IMAGERY By James Cochrane via Copenhagen Fashion Week
In times of crisis, we tend to hold one another that little bit closer, and this season was Copenhagen Fashion Week’s most intimate season yet. From Saks Potts scaling back their usual show spectacle, instead showcasing its AW24 collection in-store, to Stine Goya opening the doors of its atelier and Mpfen hustling attendees around the catwalk in a close-knit gig-like ensemble. With the cost of living on the rise, breaking into fashion seems harder now than ever before and this season saw multiple designers take the runway with a collective call to arms. VAIN explored the juxtaposition between work and our passions, embodying a love story between life and our creative labour.
“We have now been in the industry for almost three years, gradually getting into the rhythm of fashion. In this time, we have created our own version of the infamous rat race,” says Creative Director Jimi Vain. “We live and work from Helsinki which is not a typical fashion capital. It’s a city with a calmer phase where creativity can bloom freely.” STAMM marched models down the runway in home comforts, from eye masks and towels to oversized duvet jackets while nodding to our hopes of a Free Palestine. GANNI, Copenhagen’s usual blockbuster closing show, unexpectedly decided to sit out this season altogether, instead curating an exhibition that passed the baton to emerging Nordic designers paving the way for a sustainable future. Wood Wood held a show in total silence, apart from awkward whispers between attendees, camera clicks and one unfortunate attendee who loudly dropped their phone on the runway.
While there were some stand-out moments or mishaps, the main topic of conversation between editors and journalists this week was that the collections were more understated in comparison to previous CPHFW seasons. “It’s been a little bit subdued,” says Vogue Scandinavia print editor Allyson Shiffman. “You can really feel the state of the economy. The collections feel – it’s not necessarily a bad thing – but commercial.”
STAMM
Elisabet Stamm’s eponymous label has swiftly emerged as one of the most exciting names in the Danish fashion scene. Held within the Copenhagen Contemporary Art Centre, their latest offering was showcased amidst a set of everyday mundane objects, from baskets overflowing with lemons, discarded half-drank water bottles and ordinary office furniture. Soundtracked by live spoken word poet Ephraim Raiden Rose, models marched wearing under-eye masks and bulky capacious bomber jackets reminiscent of duvets, a play on making the ordinary, extraordinary.
“Since I was a child, I have loved dressing up in my dad’s big jacket and in my career this is also where I have explored most,” Stamm shares. The collection explores the balance of commercialism with art and our human possibilities. Slouchy sweatshirts and T-shirts were emblazoned with ‘POTENTIAL’ lettering, oversized denim jackets were bleached, jeans featured pre-dirted finishings and styled with pillowcase handbags perfected for daytime napping. “I incorporated the towels as a series of comfortable pieces. Like putting on everything from your hotel bedroom from the pillows to the towels,” he added.
OpéraSPORT
This season, founders Stephanie Gundelach and Awa Malina Stelter continued to explore the juxtaposition of their brand’s name, playing with the lavish elegant aesthetics of Parisian Opéras along with the functionality of sports culture. “It’s a celebration of contrasts, gracefully merging the grandeur of the opera with the practicality inherent in sports. Additionally, we’ve meticulously integrated quilts and embroideries inspired by the intricate shapes of baroque architecture,” said Stelter and Gundelach.
Staged within the entrance hall of Copenhagen’s Opera House, the collection seamlessly transitioned from day to night, starting with earthy tones that gradually deepen to vigorous shades of crimson and plum. Most significantly, in a commitment to sustainability, the collection incorporated eco-conscious materials like organic cotton, recycled polyester, recycled vegan leather, and recycled wool. Accessories were expanded, featuring bags made from biobased leather created from leftover apple peel. With media layoffs left, right and centre – and fears of how AI will impact fashion writers, as well as booking models – this season, the label celebrated journalists, booking Elle UK’s Eni Subair, British Vogue’s Alice Cary and Itunu Oke from GQ to walk the runway.
