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YOUR BIKE IN THE HANDS OF A PRO: OLIVER GRABOWSKI BRINGS 18 YEARS OF PRO CYCLING EXPERTISE TO PANKOW

YOUR BIKE IN THE HANDS OF A PRO: OLIVER GRABOWSKI BRINGS 18 YEARS OF PRO CYCLING EXPERTISE TO PANKOW

Your road or gravel bike has carried you for countless kilometers, but lately something has started squeaking, the gears are sticking, or the chain just doesn’t run as smoothly as it used to? For a bike you’ve probably invested quite a bit of money in, you want someone who really knows it inside and out. You’ll find exactly that kind of expertise in Pankow, at Heynhöfe, home to Grabowski Pro Radsport. As soon as you turn into Heynhöfe, you get the feeling that time moves a little slower here. Slightly removed from the bustle of the city, you’ll find a bike workshop on the left where you can quite literally leave your bike in the best possible hands: those of Oliver Grabowski. Meet him, and you’ll quickly understand why you can trust him with your bike without hesitation. He’s calm, warm and approachable, with a genuine passion for his craft. No surprise, really, as Oliver spent eighteen years working as a mechanic in professional cycling, traveling with various teams to some of the biggest races in the world. Among them were the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España. Add to that two Olympic Games and seven World Championships, as well as more than 1,200 UCI WorldTour races (the international governing body for cycling, comparable to FIFA in football) across 35 countries on five continents. You get the picture: your bike is in good hands with Oliver. See some of the credentials and licences he collected during those years on display in the workshop.

There’s plenty more to discover at Heynhöfe, too. A tapas bar invites you to stay awhile, flea markets pop up from time to time, there’s a small Christmas market in winter, and every now and then, people gather to watch a major cycling race together. After eighteen years spent traveling between races and airports, Oliver wanted to return home to be closer to his family, and he turned that wish into reality by opening his own workshop. We got to see Oliver at work ourselves. He showed us how he waxes a chain instead of oiling it — a technique that is increasingly replacing traditional chain maintenance and makes for noticeably smoother running. What impressed us most was his absolute calmness, paired with an obvious level of expertise. Chain waxing is just one part of what he offers: bike checks and adjustments, cleaning and maintenance, bike builds and customization (from conversions and vintage projects to upgrades), as well as bike fitting. The philosophy behind his shop is simple: expensive professional bikes deserve professional care. In the end, it’s Oliver’s experience, personalized advice, and the feeling that you’re genuinely putting your bike in the hands of a professional that make all the difference. So, if your bike is due for a check-up, stop by Oliver’s workshop in Pankow. And while you’re already at Heynhöfe, there’s coffee and a few tapas right next door!

Text: Johann Busch / Photos: Aditya Christian

Grabowski Pro Radsport, Heynstr.15, 13187 Berlin–Pankow; map

@grabowskiproradsport

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FIND CHEAP PRICES FOR YOUR ROUTE WITH THE BAHNSCANNER

FIND CHEAP PRICES FOR YOUR ROUTE WITH THE BAHNSCANNER

If that isn’t a buzzword headline, I don’t know what is. You might be thinking, Is this really a Cee Cee tip?! But honestly, who doesn’t want to travel by train for less? (We’d happily take more punctual trains, too, but unfortunately we can’t help with that.) This rather user-friendly innovation called bahnscanner.de landed in our inbox courtesy of a Berliner and, like all our tips, was promptly put to the test. And now I’m looking forward to my train ride to Frankfurt am Main. Not only because of the people I’ll see there, but because my ticket cost less than ten euros. Thank you to founder Naman for making the long journey from northern India (Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, to be precise) to Berlin. While he was spared a culture shock upon arrival, there was, as he puts it, a definite weather shock. Ah, the Berlin winter… no comparison to Jaipur’s long, sun-filled days. In a way, Bahnscanner is Naman’s escape strategy. He liked Skyscanner’s “Travel anytime, anywhere” feature, but prefers traveling by train, not least because it’s the more sustainable option. When he realized there was no equivalent feature for booking with Deutsche Bahn, he built one himself. Bahnscanner helps you find inexpensive train tickets, and, more importantly, an affordable trip when you don’t necessarily have a destination in mind yet. (For those moments when you simply want to get away.) Bahnscanner is Naman’s side project, one he’s been working on for the past few months while actively incorporating user feedback. Watching user numbers climb and following the live logs gives him, he admits, a small dopamine hit. He has no plans to sell Bahnscanner for now. Instead, he’d rather collaborate with Deutsche Bahn, particularly when it comes to API access. And yes, AI has played its part. Naman says it sped up development considerably, particularly for areas new to him, such as front-end development. More than anything, though, he uses it as a sparring partner: testing different approaches, weighing one solution against another, and working through the options before deciding which way to go.

