New York, London, Paris, Milan… Oslo? No, the Norwegian capital doesn’t have its own fashion week (yet!) but they do have a burgeoning crop of young designer talent and earlier this week Oslo Runway gave them a global platform. Read our review from the fashion showcase below. Also supporting the next gen is Dr. Martens, who are getting a handful of CSM MA students to give their classic, trusty boots a makeover. In other news, 16Arlington’s shimmering debut menswear offering is finally here; DSM drops a line for the Hans Christian Anderson stans; Stone Island have your Fall outerwear sorted; Farfetch celebrates 50 years of hip-hop with Futura and Nas, Alexander McQueen and Toeme have stunning new campaigns lensed by iconic photographers, and Nigo serves up a bottle of his chic new vino. Plus, we go behind the scenes at Ganni’s SS24 show with their go-to hairstylist. Here’s what’s in fashion.
Oslo Runway puts emerging Norwegian designers on the map
Norway may not have their very own official fashion week, but it does have Oslo Runway, an annual fashion showcase highlighting established regional designers like Envelope1976, the sustainable, minimalist ready-to-wear label founded by Celine Aagaard and Pia Nordskaug, and handcrafted handbag innovators Cala Jade. However, a number of emerging designers made their runway debut at the event last week, which featured some pretty spectacular names in the knitwear space. Kine Ulvstad’s passion project, 2Much Pressure, whose name came about because it was too much pressure to name her brand, took part in Oslo Runway’s DS Fashion Talent Show, sending vibrant, chunky knit vests and oversized, patchwork tunic dresses down the catwalk for the first time ever. While O.A.D, launched just last fall by Maria Lilly Flakk, displayed their cosy jumpers and cardigans, inspired by the fishermen in the city of Ålesund, nestled amongst the islands and enveloped by the fjords, in their Oslo showroom. Made from uber luxe Norwegian wool, fine merino and mohair, even in 25 degree weather, you’ll want to snap up one of the highly-covetable knits before autumn hits. Trust us on this. ND
Alexander McQueen’s new campaign has a star-studded cast
Supermodel-with-a-capital-S Naomi Campbell in a glittering crimson, shredded dress with matching sock boots? Slay! Screen star and it girl Elle Fanning in androgynous tailoring with razor sharp cut shoulders and trouser legs that extend seamlessly into stilettos? Slay! Rising model Eliott De Smedt Day wearing a bandeau-style, double breasted blazer cinched perfectly at the waist? Also a slay! The whole Alexander McQueen AW23 campaign, lensed by David Sims, is a big big slay. It also stars China’s biggest supermodel Liu Wen, indie movie darling Eva Green, French musician Yseult and fellow models of the moment Karolina Spakowski and Momo Ndiaye. Yet even with its cast of global stars, the focus of the simple, must-see campaign is the jaw-dropping tailoring that marked Sarah Burton’s Fall 2023 collection of reimagined dinner party wear. Slay! TG
16Arlington menswear is here!
Party boys need classy yet flirty looks for nights out too! 16Arlington – the label by Marco Capaldo and the late Kikka Cavenati known for creating beautifully tailored pieces with a sexy, provocative edge – surprise dropped a selection of menswear in their AW23 offering earlier this year. Now, those pieces are available to buy exclusively from their online store. Entitled Wake, the AW23 collection played on the many meanings of the word (funerals, new dawns, late nights and early mornings) and amongst the catholic lace and dove-like marabou feathers of the womenswear were male models adorned in silky two-piece suits reminiscent of luxury sleepwear in warm tones of bitter chocolate. Elsewhere, mohair knit tops and oversized-collar shirts came with low cut necks, while a crystal-embellished, close-fit mesh top was a standout as it shimmered down the runway. A fluffy shearling coat in jet black and a tailored, slim-fit number with a lacy, lingerie-like embroidered hem ensured we’ll be keeping warm on the journey home from our big nights out. Alongside the drop is the release of the jumbo Kikka bag too; the stylish leather holdall with its signature arched flaps now comes in a practical weekender size! Available to pre-order now, you can cop these must-have firsts from the chic label ahead of its official release on 28 August at 16arlington.com. TG
Dr. Martens taps CSM’s next-gen fashion talent
Dr. Martens has been the unofficial shoe of art students since the famed boots first hit the streets in 1960. Now, the brand is partnering with one of the most renowned fashion schools in the world, Central Saint Martins, to have nine standout MA students from the Class of 2024 style a look from their upcoming graduate collection – including a version of the 1460 boot that they will also reimagine. The nine chosen students are: Atli Alfredsson, known for his gender-fluid touches to men’s tailoring; Joyce Bao and her folky, fairytale-esque sculptural pieces; Dhruv Bandil, who pushes the boundaries of signature Indian art and silhouettes; Yanya Cheng and her complex, futuristic pattern cutting; Alvaro Martinez, who is focused on womenswear and has worked with Givenchy and Vivienne Westwood; Valeria Pulici, the talented print streetwear designer; Maximilian Raynor, whose aesthetic is beloved by pop girlies; Traiceline Pratt and her distorted silhouette sculpture-like garms; and, finally, Finlay Vincent Roberts, the designer behind SYSTEM, whose innovative menswear is based on modular clothing.
