EK is a brand founded by Emelie Gerleit and Julius Berger, raised in rural Bavaria. While upcycling is central to our practice, our work is driven by a deeper motivation: reclaiming ideas of heritage and Heimat beyond exclusionary narratives

EK claims the homeland as a symbol of defiance, not conservatism. Home is not static or rigid; it is shaped by those who challenge, disrupt, and reinvent it. By dismantling nostalgia and reconstructing tradition as a uniform for rebellion, EK connects past and future while refusing narrow nationalist frames.

At a time when tradition is increasingly instrumentalized, EK reinterprets German folk culture. As a generation often disconnected from these histories, we create space to reconnect, reimagine, and redefine belonging as shared and inclusive.

Emelie Gerleit, master in fashion design and certified master tailor, and Julius Berger, master in creative direction, combine craftsmanship, tailoring, and fashion in a unique synthesis. This is exactly what we showcase in the concept we developed, because given today’s political, social, and cultural climate, it is more important than ever to create new creative approaches, fresh interpretations, and innovative paths to build new and, above all, modern points of identification. We understand the value behind garments, honor the heritage of clothing and tradition, while reinterpreting it for a new era.