SUMO Turns Archival Fashion into a Living Exhibition in Berlin

SUMO’s first permanent Berlin space reframes archival fashion as cultural practice, uniting rare runway pieces, rigorous research and contemporary art within an evolving gallery-led experience.

Founded in Berlin in 2021, SUMO, an online store for vintage couture run by Alana Richards, is going public and opens its first permanent space on 12 September 2026. SUMO focuses on archival fashion with an emphasis on designers including Thierry Mugler, Yves Saint Laurent, and John Galliano. Opening in Berlin-Charlottenburg, the SUMO Store will house an evolving selection of womenswear and menswear, ranging from rare runway andcollector pieces to carefully curated vintage clothing and accessories such as bags and jewellery, alongside fashion, photography, and art books.

“SUMO has always existed at the intersection of fashion and art, so Charlottenburg feels like a very natural home for us. At Leibnizstrasse, we are positioned between the luxury fashion of Kudamm and the galleries of Mommsenstrasse – right between those two worlds. I think SUMO brings something different to the neighbourhood: a store focused on archival fashion that complements what is already here while offering something new to this part of Berlin,” says founder Alana Richards.

The store takes a gallery-led approach, with an open and considered use of space that allows individual pieces tobe seen clearly alongside photography and books. A central Le Corbusier LC6 table anchors the space, with a selection of fashion, photography, and art books for visitors to explore. Displays will evolve regularly as new piece senter the collection.

SUMO is drawn to fashion with a clear design identity. The selected pieces are characterised by silhouette, construction, and a strong expression of a designer’s vision. The runway is an important reference point for the collection. Key designers and brands include Thierry Mugler, Alaïa, Yves Saint Laurent, Dior by John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Gucci by Tom Ford, Givenchy, and Jean Paul Gaultier. The selection focuses on runway-documented and runway-adjacent pieces from key periods of their work, while remaining open to other designersthat align with the SUMO point of view. Research also plays a role in how the collection is presented. Whereverpossible, pieces are identified by season and collection, with runway imagery, campaign references, editorialappearances, and other documentation providing further context.

The Gallery: A regular programme of exhibitions will form an integral part of the SUMO store, presenting workacross fashion, photography, and art. Exhibitions will change throughout the year, bringing new work and perspectives into the space alongside the evolving collection.

On the occasion of the store opening, SUMO willpresent the solo show Going Underground by Leonard Drorian, a photographer from LosAngeles. Working between Berlin and his hometown, Leonard will present a selection of his fashion-based photographs, shot with analogue film and drawing on a cinematic visual language. His photographs have been featured by LensCulture and PhotoVogue, and published byoutlets such as Schön and Contributor. He holds a master’s degree in Cinema from UCLA and continues to develop long-term photographic series alongside commissioned work.

About SUMO’s founder:

Alana Richards is the founder of SUMO. Originally from Ireland, she moved to  Berlin in 2008, where she worked as a contemporary artist for over a decade, producing a number of her own exhibitions. She also brings extensive experience as a visual merchandiser within luxury fashion and retail. This combination of art, fashion, and visual presentation has shaped SUMO’s curatorial and visual direction since the outset.

Past collaborations include SO/ Berlin Das Stue and SO/ Paris, with a dedicated Paris pop-up during Paris Fashion Week and Haute Couture Week. SUMO has also collaborated with Amanda Lepore on an original analogue editorial photographed in New York.

Film, Television & Clients: Pieces sourced by SUMO have been acquired for productions including And Just Like That (worn by Sarah Jessica Parker) and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, and purchased by clients including Law Roach, Laverne Cox, and Ariana Grande.

Opening: Saturday, 12 September 2026, 4 – 10 pm
Location: SUMO Store, Leibnizstrasse 48, 10629 Berlin

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