MAY DISPATCH
Greece, a Hermès party, fashion finds, things I wrote, and a new flat. May, in no particular order.
Dear friends,
There’s a season in Berlin that makes the eight months of grey feel like a reasonable trade. We’re in it. Everyone is outside, everyone’s dressed particulary nice, life’s good.
We also found a flat. Same neighbourhood, two streets over – which, if you know how Berlin flat hunting goes, is basically a miracle. Cold brew addiction fully reinstated, calendar filling up like crazy, and somehow I’ve been to more restaurants in the last three weeks than in all of winter combined.
Consider this a slightly unorganised dispatch of everything that happened in May.
Also, before we get into it – I wrote the summer capsule wardrobe guide you didn’t know you needed. Elegant, minimalist, no trends required. Read it here.
Lots of love,
Franzi
We started the month in Greece, on Crete. Child-friendly hotel, sea, sun, and the kind of lovely families you meet on holiday and genuinely hope to see again. Check out Phāea Cretan Malia here. My N°1 essentials on this trip: My round sunglasses and my tiny Longchamp net bag (currently available in black and white)
Love these monochrome black and white looks by Toteme, the kind you could probably pull off with what’s already in your wardrobe, if you’re honest with yourself. But if you’re looking for an excuse to splurge, here you go: look one, look two, look three. You’re welcome.
Taken after an early dinner in Berlin. The view onto Museum Island does things to you.
Sneak peek of what’s coming: more summer combos, more inspiration, and a genuine attempt to make getting dressed fun again. Spoiler: the trousers are COS. Yes, my DMs have been unhinged about this.
New home, new interior, new rabbit holes. These chairs stopped me in my tracks. Source.
This rewired my brain. I’m blown away. I mean it.
If you haven’t found it yet: my Summer Capsule Wardrobe is right there waiting for you. Elegant, minimalistic, built once, worn forever. No trends required. I will say it again: NO TRENDS.
I visited CHANEL Commission: Lina Lapelytė at Hamburger Bahnhof with my daughter. 400,000 wooden cubes across the historic hall, moved and reshaped by performers and visitors all day long. Part installation, part performance, part genuinely hard to explain. Kids and grown up kids are equally welcome to just play. Worth the hype. Open until January 2027, so no rush, but go.
New flat, new bedsheet era. Currently obsessed with Tekla. Recommendations welcome, genuinely asking!
Nothing to add here.
Oh, and this little thing happened in Berlin. The Hermès boutique reopening, an underground party I still can’t fully explain, and tired feet the next morning. See my look and more impressions above.
I wrote about the specific grief of wanting something quietly for weeks, only for the internet to discover it, overexpose it, and move on before you’ve even bought it. On trends, the speed of the feed, and why joy is getting harder to catch. Read “THE FILTER: By the Time I Wanted It, It Was Already Over” here.
Technically May, technically slightly past the moment, but I did confess my love for jeans, a good jumper, and loafers before it got too hot. I called it “The Transitional Sweet Spot.” Still stands!
On my way to the RIMOWA Design Prize 2026. Pleats Please trousers (on sale here), a coat (yes, a coat, two weeks ago, this city), Chanel ballet flats, Toteme bag.
Quite possibly the cutest thing I’ve bought my daughter in years, and it’s H&M. Bought a second one immediately because it will absolutely be destroyed by end of June, oh and the one in red. No notes.
Tekla kindly gifted me the most beautiful pyjama shorts and some other sleepwear items*. Find them here.
If you’re in Berlin on the 7th of June, come find me at the Designer Secondhand Market at Another June (Anklamer Straße 39) organised by Ari of course. Me and a wonderful group of women, selling our pre-loved treasures. Come say hi.
Franziska Steinle writes from Berlin, mostly about beautiful things – your source of inspiration, fashion, (pop) culture and more. Catch behind-the-scenes, daily picks and life in general on Instagram @franzi.steinle.
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Aww I went to Crete in May two years ago and it was fantastic! Still thinking of this trip a lot 🤍 Love your white-on-white look with the blouse — the perfect summer outfit!
Buying that dress for my daughter asap! And love those chairs!