Forget fancy venues and heels
NYFW is all about plush hotels, Paris champions iconic landmarks, but during CPHFW show-goers found themselves sitting in a car park to watch Caro Editions’ debut show, venturing to a disused distillery for Remain and scaling a former coal crane to check out the Stel presentation. While American fashion editors could be seen grappling with the ancient cobblestone streets in stilettos, their Scandi counterparts whizzed past them in flats and more commonly on two wheels. Yes, even the biggest Danish fashion stars cycled to shows. The Rishi effect seemed to have reached the Danish capital too with Sambas nowhere to be seen. Instead the footwear of choice was trail shoes from Salomon, Puma’s Speedcat OGs (especially in red suede) and mesh ballet flats. Cowboy boots were also culled (too Trump-y). Instead, on rainy days, the local trendsetters went for a motocross high-top or a simple cropped rubber boot.
The new hipster bubbles
At the opening reception waiters proffered flutes of sparkling tea rather than champagne. The alcohol-free beverage was also served from glass teapots as Cecilie Bahnsen unveiled her latest trainer collaboration with Asics. At the shows, boxed water, chilled bottles of Kronenbourg and cans of locally brewed IPA were passed around. Come evening time, crowds flocked to low-key natural wine bars rather than private members clubs. Bottles of biodynamic wine from Gut Oggau, with its distinctive face-sketched labels, dominated pavement side tables, while at the Rotate after-party guests cooled off from dancing with boozy, lurid-orange iced slushies.
The kerchief comeback
While you might have just got your head around the idea of wearing a baseball cap everywhere, the Scandi set have moved on to bandanas. Knotted around heads, worn under and over caps, the 90s accessory was everywhere. Elsewhere, others ditched straw sun hats for brightly coloured canvas bucket and fishing hats. Toggles et al. The trend extended to the catwalks too. Every model at Caro Editions wore a fold-over brim hat featuring contrasting fabrics such as leopard print and polka dots.
Fruity main character energy
Forget elaborate candelabras, tables at Copenhagen were adorned with piles of gleaming red cherries. At the tailoring specialist La Bagatelle, mounds of cherries came on antique delftware; while at Locale 21, a new hip restaurant from Mikkel Egelund, who also runs the vibrant Restobar, waiters served the fleshy drupes from giant silver bowls for dessert. Adding to the five-a-day theme were neat rows of polished plums at Tekla, plump peas in their pods at COS and fresh apricots that came served singly on individual vintage plates at the jeweller Sophie Bille Brahe’s extremely elegant showroom.
Bags of charm
Before you see them you could hear the street style set coming thanks to stacks of bag charms that jingled and jangled. Vintage it-bags such as Balenciaga’s City and Louis Vuitton Speedys came adorned with everything from plush teddy bears to tasselled door keyrings and kitsch holiday souvenirs. The more eclectic and naff the better.
Pastry perfection
Don’t expect to come across any of the giant croissant hybrids trending on TikTok at Copenhagen’s bakeries. Yes, the Danes’ concept of chicness even extends to their carbs. Backstage catering included bite-size carrot cakes and mini loaves of banana bread. At the lo-fi bakery Andersen & Maillard there were queues out the door for its neat cube-shaped croissants filled with strawberry jam and cream cheese, while buns from Juno (founded by former Noma pastry chef Emil Glaser) were rounded to perfection then topped with a single blackcurrant.
Supersized scrunchies
The hottest accessory wasn’t a designer it-bag but a supersized scrunchie. Scrunchies with the span of small tea saucers were plopped over low buns and quickly overtook claw clips in the hair accessory charts. Everyone swung by Pico, a fashion-insider favourite, to pick up its silky versions and to stockpile its signature flower-shaped rosettes. Elsewhere, long locks and sharp bobs came strewn with silky ribbons and tiny bows.
Flat white fatigue
A Dane walking around slugging a drink on the go is a hard sight to spot. Instead, they’re all about the sit and sip. Most head to La Cabra (you’ll find it at the cult fashion haunt AnotherAspect), where drip coffee is standard, for their caffeine fix. Iced matcha is another go-to but many Copenhageners confessed to being caffeine free. At Sonny, a modest but vibey cafe, staff wearing oversized grey T-shirts, relaxed tailoring and Birkenstocks dole out golden lattes with hot oat milk, turmeric and fresh cinnamon.
Night to day dressing
Trust Tekla Fabrics to make everyone lust after sateen PJ sets. Yes, the lustrous fabric usually associated with themed pyjama parties has had a Danish glow-up. Using a dense weave to expose more of the cotton thread, the resulting fabric is less high shine and more sophisticated subtle gloss. But the Danes don’t just keep their PJs for bed. Within hours of their launch, Tekla’s long-sleeved tops in blush pinks and sky blues were spotted on the front row teamed with beat-up denim. The Scandi brand Mandiberg’s striped cotton PJ pants were seen with shirting, while two-tone pyjama sets from Hay Stores flipped day-to-night dressing rules on its head.
Cross-pollination dressing
Rather than sticking to one fashion theme, the Danes like to mix and match. Coquette was fused with sportswear. Think pretty broderie anglaise tops and ribboned cardigans paired with athletic shorts and trackies. Casual jorts were smartened up with neat, boardroom-ready knitted tops and kitten heels. Sheer after-dark skirts were popped over straight-leg jeans, crisp shirting was juxtaposed with party-ready sequined and lace slip dresses, while striped rugby tops clashed with everything from crochet knits to streamlined tailoring.
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