In February 2024, of the nine students, four will be named winners by a panel of judges – made up of Dr. Martens global creative director Darren McCoy, CSM MA Fashion course leader Fabio Piras, Fashion East founder Lulu Kennedy, and VP of Supreme Erin Magee. The winner’s design will then be turned into prototypes showcased at either the graduate show or at an installation during London Fashion Week AW24, with each student being awarded a £5,000 bursary to help them through their final academic term. With Dr. Martens having collaborated previously with fashion royalty (JPG, Comme des Garçons and Yohji Yamamoto) and CSM known for honing the talents of major designers (Alexander McQueen, John Galiano, Simone Rocha and Charles Jeffrey to name a few), these new-look Dr. Martens might just be dreamt up by the next big name in the fashion world. TG
Hans Christian Andersen merch lands at DSM
With its propensity for whimsy and Cinderella stories, fashion can sometimes feel like an exercise in fairytale, spinning fantastical yarns that both distract us from, and educate us about, the reality we occupy. This week, though, sees the drop of some fabulous fashion that really is a fairytale — well, that’s dedicated to one of the genre’s most acclaimed writers. Launching exclusively at Dover Street Market is a capsule collection by Copenhagen brand Le Fix dedicated to the life and works of Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. Casting light on The Little Mermaid author’s lesser known visual works — his personal photo albums, travel journals and sketches, for example — the capsule aims to scratch beneath the surface perception of the legendary children’s storyteller, all bringing Denmark’s cultural heritage to the world through lovingly embroidered and appliquéd hoodies, jumpers and tees. Get yours here. MS
Stone Island drops a minimal new capsule
If the wheeling out of the pumpkin spice latte tells us anything, it’s that Fall is fast approaching. And as the air gets crisper, Italian luxury menswear brand Stone Island have dropped a new line of chic, layerable pieces perfect for the season. Available in muted tones of stucco white, sage, lead and black, the Stellina collection has a fairly minimalist style but look closely and you’ll notice its raw edges, sharp geometrics in the stitching, and utility pockets-within-pockets. What’s more, underneath the nylon body of the outerwear is a wind and water-resistant inner membrane further protected by run-proof polyester. Basically your go-to garm for all activities this Fall! Check the collection out here. TG
Farfetch toasts 50 years of hip-hop with Futura and Nas
As you probably know by now, this year marks half-a-century since the birth of hip-hop, perhaps the most culturally impactful musical genre we’ve ever known. To toast the occasion, Farfetch has joined forces with lifestyle brand 12on12, hip-hop legend Nas, and Futura, one of the world’s most celebrated graffiti artists, to launch Farfetch BEAT 010, a limited-edition three-part vinyl drop, rolling out over the course of six months. Sitting at the intersection of art, fashion and music, the exclusive launch “honours the significance of Mcing, Graffiti Art and Turntablism through the highly coveted medium of vinyl records that played such a pivotal role in the early days of the movement,” a release reads. Alongside the limited release of 500 vinyls, also up for grabs are a set of 12 art prints hand-finished by Futura and signed by Nas, as well as a super limited run of 20 vinyl pressings co-signed by both artists. Head here to find out how to get your hands on this must-have memorabilia for any hip-hop fan! MS
Zoë Ghertner lenses Toteme’s AW23 campaign
Were you a fan of our sun-dappled Anna Ewers cover for our most recent Summer! issue? Of course you were! Well, now the duo behind the delightfully summery shoot have paired up again for Swedish brand Toteme’s AW23 campaign. For the image series, photographer Zoë Ghertner and stylist Camilla Nickerson captured Vivienne Rohner against the endless Pacific blue of Malibu, echoing the cool, resplendently cinematic mood of the collection. Needless to say, it’s put a Toteme clad escape to So-Cal high on the list for a winter escape! MS
Nigo launches a new wine
It’s no secret that we fashion folk love a tipple or three, and so it was with great excitement that we learned that Nigo – the streetwear legend, Kenzo creative director and just generally one of the chicest people you could fathom – is launching a new wine, one of the chicest drinks there is. While he hasn’t quite been stomping the grapes himself, he’s paired up with Australian winemaker Penfolds to launch One by Penfolds, a rapturous collision of the worlds of street fashion and wine. On the bottles included in the edit – available exclusively at Selfridges from September 4th – you’ll find labels designed by the seminal fashion creative, and to toast the occasion there was even a limited edition merch capsule — now sadly sold out — allowing a lucky few of the city’s steezy winos to literally wear their for a good bottle of plonk on their sleeve. “I have always loved and enjoyed wine,” says Nigo, a statement we couldn’t level with more, “and Penfolds has always been one of my favourites. My creative partnership with Penfolds is a dream project for which I am grateful for the opportunity.” Cheers to that! MS