But enough tech, back to the nicer part: traveling. Since Naman is well on his way to becoming an expert on exploring Germany, I asked him for one of his favorite routes. His pick: Dresden to Schmilka, following the Elbe with views of Saxon Switzerland. Also on his list is the wonderfully named Bingen, from where he’d continue toward Koblenz — preferably on foot through the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. But of course, I couldn’t resist asking for a recommendation for really good food from closer to home. Naman’s answer: Food Haus Berlin at the Dong Xuan Center. The small, unpretentious Pakistani restaurant serves the best aloo paratha he’s found in Berlin so far. You won’t need Bahnscanner for a trip to the Dong Xuan Center. But I quite like Naman’s idea of occasionally letting the ticket price decide the destination. Perhaps you don’t always need to know exactly where you’re going. Most of the time, it’s enough just to get away.

Text: Nina Trippel / Photos: Anna Nekrashevich, Domjant, Matt Mutlu

Bahnscanner

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A TOUCH OF LONDON IN SCHILLERKIEZ: CHARLES EDWARD HAIR SALON

A TOUCH OF LONDON IN SCHILLERKIEZ: CHARLES EDWARD HAIR SALON

For me, a haircut hovers somewhere between necessity and indulgence. Charles Edward disagrees. For him, it’s more like a basic right. Everyone deserves a great haircut, which is exactly why he opened his own Neukölln salon in June 2026. Charles Edward is from the UK. London, to be exact. While the salon is elegant — mid-century furniture, softly tinted walls, wood shelving — the man himself looks more like a young Alexander McQueen, with neon shorts and sporty sneakers. Why Berlin and not London? Life here, he says, is still manageable. Berliners love to complain about rising costs, but they’re nothing next to what he’d be facing back home. Charles has called Berlin home for more than twelve years now and found this generous space on a side street in Schillerkiez, which had been vacant for a long time. Three chairs up front, and in back, a washroom that’s more like a mini-spa — birdsong included.

If you come looking for the latest hypebeast fade or something more avant-garde, I might not be your best guide. But the mullets are having a moment here, too. Classic cuts, expertly done, are more up my alley, and this is, unmistakably, a salon with high standards. What matters most is suitability, and getting there takes an honest look in the mirror, together. That grounded honesty is, for me, more relaxing than the birdsong, the wash, the head massage, and the good music combined. And you might catch Charles behind the decks somewhere, DJing instead of holding scissors. If you’re feeling like you deserve a fresh haircut now, let’s do this. P.S. I haven’t tried it yet, but it’s on the list: getting my color done by Agathe, the salon’s second talent. If you’ve already been, let us know.

