Denmark in the summer sun is hard to beat. “It doesn’t feel like work,” said one editor attending Copenhagen Fashion Week. Indeed there were lots of celebrations and brand parties, including Saks Potts’s 10th anniversary wedding party and Netflix and Vogue Scandinavia’s glamorous Emily in Paris in Copenhagen shindig. Of course, there was plenty of action on the runways and at the presentations that were new to the calendar this year. Bonnetje re-created an airport maze with retractable belt stanchions that spoke to the endless rush of modern life, while Caro Editions surprised everyone by changing its presentation into the week’s most charming show.
The majority of the clothes shown at Copenhagen Fashion Week are meant for an active life; yes, for bicycling, but also for school pickup and for kicking up your heels. The lifestyle connection is very strong, but the idea that Danish (and to some extent Scandinavian) fashion is minimal by default ignores the local fashion history and denies the changes happening all around. (Di)visions’s plush-toy coat is as Danish as Skall Studio’s perfect trench coat. Nicklas Skovgaard’s pouf shapes have inspired many ballooning silhouettes—a nice kind of inflation. The student shows were full of colorful, expressive designs as well. In the face of sociopolitical and economic uncertainties, many brands played it pretty safe. The no-pants look was everywhere, but we’ve been there, done that. People do seem to justify buying jeans, and there was a wide variety of options rather than a predominant fit. Almost all the trends present in the resort collections were also served up in Denmark—but with that special local charm that has made “I left my heart in Copenhagen” a popular T-shirt slogan.
Minimal
The Scandi vibe, part I: streamlined and sophisticated