Copenhagen Fashion Week | Feature

Copenhagen Fashion Week | Feature |

July 6, 2020 0 Comments

AW20 report.

What’s the best fashion week location after the big four? One could easily make a case for Copenhagen fashion week.

I went to Copenhagen Fashion Week, known simply as CPHFW, to find out for myself.

Copenhagen is a notoriously popular tourist city. A cycling city. Not known for great sunny weather, but certainly highly appreciated by those who frequently visit it and those who live in it. I was super curious as to how the designers there would fare. I wasn’t disappointed.

As a member of the media/press, I was delighted to be afforded the opportunity to travel aboard the “Press Bus” which ferried us from one location to the other.

I will just list highlights of the favourite shows I attended and absolutely loved. At MYKKE HOFMANN, who describe themselves as a “female design collective with balkan roots” who believe in “the power of being subtly striking” I was super impressed with their latest collection. The all white outfits with the black boots were a striking collection. The buttoned cotton dresses were outstanding. The shiny coated blouses and skirts. Shout out to whoever choreographed the runway too. The purple, orange and red coloured items were very well coordinated and made quite the impression.

At Remain Birger Christensen there was a blend of powerful and sharp silhouettes. Black denim and workwear flannels added a raw element to the evening wear mixed with glossy and feminine fabrics for a more soft and sexier look.

Colours were monochrome and dominated by black, white and greys. Powder pinks, fluffy purples and clear mints were added to create a feminine and lingerie inspired feeling.

At MUNTHE, which i loved, the key fabrics & items of this collection were pinstripes, windowcheck, denim, leather pattern, colour-blocking, silk blend bold styles with signature print, hoodies and t-shirts with inspiration modelled on Brâncuși, a famous 20th century sculptor.

One of my favourite shows at CPHFW was HELMESTEDT. This brand only debuted its first collection in August 2018, but already seems well on its way to massive success at fashion week. It describes its designs as a “merge between quality, comfort and colours”

The colours at this show. The colours! There were dresses with lots of fruit styles on them. Dresses with grapes. Dresses with strawberries. The colourful quilted jackets were also a great highlight.

Another show I attended and thoroughly enjoyed was STAND STUDIO. Founded in 2014 it specialises in suede, wool and faux fur. Describes itself as providing “iconic Scandinavian simplicity”.

The collection? In short, fabulous leather items and even more fabulous big coats! Most items were perfectly accessorised with big handbags. I especially liked the faux fur LUNA handbag. Most items were given names. The Megan Pants. The Lauren dress. Mollie Coat. Amelia skirt. And so forth. Which I thought was an interesting touch.

The most fun show I attended was WOOD WOOD. Founded in 2002 and based in Copenhagen, this was naturally a very popular show. A brand popular with mixing high fashion, sports & streetwear with youth culture, art & music. This was immediately apparent before the show even started. The runway was square shaped, and in it’s centre, was music group When Saints Go Machine, serenading everyone with live music, which went on for the whole show. It made the experience highly pleasurable. The collection had many waistcoats, fancy dungarees, and funky boots. The music? A solid 10. A most memorable show.

At MALENE BIRGER I really LOVED the hats & sunglasses. Accessories at fashion shows will make THAT much of an impression, on some of us. It’s a Danish womenswear brand that creates classic silhouettes and “playful feminine details”.

The wooden pieces were exquisite. The double breasted suits and coats were majestic. The stripes pieces were striking. A stunning collection.

The most aesthetically pleasing show at CPHW for me was the super sexy presentation at CUSTOMMADE. I really really enjoyed this show. Established in 2002, this brand describes itself as one that “celebrates women that radiate confidence”. The set up was more of a presentation, but there were intermediate runway times every so often. It was set up as a classroom, with extremely well dressed students, complete with a well dressed teacher walking around the classroom. It was playful and fun, and extremely pleasing to look at.

Equally as pleasing to the eye, and one of my favourite shows, was the equally colourful and beautifully curated show at HENRIK VIBSKOV.

A graduate of Central Saint Martin’s in 2001, he has continued a steady path with an upward trajectory in the fashion world. He is famous for “creativity without limits” and has exhibited at festivals and in museums. He’s also designed costumes for ballet and opera performers.

At his latest collection we were greeted to pink bath installations with performance artists in them. Then the show started, and an actual fire halted the show! We all had to leave. Once that was swiftly sorted out by the efficient fire brigade, we were all glad the show resumed to finish. The pieces were majestic. The layering was majestic. The puffer jackets induced an immediate need for them. The hats. The shoes. The accessories. A work of art. A testament to the designer’s visionary approach to fashion that works so well.

Memorable mention to MICHAEL OLESTAD & [DI] VISION which i attended and also enjoyed.

Verdict? Copenhagen Fashion Week looks set to grow bigger and bigger. Many fellow editors i met remarked they’d never miss it for the world. Me too. The future of fashions shows for the rest of 2020 remains uncertain, but what isn’t uncertain is the rise and rise and rise of Danish [and Scandi] fashion and Copenhagen Fashion Week.