Though January in Copenhagen brings its fair share of wind and rain, as fashion week kicked off in the Danish capital, there was palpable energy in the air. Why’s that, you ask? Well, AW23 marked the first Copenhagen Fashion Week in which all participating brands had to meet their 18 minimum standards when it comes to sustainability and responsible production, which include being entirely fur free, using at least 50% preferred materials, no single-use packaging and ensuring that shows are zero waste, just to name a few. As you can see, the list goes on, indicating that there’s more than enough reason to celebrate this season!
“Our mission is to push others and challenge our relationship with fashion, to encourage other fashion weeks to do the same and challenge convention,” CPHFW CEO Cecilie Thorsmark said at the opening reception. As such, this season brands like Ganni, Holzweiler and (di)vision rose to the challenge, but remarkably, so too did young designers like P.L.N, Latimmier and Alectra Rothschild of Masculina. This is thanks in part to the NEWTALENT program, of which Danish knitwear designer A. Roege Hove is a notable alum. And the best part? This season proves the requirements can be met without compromising design.
So, let’s get to the clothes then. Read on to see some of the very best collections of the world’s most forward-thinking fashion week.
A. Roege Hove
For A. Roege Hove’s AW23 show, The Danish Royal Playhouse was transformed into a veritable black box fit for a dramatic performance. The opening scene, then, saw a model wearing only briefs take position under a spotlight, where layer upon layer of Amalie Roege Hove’s signature long gauze knits were spun around her body, stretched across the waist and bust, tied up the sides, and crinkled at the neck to create a funnel neck dress comprised of three separate ribbed, monochrome knits. Once fully dressed, she walked the square runway and the show began.
Though the concept obviously brings to mind Coperni’s viral moment with Bella Hadid last season, Amalie’s intention was to “stretch the imagination of knitwear and what it can define… aiming to change its perception through the use of non-traditional materials and silhouettes.” Through performance, she added a much-needed element of tactility to the show and the clothes, perfectly displaying how her garments – which can sometimes feel a little inaccessible on an e-comm site or Instagram feed – can be worn in the real world. “Knowing how it feels without ever having touched it, that’s the feeling we want people to have when they see the collection,” she explained.
For AW23, off-kilter jumpers were layered over handkerchief skirts that bounced down the runway. Slashed mini skirts in magenta and bright green poked out from under translucent halters, coming undone cardigans and scarves layered over top to obscure the body. A finalist for the International Woolmark Prize, Amalie also introduced wool as a key material this season, elevating the collection through chequered jackets and skirts, as well as evolving her vision, and standing, as one of Copenhagen’s most exciting talents.
Holzweiler
Entitled ‘Deep Sea’, the latest collection from Oslo-based label Holzweiler plumbed the depths of the ocean and underwater landscapes. Giant coral-like rock formations anchored the runway at The Plant, paving the way for silhouettes that riffed on “deep-sea diving suits”.
Styled by Fran Burns, models emerged wearing floor-length denim gowns and maxi skirts, knit jumpers over skirts over sheer flared trousers, and baggy zip-off cargos, all carrying bags and scarves that trailed like tendrils down the catwalk. The colour palette – navy blue and soil brown, sea urchin purple and slate, cockle shell and algae green – set us somewhere between the sea and sky, but the collection was so down to earth, so easily wearable, that it became one of CPHFW’s stand outs this season. The hallmarks of Holzweiler were seen throughout: sumptuous puffers, oversized to the point that they cocooned the body, and hit the floor; brushed mohair zip ups and open-knit jumpers with billowing sleeves; tailored wool coats and casual suiting, in fabrics that appeared “washed by the waves”. The AW23 collection might’ve taken in all elements of life underwater, but the offering was surely out of this world.
Ganni
For AW23, the GANNI girl is all grown up, and she has a new, cute logo to show off – featured on the versatile, very Y2K Bou Bag, made in Ohoskin, a luxury leather alternative created from cacti and oranges, on jewellery created in collaboration with model/stylist Veneda Carter and seen on invites lining the chairs of the Arken Museum of Modern Art, where GANNI’s ‘Butterflies’ show took place.