Text: Nina Trippel / Photos: Mirko Meister

Charles Edward, Weisestr.12, 12049 Berlin–Neukölln; Stadtplan

@charlesedwardhairsalon

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RETURN TO SENDER: BOBBY KOLADE REVERSES TEXTILE COLONIALISM

RETURN TO SENDER: BOBBY KOLADE REVERSES TEXTILE COLONIALISM

In the mid-2010s, Bobby Kolade was one of Berlin’s most promising emerging fashion designers. Celebrated as a rising star, he won prestigious awards and presented his collections at Berlin Fashion Week. Until, towards the end of the decade, he suddenly disappeared from the fashion calendar. Now, Kolade is back. And this time, he returns with a powerful message that challenges our consumer-driven society and exposes the environmental impact of the West’s second-hand clothing exports on the African continent. At the same time, he demonstrates the immense potential hidden in the resources that are discarded every day. For his label Buzigahill, founded in Uganda in 2022, Kolade works exclusively with garments sourced from Owino Market, the vast second-hand market in the capital, Kampala. These are clothes originally manufactured in Europe or North America that have ended up threatening both the local environment and Uganda’s traditional textile industry. According to WasteAid, an astonishing 90,000 tonnes of used clothing are discarded in Uganda each year. The uncomfortable truth is this: the world does not need more clothes, it needs radically new ideas for what to do with the ones we already have. Kolade has a vision. At Buzigahill, discarded shirts, suits, T-shirts and jeans are transformed into contemporary designs that are sent back to their original senders in Europe. Here, sporty minimalism meets craftsmanship and history, while sustainability goes hand in hand with upcycling.

The look of each collection is shaped by the daily discoveries at the market, making every garment a handcrafted one-of-a-kind. It’s circular fashion with a detour, but one with enormous potential. Born in Uganda to a German-Sudanese family, Bobby Kolade studied fashion design in Berlin before returning to Africa in 2018. Since 2025, he has once again been presenting his collections at Berlin Fashion Week. Together with filmmaker Nikissi Serumaga, Bobby Kolade co-hosts the podcast Vintage or Violence. In each episode, the two examine the promises and pitfalls of the West’s culture of clothing donations while unpacking the realities of Uganda’s second-hand clothing trade.

Text: Olga Blumhardt / Photos: Ken Dumevi, Baronova Studio, Dominik Odenkirchen

Buzigahill

@buzigahill.official

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BERLIN FASHION WEEK: FASHION, WORKSHOPS & THE VOGUE CAFÉ OPEN TO ALL

BERLIN FASHION WEEK: FASHION, WORKSHOPS & THE VOGUE CAFÉ OPEN TO ALL

Berlin is not a traditional fashion capital like Paris or Milan. But the good thing about Berlin Fashion Week (02–05.07) is that it offers plenty for those who aren’t on agency and label VIP lists. Berlin fashion has always been and remains a space for people who are passionate about it. (Even without a high budget or guest list.) Here are the best events, pop-ups, and workshops that don’t require exclusive access. A good overview is offered by Raum.Berlin, an initiative by the Fashion Council Germany. From 02.-05.07, 16 selected labels — including Natascha von Hirschhausen, Vladimir Karaleev, and Anne Bernecker — present their latest collections. Free registration grants entry. At the same time, Vogue Germany is hosting the Vogue Café on Rosenthaler Straße. Expect coffee and ice cream alongside networking, workshops, and talks with the Vogue editorial team. You can register here. For those craving avant-garde, one-offs afterwards, Berlin label Lou de Bètoly is among the city’s best and is opening its pop-up gallery, where handcrafted textiles will be exhibited and, in some cases, available for purchase. One of the best destinations for design is Platte Berlin. Alongside rotating showcases, there will also be hands-on craft. On Friday (03.07.), designer Marlon Ferry is hosting a latex couture workshop. Also on Friday, Ljubljana Fashion Week: On Board Berlin presents a selection of Slovenian designers, kicking off the evening with a warm-up party.

In typical Berlin style, things are expected to get lively in Kreuzberg between 20-21h. Hulfe label presents a 180 Days of Kotti runway performance at Adalbertstraße 96. At Villa Griesbach, the exhibition Angelica Blechschmidt – In the Archives runs until 16.07. Blechschmidt was editor-in-chief of German Vogue between 1979 and 2003 and, during this formative period, captured many behind-the-scenes and on-stage snapshots of the high-fashion industry. The glimpse into her extensive archive is also worth it for the beautiful location and its garden. On Saturday (04.07.), graduates of the University of the Arts Berlin (UdK) will present their final collections. Free and outdoors under the title Silver Lining: Fashion as Protest. The students will move their traditional runway show entirely into an open-air performance on Bleibtreustraße. On the same day, the Berlin collective Richert Beil celebrates the official opening of its new store at Muskauer Straße 41. Stop by, have a drink, and support local design.

Text: Olga Blumhardt / Photos: Lealabob, Panos Gotsis, Jan Reiser

Berlin Fashion Week
02.–05.07.2026. Find the full program here.

@berlinfashionwe

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