Nicklas Skovgaard
We were given fantasy and drama this season as Nicklas Skovgaard’s designs danced along the runway. Constructing just two collections per year, each body of work from Nicklas Skovgaard builds upon the last, acting with an evolutionary purpose. The brand’s style is characterised by volume, dramatic silhouettes and unique proportions which create a dreamlike state. This show brought the theatre to fashion that we long for; the models were dancing and flowing around us. Interacting with each other through a warm embrace, the performance showcased the movement of the clothing with ease.
The use of everyday mundane objects on the runway removed the serious element and related the viewer to the show itself. One model strutted the runway with their phone in hand to turn the camera on the audience and normalise the act of documenting our lives. Another prop used in the show was a banana peel that was playfully thrown into the crowd, adding a sense of theatrical play and humour.
This season saw extended collars, billowing feathers, glossy leather and substantial waistlines and hemlines, heavily influenced by iconic shapes of 80s nostalgia. The collection displayed an array of knitwear as you could expect from a Scandinavian brand, but these often simple pieces were elevated through shape and texture, including some smothered in sequins. These elements proposed that the dancing models wanted practicality and warmth, while still wanting to be the best dressed at the function.
Paolina Russo
Paolina Russo continued to bring the fun this fashion week season with its performative runway show. London knitwear design duo Paolina Russo and Lucile Guilmard took CPHFW for the second year running, making inclusion and sustainability the main focus of the brand which is reflected in their global audience. As well as showcasing the brand’s signature illusion knitwear, it introduced new featured pieces such as sporty leisurewear and denim two-piece sets. The material of these new designs was marked with brown, spilled dye which suggests the designs have been trodden and mischievously stepped on. This emulated the carefree energy of children returning home after playing, with their colourful clothing being covered in memories of outdoor adventures.
The colour palette was composed of earthy tones paired with pastel shades inspired by rainbows forming amid our usual mundane surroundings. The sense of play was continued with the show’s set design, as the models’ movements were controlled with large pink and striped animal-shaped balloons during the interval. The models stumbled their movements and gathered in the centre of the catwalk to perform a stunt pushing the models through the cluster of balloons. The eclectic colours and designs of the pieces felt like a magical alchemy, fragments of childlike imagination coming to life. The designs brought together themes of French folklore and combined prehistoric, apocalyptic and neolithic references shown in a futuristic light. Paolina Russo gave us everything weird, wacky and wonderful that our inner child could only dream of.
Alectra Rothschild
The Alectra Rothschild / Masculina show was a huge moment for the queer community of Copenhagen this season. The Danish clothing brand is built on craftsmanship, glamour and empowerment. The openness and versatility of the designs called for queer liberation and trans inclusivity in the fashion industry and beyond. Supported by Copenhagen Fashion Week’s official New Talent program, the designer also participated in Gang’s exhibition. The show was like a party and the atmosphere was electrifying as the show slowly transformed from show space to club dancefloor with experimental sounds hosted by a live DJ.
The ‘Rebirth Carry’ collection represented the process of rebirthing and renewal through design, which reflected a personal transformative journey. Inclusivity was at the forefront of the show while Rothschild created a zero-waste technique which can be worn simultaneously on a multitude of bodies. The garments were made from upcycled textiles and drew from the profound question of what happens after death.
The feeling of being reborn into a new life is an experience shared by many in the queer community and the collection navigated the complex feelings with introspection and delicacy. An array of soft mesh pieces graced the runway which were extended through latex headwear, belted hardware and leather details. The looks combined traditional odes to femininity with juxtaposed harsh materials showing the highs and lows of the process. The draped fabrics and sleekness of the looks evoked the fluidity of water and reinterpreted references of Greek gods through a futuristic lens. The pieces were cut and shaped to form fit the figure, embracing the human body as an integral part of the collection. This was much more than a fashion show – its display of transformation showed us the evolution of the fashion world and the importance of self-expression.
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