31 August 2014

Copenhagen Fashion Week

It’s not all about the Big Four, you know. Most capitals are getting in on the act, with Copenhagen welcoming over 40,000 designers, buyers and press in February and August each year. The latest instalment, from 4th August to 9th, saw the likes of Day, Birger and Mikklesen, Baum und Pferdgarten and Bruuns Bazaar, the first Danish brand to show on the official calendar in Paris.

The official venue for CFW is the City Hall, a great choice as it’s so central and ornate. Catwalk shows take place in the stunning Ceremonial Hall. The Danish Fashion Institute is the force behind the Week, which promotes Danish fashion locally and globally. Similar to London’s Fashion Weekend (which follows Fashion Week), Copenhagen hosts a Fashion Festival  which offers the public the chance to attend fashion-related events around the city.

There’s also over 1,000 exhibitors representing over 2,000 international collections at four trade fairs over the course of the week – Vision, Gallery, CIFF and CIFF Kids. CFW even has its own newspaper, Dansk Daily, which is published daily throughout the week to bring everyone up to speed with events.

Scandinavian fashion, or Scandi Fashion as it’s been nicknamed in the blogging world, is one of the hot trends of the moment (its popularity has reached the feverish proportions which surround Scandi crime dramas). Magazines dedicated to all things Scandi are popping up everywhere, and hipsters all over the world look to Sweden, Norway and Denmark for style and interiors inspiration.

My CFW highlights:


Everyone talks about the Scandinavians love of normcore/monochrome, but I can’t resist a bit of colour. Maxjenny catapulted a riot of colour on to the catwalk, and an especially fantastic pair of trousers.




This label is renowned for modern daywear with luxury sporting elements. I loved the fairy-like shoes, as well as the classic lines and shapes. Sheer, layering and gilet coats were strongly featured.




This label which was formed in 1999 combines classic pieces with avant-garde quirkiness. The tasseled shows in the catwalk show were a sure fire hit. I also loved the balloon sleeves and fringed mini skirts.




Classic elegance was the order of the day at the Malene Birger show, which also heavily featured fringing to stunning effect. The collection was inspired by India and showcased kaftans, embellishment and intricate jewellery.


Get the Scandi look:

Normcore – The majority of Danes sticks to classic pieces and a conservative palette – think greys, navy and black

Cropped trousers – They don’t just look cool (men and women) but this is highly practical in countries with a high number of cyclists, and can save you from going over the handlebars.

Masculine – Women are used to equality in all aspects of society and clothes aren’t excluded from this. Tailoring is a mixture of classic and innovative – check out & Other Stories (it’s Swedish but is a good place to go for on trend tailoring).


Layers – You’ve probably already guessed that it gets cold up there in Denmark, not that we need an excuse to layer up. Top it all off with a season proof coat to get the look.

For more information: www.copenhagenfashionweek.com

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