HEADER IMAGE Baum und Pferdgarten backstage shot by Bryndis Thorsteinsdottir, courtesy of Copenhagen Fashion Week
As Copenhagen Fashion Week opens its doors, the AW26 schedule reads as both a homecoming and a proving ground, balancing established names with a wave of designers stepping into the spotlight for the first time.
From long-anticipated debuts and returning heavyweights to CPHFW One to Watch and NEWTALENT voices shaping the next chapter of Nordic fashion, this season underscores the region’s continued commitment to experimentation, craft and responsible design.
0. FILES
O. Files is a Copenhagen-born menswear house founded by Oscar Jardorf in 2018, known for blending Scandinavian minimalism with Italian craftsmanship and Japanese-inspired origami-esque tailoring. This season marks its CPHFW calendar debut, teasing an AW26 collection that reinterprets archival codes into sculptural outerwear and refined staples, signalling a new chapter for the brand on the Nordic stage.
NAZZAL STUDIOS
Nazzal Studio is a Palestinian-rooted label founded by Sylwia Nazzal, which operates at the intersection of fashion, ethics and cultural storytelling. Making its first official CPHFW appearance, the brand has hinted at AW26 pieces that channel heritage, resistance and collaborative craftwork with refugee communities; bringing a fresh, politically resonant voice to the schedule.
HOLZWEILER
Holzweiler, the Oslo-based contemporary brand celebrated for its effortless Nordic cool and knit-centric wardrobes, returns to Copenhagen after several seasons presenting in London. As the inaugural Homecoming slot holder this year, expectations are high that AW26 will reaffirm its signature blend of utility, fluid silhouette and textural play.
NICKLAS SKOVSGAARD
Danish designer Nicklas Skovgaard, rapidly emerging as a standout voice on the Nordic fashion scene, is known for his imaginative constructions, bold proportions, and storytelling through silhouette. Coming off accolades like the Wessel & Vett Fashion Prize, his AW26 runway is anticipated to expand his narrative of technical craft and conceptual menswear.
SSON
SSON is a Stockholm-based label founded in 2024, reconstructing discarded textiles into conceptual ready-to-wear that balances deconstructed tailoring with romantic draping. As a CPHFW One to Watch, AW26 is set to spotlight its circular approach and playful interrogation of excess through a highly curated presentation.
STUDIO CONSTANCE
Studio Constance, from Stockholm and led by Rebecca Dovenryd Almberg, crafts modern luxury womenswear with an emphasis on craftsmanship, repurposing and garments that transcend conformism. Making its Copenhagen Fashion Week debut via the CPHFW One to Watch slot, AW26 will likely echo its feral-luxury ethos in thoughtful, wearable pieces.
TAUS
Taus is a Copenhagen-based ready-to-wear and demi-couture studio founded by Freyja Taus and Juho Lehiö that reimagines historical influences through contemporary design language. As a repeat CPHFW One to Watch, the AW26 collection is expected to extend its dialogue between past and present with intentional, craft-driven pieces rooted in slowness and upcycling.
BONNETJE
Copenhagen’s Bonnetje deconstructs and refashions old suiting into new silhouettes that blur gender codes and challenge throwaway fashion norms. Now part of the CPHFW NEWTALENT programme, AW26 will likely centre on its signature circular ethos and inventive tailoring as it continues to gain industry notice.
STEM
Stem, designed by British textile artist Sarah Brunnhuber, is defined by innovative zero-waste woven garments that visually narrate their production process. Joining the NEWTALENT scheme for AW26, the brand is expected to elevate its craft-driven vocabulary with tactile pieces that foreground slow fashion principles.
ANNE SOFIE MADSEN
Danish designer Anne Sofie Madsen reinterprets sculptural tailoring and expressive forms through a contemporary lens, blending structured wool with silks and organza in ways that feel both thoughtful and timeless. As part of NEWTALENT, her AW26 runway is teased to continue pushing her boundary-pushing yet wearable aesthetic alongside co-creative director Caroline Clante.
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