Copenhagen Fashion Week is Scandinavia’s only fashion week and has become increasingly prominent in the fashion calendar in recent years. It leads the fashion month calendar ahead of New York, London, Milan, and Paris, giving us an insight into possible upcoming runway trends and emerging talent.
Danish fashion is very popular on social media thanks to prominent Danish stylists like Alexandra Carl or Instagram friendly labels Stand Studio and Cecilie Bahnsen.
Of all the cities that show during fashion month, Copenhagen is focused on being the most sustainable. Not only does each participating brand bound by CPHFW’s own ambitious Sustainability Action Plan, but it banned the use of single-use plastic hangers and garment bags, and is committed to offsetting its own carbon emissions by enforcing strict preventive production policies.
“All industry players – including fashion weeks – have to be accountable for their actions and be willing to change the way business is done. The timeframe for averting the devastating effects of climate change on the planet and people is less than a decade, and we’re already witnessing its catastrophic impacts today. Put simply, there can be no status quo,” urged Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO of Copenhagen Fashion Week, at the press conference for the launch of the plan in 2020.
2022 was a particularly interesting year with beautiful offerings from a variety of designers.
Collection standouts
Colour, particularly bright and neon colours were a common feature across the collections.
Stine Goya's AW22 Inside Out collection was largely inspired by Olafur Eliasson’s LIFE artwork and really guided the palette. There were playful patterns and a variety of textures running throughout.
Saks Pots presented their AW22 collection in the grand foyer of the Royal Danish Opera House, AW22 continued with the theme of previous collections which centred around the creation of the ultimate closet. Sheer textures were featured alongside snakeskin and shiny leather tailored pieces which echoed a late 1990’s silhouette.
Designers’ Nest is a non-profit talent incubator committed to spotlighting the most promising designers coming out of Scandinavia’s schools. This year’s showcase was made up of 10 recent graduates from institutions including Helsinki’s Aalto University, the Swedish College of Textiles in Stockholm, and the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. Japanese designer Rentaro Iino presented a beautiful sculptural collection made from colourful and dynamic merino knits. All the knitted elements: braided ruffle knits, knitted stuffed boa, cord knits and chunky sweaters - are linked by either hand knitting, knitting on a domestic machine or digital knitting. He graduated from the prestigious Oslo National Academy of the Art.
His Prize was a six-month paid internship with Benjamin Huseby and Serhat Işık at the Trussardi studio in Berlin, to assist on the relaunch of the label.
A. Roege Hove showcased their 5th ready-to-wear collection on the runway for AW22. The label has a commitment to sustainability and is known for experimenting with both traditional and completely new knitwear techniques to create intriguing pieces that cling to the body. “I get inspiration by how the pieces fit different bodies. I find it so beautiful that the knit can adapt depending on the shape of the wearer’s body,” Copenhagen native Amalie Roege Hove is quoted as saying in WWD.
Street style and fabulous genes is also what Copenhagen is known for, with iconic and fashion defining stars such as the previously mentioned
Carl, Betty Bachz and Pernille Teisbaek. Reoccurring themes on the street for AW22 were oversized or baggy trousers, bright pop colours and dynamic layering.
ARTICLE BY SARAH MICHELLE
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