Four Things to Know: Copenhagen Fashion Week Spring 2020. Here’s what you’re in for this season in the voguing beau monde at Denmark’s bustling capital.
This time around at the Spring/Summer 2020 edition of Copenhagen Fashion Week, the runway saw trends manipulated and shown in splendour and spectacle. Distinct displays of styling have stolen this year’s spotlight as designers play haphazardly with asymmetry and pair the unlikeliest of fashion friends or fiends alike, and you don’t want to miss what’s been going on in this city’s streets. From athleisure-turned-high-fashion to more modern takes on throwbacks, here are some notable highlights from Copenhagen Fashion Week.
1. Sportswear chic
Sports-inspired collections are prevailing this season as By Malene Birger incorporates American sportswear with Danish aesthetics. An oversized overcoat decorated with the famous baseball stripes, high baseball caps worn with borderline formal off-white coordinates and trench coats, a sports-bralettes prominently peeking from under blazers, all paired with either fashionable sandals or trainers in varying colourways.
Holzweiler is also here in the sportswear game as a sports-inspired label, favouring utilitarianism and minimalism with their clean and fresh cuts and lines. A white trench coat was styled with a khaki shirt dress with a knit crossbody garment, a significant garb throughout the show making appearances in various colours. Knitwear also proved itself to be popular here, as the knit hats shone and promoted earthy schemes for this spring/summer collection. Sweater vests were worn beneath unbuttoned oxford shirts rather than out, an array of different stripes were present, and ivory rain boots added a little bit more fun in the show as a whole — it’s these little subtleties that really make way for standing out, ironically as that sounds, and there’s some sort of audacity in the softer sides of this show, from how knitwear is worn and nature’s colour palette is masterfully availed of.
2. Revering the retro
Everybody knows looking at the past for fashion inspiration will most definitely make for stylish looks when done right. Look no further than Ganni, the label by husband-and-wife Ditte and Nicolaj Reffstrup, whose runway brought the 70s back to Copenhagen. Not only are their spunky animal print knee-high boots to die for, but one of their girls look unbelievably clever and cool in a black kimono-suit hybrid adorned with purple flower patches, and it’s evident that they’re smart stylists when you see how leopard print is paired with light green overall dresses and blue snakeskin shoes.
And let’s not forget the showstopping Rotate, who closed this season’s fashion week with an ode to the 50s: fun and colourful bold dresses with “a modern twist”; gutsy hemlines, unconventional fabrics, and a wonderful contrast made with raw denim material and soft jacquards.
3. Challenging the boundaries of gender
It’s 2019, and dressing beyond the norm is what’s expected of the youth of today. Although Brøgger’s designer says she’s not interested in making unisex clothing, she did explain that she created this season’s clothes to “test the boundaries of gender as they exist”. Their show was packed with power suits — or rather, whole entire power looks — as their models strutted down in big asymmetrical blazers of colours and patterns aplenty, paired with matching cut-offs or trousers and Air Force 1’s. There’s a slip dress with magnificent small ruffles accompanying its diagonal cut worn with sleek black pants, and what’s great is the fact that the aforementioned white Nikes, whether high top or low top, almost always make an appearance in every outfit, whether it’s a suit or a long bright dress.
Denmark-based label Munthe also experiments with asymmetrical cuts to achieve androgynous silhouettes, and their runway shows unexpectedly unexpected pairings, for example, an all brown suit look with an oversized caftan replacing the usual button-down, half of a button-down overlaying half of a blazer, a pink bomber jacket with a slip dress and brown slides, and a shiny gold knit sweater paired with matching biker shorts. Although the loose and perhaps reckless styling may be risky and is favoured according to taste, Munthe is a forerunner in Copenhagen’s creative fashion bubble, with 25 years of experience in the industry.
4. Patterns on patterns on patterns
The clashing of different motifs are is no strange trend to styling, but the labels at this fashion week showed no weakness in unlikely pairings and emphasis on patterns. Stine Goya showed a long gown with puffy sleeves embellished with colourful flowers and sequins, Yayoi Kusumaesque black-and-white polka dot ensembles, hearts on a pink dress paired with flowers on white stockings, a spectacular flowy pink top paired with sheer green tights, and beautiful feminine ruffle cuts. There’s also an extra loud pattern on pattern suit piece from Stand with a skirt worn over trousers, and more polka dots in Saks Potts’ whimsical flamenco-inspired line featuring a striking white leather minidress, red beaded bralette, and baggy denim jackets.