking to complement her lineup with bold knitted pieces, Berenika found her way to Mrs. Mirka, – a woman she now refers to as the catalyst of her knitwear journey. “I brought in some very vague sketches, collages, abstract ideas, which to my surprise she picked up immediately. 'It's brilliant, let's do it!’" Berenika recalls laughing, expressing her surprise at being so well understood so quickly. This enthusiastic response from Mrs. Mirka stood in contrast to her previous mildly intimidating experiences with seamstresses who were rather sceptical about some avant-garde ideas she had.
After years of running the brand, Berenika has cultivated a close-knit team that she trusts not only in construction but also values their input on design aesthetic: I often ask artisans if they like idea for a new model, I trust their guidance by now. Often times, when they like something, it tends to work for clients and sell well. And if they are sceptical, I usually take it to heart and re-consider.” Asked about her favourite stage of collection development she shares with excitement: “I restlessly wait for each drop. That moment, when artisans unveil new pieces they’ve just finished, feels very much like unwrapping Christmas presents for me. And so it feels for them. It's a shared joy.”
Berenika likes to compare working with knitwear to painting. Combining colours is her favourite and most fulfilling aspect of the process. ”I always start working on a new season by choosing the colour palette. Each sweater I begin to design feels a bit like a blank canvas to a painter.” The yarn she uses comes from a small family-run business in Florence. She works with them since almost a decade. “They have a vast spectrum of colours available, literally any colour you can imagine. Looking at it I feel like a painter in front of a palette.”
Chunkiness and intricacy of her designs requires hand knitting. Each piece created in such a slow way embodies a part of the artisan’s character - it is infused with emotions, time and heartfelt dedication invested in its craftsmanship. The Kreuzburg jumper, called after one of Berenika’s favourite Berlin districts, is a statement piece in her collection featuring a loose, comfortable fit with ribbed neckline and dropped shoulder. “It actually came out of experiments with some yarn left-overs from colourful hats and scarves. I had some little bits left, some 50 to 100g. The jumper was born from drawing and collaging the yarn. It came out really vivid but was an instant hit.”
Vintage knitting books and magazines act as Berenika’s bibles of ideas. Second hand stores provide her with source pieces for interesting details and silhouettes to echo in her collections. Her designs go beyond just visually striking. She values function and versatility featuring cross-seasonal pieces or double-faced designs in her offering too. As a keen observer she draws from street styling, carefully noting silhouettes and spontaneous fit ideas. It makes her collections truly resonant with the present moment.
In contrary to the hustle and bustle of the city, her latest collection was born out of seeking calmness and refugee in nature. “It is influenced by long walks in the forest, a sense of solace and tranquility. I wanted the colour palette to reflect the serene atmosphere of nature and the changing shades of colour in the forest during early autumn.”
Asked about plans for foreseeable future she shares: “I’m open to try out new yarn compositions, different qualities, considering other sources beyond animal origin too.” Berenika boasts with fateful clientele in Poland what makes her very happy. “A lot of loyal customers from Poland. Some have a small collection of my pieces already and buy their 4th and 5th jumper. (…) It’s also uplifting to see raising conscience about sustainable fashion and products with high price. Polish customers search for independent labels and one-of-kinds in fashion.” Berenika's dream is to open a physical store in Poland in the near future. Undoubtedly, knits are indeed made to be touched so a physical location will make her knits even more irresistible.
Until that dream becomes a reality, visit her online store to explore her full collection.
Just a heads up, her pieces are highly coveted with quite a waiting list. So brace up in patience. Anyone who experienced the joy of having something hand-knitted knows well - it is worth the wait.