Backround & Brand
AZEA ZALEA is a Black-owned, woman-led, Berlin-based fashion label founded by Afro-German designer Miriam Kuna Schade.
In response to an industry shaped by individualism, the brand makes a collective statement for cultural sustainability, community and identity.
AZEA ZALEA centers the visibility of BIPOC and challenges established codes within the fashion industry.
picture by Paulina Akbay
Out of Isolation | Towards Collective Visibility
Growing up in Potsdam, I often experienced isolation as the only Black person in the room. This sense of being “out of place” shaped both my perspective and my creative practice.
With AZEA ZALEA, I seek to transform this experience into connection: collaborating with artists from marginalized communities to create visibility, exchange and shared narratives. Fashion becomes a medium to center perspectives that are often overlooked.
Berlin, 2024
BA collection
The step from isolation towards visibility unfolds in collaboration. Each partnership brings in new perspectives, shaping AZEA ZALEA into a collective statement.
Fittings, 2024
Print Collab
Isabel known as Trashgrafiti,
is a Black African artist
living in Berlin. Through her
work, she is exploring multi
faceted interest in different
forms of expression.
Fashion Show, 2024
"Are You a Mangagirl?"
For the tights, I asked BIPOC women to reflect on questions like:
What do you like about yourself?
What do you wish for your future self?
What do you want to say to your inner child?