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With Brangelina and TomKat roaming the streets of Berlin, the time is ripe for other seemingly impossible connections between Hollywood and the hauptstadt. Despite being polar opposites in terms of relative wealth and hours of sunshine, Berlin and Los Angeles both have a hipster scene that’s threatening cultural domination, potentially dooming us all to a new rave future full of sagging skinny jeans, neon leggings, and American Apparel’s creepy advertising. But let’s go against the German grain here, be optimistic, and consider the upside of Berlin’s refusal to abandon the 1980s and early 1990s. For one, the precedent set by the Berlin Wall’s East Side Gallery has made the city one big coloring book for anyone wielding spraypaint. And, along with recent citywide renovations, Berlin’s graffiti epidemic has also gotten an upgrade. Renowned street artists such as Os Gemeos, the London Police, Swoon, Banksy, and others have contributed to the urban landscape over the past few years, raising the lowbrow bar from basic counter-culture to chic street-couture.
Lowbrow street style is also infiltrating upscale galleries, boutiques, cafes, and clubs, but without selling out. This miracle of anti-mainstreaming is Berlin’s blessing in disguise — basically the fact that the city is flat broke (about $75 billion in debt) and overflowing with young designers, starving artists, and 30-year-old students who would rather die than graduate and get a job. Mayor Klaus Wowereit said it best in 2003 when he notoriously described Berlin as “poor but sexy,” which also sums up the majority of its residents to this day. But whether you own a pair of Louboutins or checkered Vans, you’ll probably appreciate Berlin’s lowbrow scene, which is slowly but surely making its way into the highbrow arena and introducing the street to the elite. Here are some picks to get the best of both worlds.
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With Brangelina and TomKat roaming the streets of Berlin, the time is ripe for other seemingly impossible connections between Hollywood and the hauptstadt. Despite being polar opposites in terms of relative wealth and hours of sunshine, Berlin and Los Angeles both have a hipster scene that’s threatening cultural domination, potentially dooming us all to a […]
With Brangelina and TomKat roaming the streets of Berlin, the time is ripe for other seemingly impossible connections between Hollywood and the hauptstadt. Despite being polar opposites in terms of relative wealth and hours of sunshine, Berlin and Los Angeles both have a hipster scene that’s threatening cultural domination, potentially dooming us all to a […]
With Brangelina and TomKat roaming the streets of Berlin, the time is ripe for other seemingly impossible connections between Hollywood and the hauptstadt. Despite being polar opposites in terms of relative wealth and hours of sunshine, Berlin and Los Angeles both have a hipster scene that’s threatening cultural domination, potentially dooming us all to a […]
With Brangelina and TomKat roaming the streets of Berlin, the time is ripe for other seemingly impossible connections between Hollywood and the hauptstadt. Despite being polar opposites in terms of relative wealth and hours of sunshine, Berlin and Los Angeles both have a hipster scene that’s threatening cultural domination, potentially dooming us all to a […]
With Brangelina and TomKat roaming the streets of Berlin, the time is ripe for other seemingly impossible connections between Hollywood and the hauptstadt. Despite being polar opposites in terms of relative wealth and hours of sunshine, Berlin and Los Angeles both have a hipster scene that’s threatening cultural domination, potentially dooming us all to a […]
With Brangelina and TomKat roaming the streets of Berlin, the time is ripe for other seemingly impossible connections between Hollywood and the hauptstadt. Despite being polar opposites in terms of relative wealth and hours of sunshine, Berlin and Los Angeles both have a hipster scene that’s threatening cultural domination, potentially dooming us all to a […]
With Brangelina and TomKat roaming the streets of Berlin, the time is ripe for other seemingly impossible connections between Hollywood and the hauptstadt. Despite being polar opposites in terms of relative wealth and hours of sunshine, Berlin and Los Angeles both have a hipster scene that’s threatening cultural domination, potentially dooming us all to a […]
With Brangelina and TomKat roaming the streets of Berlin, the time is ripe for other seemingly impossible connections between Hollywood and the hauptstadt. Despite being polar opposites in terms of relative wealth and hours of sunshine, Berlin and Los Angeles both have a hipster scene that’s threatening cultural domination, potentially dooming us all to a […]
With Brangelina and TomKat roaming the streets of Berlin, the time is ripe for other seemingly impossible connections between Hollywood and the hauptstadt. Despite being polar opposites in terms of relative wealth and hours of sunshine, Berlin and Los Angeles both have a hipster scene that’s threatening cultural domination, potentially dooming us all to a […]
With Brangelina and TomKat roaming the streets of Berlin, the time is ripe for other seemingly impossible connections between Hollywood and the hauptstadt. Despite being polar opposites in terms of relative wealth and hours of sunshine, Berlin and Los Angeles both have a hipster scene that’s threatening cultural domination, potentially dooming us all to a […]