A BTS peek at Ganni’s most recent show
As you’ll know from having diligently read out review of the very best of Copenhagen Fashion Week, one of the highlights of the Nordic region’s boldest fashion showcase was, of course, Ganni. The flagship show of the week, this season saw the happy-go-lucky brand explore the ominous theme of AI, albeit from a more positive perspective than we’re accustomed to seeing the theme explored. Featuring AI trees, an AI-curated soundtrack, and some of the most fab human beings currently walking the runways – including regular i-D coverstars Paloma Elsesser and Mona Tougaard – the show left us feeling so full of beans that we needed to know more about how it all came together.
Lucky for us, we had a man on the inside – Cim Mahony, the longtime Ganni collaborator and one of Copenhagen’s need-to-know hairstylists. Below, he tells us about the backstage vibe, the inspiration behind this season’s effortless hairdos, and how you can recreate them from home!
Hi Cim! How would you introduce yourself to someone discovering you/your work for the first time?
Hi! I’m Cim Mahony, a session hairstylist living in Copenhagen. For the past 25 years, I’ve travelled the world working in the fashion industry, doing editorials, ad campaigns and catwalk shows. I am also the co-founder of Mahony studio with my wife Lotte, where we run a distribution company focusing on sustainable beauty brands. This autumn, we’re launching our own haircare line in addition to our sleep apparel brand, The Beauty Sleeper.
You’ve worked with Ganni quite extensively — what makes the brand stand out for you?
I’ve worked on Ganni’s show for 10 years now, and the team’s become like a sort of family. Ditte and Nicolaj Reffstrup, the founders, have been about embracing individuality and diversity since day one and have effortlessly combined an international vision with staying loyal to their roots.
Ganni has created a globally recognisable style synonymous with Scandinavian fashion and, in the process, coined the term “Ganni Girl”. Despite becoming such an international brand, Ganni has continued to show in Copenhagen, and has hugely contributed to the ongoing success of CPHFW. Also, since sustainability is very close to my heart in my own life and business, I also applaud and admire Ganni for being a B-Corp certified company.
Who is ‘the Ganni Girl’ — in particular from a hair/beauty perspective?
When we started doing the shows, we did individual hair and make up on the models before it was a thing anywhere else. The Ganni Girl was really born from the championing of personal expression and freedom. And in spite of the terminology, for me, it really extends to all genders – it just refers to a beautiful energy with a cool feminine flavour.
What was the energy like at the show this season?
Every season we look at each other and say it was special, and ask if it can ever get any better. And that’s largely due to the inventive creative direction of Ditte and creative agency Moon. This year’s set, though, was especially magical, with the talking trees on the catwalk, which somehow seemed to perfectly convey a wish for tech to embrace climate care. I think the message hit home for everybody, both front-of-house and backstage – and it didn’t hurt that the sun came out just as the show started!
What was your vision for this season’s look? What were the main inspirations and references you looked to?
Ditte Refstrup started this collection by communicating with AI, essentially trying to bring this “new” intelligence onboard as a collaborator. Taking my cue from this, I felt like we needed to bring in a harder edge to the cast of very natural Ganni girls. We decided to cut a lot of blunt bobs and flat tops on the day, and style them with a hard outline and soft interior shape. These harder haircuts were mixed with the more “traditional” textures that we normally do at Ganni. It was about creating a juxtaposition between the computerised logic of AI with the naturalness of the Ganni Girl.
How can we recreate it at home?
In general, I would say that the Ganni girl look is effortless – it’s about being yourself and having hair that suits your personality. For the new addition to the lineup of sharper edges, I would suggest having your stylist put in harder lines and then style it a bit looser at home. For all of the shapes created, we worked with the Airwrap tool from Dyson. It’s a total game changer that has multiple attachments to care for all hair types, and was developed with consumers in mind rather than pros. Although we love them, too!
