Munich-based Horror Vacui started out in 2012 as a brand selling vibrant sleeping gowns (for day and night), airy tops and oversized shirt-dresses in patterned silks and crisp Egyptian cottons. More than a decade in the business, the brand now offers an entire wardrobe, aesthetically rooted in Anna Heinrichs‘ vintage obsessions. Her spring-summer 2025 collection, shown during Berlin Fashion Week, is dedicated to all aspects of love, especially that of her mother and father who have both passed away within a year. The show opened with two looks in all-over black, which is an absolute rarity in the colorful world of the label. But the designs that followed made it clear that the beauty of her parents’ story was the focus rather than mourning. Translated from Latin, Horror Vacui describes a fear of emptiness, however this 10th anniversary collection was not barren or deflated, but full of love. The craftsmanship of Heinrichs’s honeycomb smocking, Froschgoscherl pleating, and the brand’s signature wavy trims are stunning. These are arts that have been passed down through generations and, too, are bound together by love. The designer upheld her sustainable approach to the collection, which, as always, was produced exclusively with Liberty of London fabrics, only this season she only used remnants from the last 10 years. One quilted patchwork design was even made from 100 different fabrics. When asked whether the numerous hearts running through many of the designs were not too obvious for such a conceptual collection, Heinrichs replied: “Yes, it’s quite naive. But that’s me. I like it when people smile. I don’t want to be cool, I want my fashion to evoke memories. Be they of family members, your own childhood, or just a beautiful moment in life.”

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
Don’t forget to follow Design & Culture by Ed on Instagram!

Hey, did you know about my newsletter – Ed’s Dispatch? Click here to subscribe!