Change of clothes at the Kunsthalle Bielefeld: The ‘Building bridges – creative and sustainable’ project was about swapping, repairing and upcycling – and, incidentally, also about talking to each other.
It is shortly after 5 p.m. in the Kunsthalle Bielefeld. Jackets, dresses, blouses, trousers and sweaters are distributed on tables. People go from table to table, take a closer look, take a piece of clothing in their hand, hold it by themselves. Others come in with bags full of clothes. It is sorted, browsed, tried on and asked in between: ‘Is that up to me?’
‘What's going on here today?’ asks a surprised visitor to the Kunsthalle with an interest.
On August 19, the answer is: After Work dress exchange party. Within the framework of the project ‘Building bridges – creative and sustainable’ visitors can bring well-preserved clothes that they no longer wear themselves – and perhaps go home with a new favourite piece.
With every quarter of an hour, more people arrive. The tables are revisited again and again, clothes change hands and some disappear quite quickly in a bag brought along.
Regina is one of the visitors. She likes flea markets and has become aware of the event through a newspaper article. Nevertheless, this evening is something else for her:
“Flea markets are also interesting, but this is about exchanges without money playing a role. This makes everything even easier. And you meet people from different groups.”
This is exactly what happens between the tables. People come into conversation, show each other finds or give an opinion. Sometimes a dress that two people discover at the same time is enough for the first set.
What's broken doesn't have to go away
A few steps further in the mall, the term ‘clothes swap’ gets another meaning. This is not about finding, but about continuing with what is already there.
Together with the Repair-Café by Transition Town Bielefeld garments can be repaired or altered on site. After all, an open seam, a hole or a sweater that is no longer worn in this way does not automatically mean the end of a garment.
A visitor brings a broken sweater – and at the end she has something completely different in her hand:
“I actually had a scarf made from a broken sweater and I hope my husband will be happy about it.”
The upcycling station is also under consideration: Pieces found can be changed and individually designed. Something used does not necessarily result in something new – but something new for the person taking it.
Daniela learned about a Bielefeld WhatsApp group from the dress exchange party. She comes early and therefore still has time to unpack her brought things in peace. Soon after, the atmosphere changes.
“Something is always found.And if not? Then you may go home without a new piece of clothing, but with an idea of what can still be made of an old one. Or with the idea of not immediately thinking about the old clothing container the next time you sort it out", says Daniela.
That night, things don't move anonymously. Sometimes you can even see who discovers your own jacket or blouse, tries on it – and finally takes it with you. “I don’t wear that anymore” becomes “I take that with me” for someone else.
Around 8 p.m., the Kunsthalle slowly empties again. The last pieces are looked at, bags packed. And somewhere in between, a broken sweater leaves the Kunsthalle as a scarf.
Reporter Marvin Hendrik Konrad reports about the dress exchange party in the Kunsthalle Bielefeld
Local time OWL 08/19/2026 09:47 Min. Available until 08/19/2028 WDR By Marvin Hendrik Konrad
