Few colors carry the kind of weight that red does. It is more than pigment—it’s pulse, it’s flame, it’s command. For its August 2025 cover, Harper’s Bazaar Germany embraces this undeniable power in an editorial titled Cherry Red, photographed by Haris Farsarakis (10AM). At its center is Greta Bultmann, who turns the color into a language of its own, one spoken in movement, poise, and presence.
Shot along a sunlit coastline, the imagery is drenched in contrasts: stone against satin, heat against cool ocean air, stillness against dynamism. The opening look sets the tone—a bead-encrusted Loewe dress in molten scarlet, shimmering as though made from sea foam kissed by fire. Under Farsarakis’ lens, the fabric doesn’t just cover the body, it moves with the elements, catching light like a living tide.
Styled by Harper’s Bazaar Germany’s editor-in-chief Kerstin Schneider, the editorial pushes red far beyond seasonal trend. It becomes narrative, character, mood. A sculptural satin gown clings with architectural precision, its smooth sheen exaggerated against rugged stone cliffs. A giant crimson hat, bold enough to rival the horizon, transforms Bultmann into a landscape unto herself—part sculpture, part skyline. Even in moments of quiet repose, reclining on sun-warmed rock, she radiates authority. Cherry red here is not decoration; it is declaration.
What gives the story its richness is its variety of forms. Red emerges in statement accessories, in flowing silhouettes, in sculpted lines that echo both the geometry of design and the fluidity of water. Each ensemble holds the same essence—passion, audacity, unforgettable energy—but translates it differently. Schneider’s styling amplifies the hue’s versatility, proving that it can smolder, blaze, or whisper, depending on the canvas it’s given.
Beauty completes the vision with equal boldness. Makeup artist Athina Karakitsou delivers sharp definition and luminosity—eyes smolder with subtle depth, while skin glows as if lit from within. The look is polished yet fresh, keeping pace with the vibrancy of the wardrobe without ever overwhelming it. Hair stylist Jose Quijano takes an equally sculptural approach, pulling hair back into impossibly sleek forms that mirror the precision of the garments. Together, they frame Bultmann as both elemental and elevated, a figure born of fire and sea.
At its core, Cherry Red is a study in attitude. Red has long been tied to emotion—love, danger, desire, courage—and the editorial captures each of those threads while weaving them into something distinctly modern. Bultmann doesn’t simply wear red; she inhabits it, embodying its contradictions. She is fierce yet serene, untouchable yet grounded, present yet mythic.
By situating the shoot against the coastline, Farsarakis adds another layer of meaning. The natural setting reminds us that red is not just a color of couture but of the earth itself—sunset skies, molten rock, flowers in bloom. It is the shade of life at its peak intensity. Here, fashion and nature are not at odds; they heighten one another. The garments pop brighter against stone and sea, while the raw landscape gains a surreal edge under the saturation of scarlet.
What Harper’s Bazaar Germany achieves in this issue is more than a striking series of photographs. It delivers a manifesto on the enduring power of red. In an industry where palettes shift with seasons and trends come and go, red remains constant. It is never neutral, never background—it demands to be seen, felt, remembered.
Greta Bultmann, in all her fire and poise, becomes the vessel for this message. With each frame, she proves that red is more than a shade for the bold—it is a state of being. Whether drenched in beads, wrapped in satin, or framed by the brim of a sweeping hat, she reminds us that fashion’s greatest moments are born not just from what we wear, but how we embody it.
Cherry Red lingers long after the page is turned, like the afterglow of sunset, like the memory of warmth on skin. It’s not just about color—it’s about command, about the ability of fashion to transform fabric and pigment into something elemental. In this editorial, red doesn’t just dress Greta Bultmann—it defines her, and in turn, defines the summer issue itself.