“This season is all about transformation, change and positivity, all things the butterfly symbolises. It’s a new chapter for GANNI,” creative director Ditte Reffstrup said in the show notes. “To me, the collection feels a little more grown up, a little more functional. GANNI will never be a grey turtleneck. But I was really up for doing more suiting this season, honing a sleek and strong but flattering look. I think the mood reflects where I am right now, feeling more balanced and at ease with my sense of style.”
In designing the AW23 offering, Ditte took a moment to reflect on her brand’s journey, from its humble beginnings to it’s current status as a truly global force in fashion, with instantly recognizable styles seen on GANNI girls around the world, and known for paving the way in terms of responsible, eco-conscious design. If the mood of the collection is one of transformation, its also about elevation, as GANNI silhouettes take in new and interesting layers – acid wash, spliced denim skirts are layered over baggy jeans, funneled into colourful cowboy boots. There’s a sophistication in the eveningwear, from shirred velvet dresses and minimalist taffeta gowns, to a series of red sequined dresses and separates, bringing the label’s bright colours into the mix as well.
Once again, GANNI collaborated with Icelandic outerwear brand 66°North this season, on a series of sporty trenches and separates, and Ditte teamed up with longtime friend, the artist Esben Weile Kjær, for the show’s set design. His new exhibition, BUTTERFLY!, will open at Arken just days after GANNI’s takeover. “There is a serendipity to that,” Ditte said, though considering the confetti-filled finale, not to mention the after party, we’d add that matching the energy in the room that night will certainly be a challenge. Bravo, GANNI!
P.L.N.
Last season, Peter Lundvald Nielsen, who’s name you might recognize from his work with Balenciaga and Ottolinger, made his debut with his own label – P.L.N. With a live performance by Blackhaine, it made for one of the most notable moments of the SS23 season, but P.L.N. upped the ante this time around, showing in a pitch black warehouse space at the Copenhagen International Fashion Fair. Lit up only by sparse spotlights and the air filled with smoke, the ominous atmosphere set the tone for a moody collection “derived from exploring the polarity of extremes”.
Models were scantily-clad in belted tie tops and collars accented with coloured hair, paired with tattered leather skirts and ultra low-rise zip-offs. Buckles and bondage details galore, the all-black collection was quite hard to see in the dark, though perhaps that’s exactly what it’s designed for. Having partnering with Circulose, a 100% recycled material that ensures circularity and sustainability in design, you can rest assured when donning the label’s neo-goth designs on your next club night.
Latimmier
In what was the first show we attended this season, Ervin Latimer presented a concise collection of 11 looks at the Finnish Culture Institute, for his second show with his namesake label Latimmier. “This collection was us considering why do we do what we do, and maybe if we do less, we can go a bit deeper in the craftsmanship, the techniques, the garments,” he explained at the show. Ervin also took his place on the runway, seated on a stool with mic in hand. As each look graced the catwalk, he detailed the materials used, the inspirations and the thinking behind his designs. After very honestly admitting that he wasn’t sure he’d be able to show this season, having suffered from burnout, the participant in CPHFW’s NEWTALENT program offered an homage to young and emerging designers, who likewise might be struggling to keep up in a fast-paced industry with limited resources.
In line with P.L.N.’s subversive goth bondagewear, Ervin added a hint of kink to classic menswear silhouettes – an oversized striped oxford, embellished with a cock ring tie; a second look added a tied men’s maxi, over leather sock garters worn on the thighs. The AW23 offering also put forth an excellent suit and chunky laced up knitwear, but perhaps most importantly, Latimmier’s edited offering drives home quality over quantity – and a message of hope for young talents hoping to follow in his footsteps.
Saks Potts
One of the largest shows of Copenhagen Fashion Week was Saks Potts, who took over the Concert Hall at Tivoli Gardens – an amusement park in the center of the city, typically closed in winter (and after dark, for that matter) – with a massive crowd of 1600 people. Inviting the family members of their entire team, Cathrine Saks and Barbara Potts set the stage for an AW23 collection that was all about family. “It’s such an important theme for us right now, obviously because both of us just had our first child, but Catherine and I met each other when we were five, in kindergarten here in Copenhagen. We became best friends and have been ever since,” Barbara said, noting that at age 19 and 20 they decided to launch their brand based on a combined interest in fashion, design and the arts.
Looking back to their roots, the colourful outerwear that made Saks Potts a household name, was elevated this season in textured leathers, as well as varying silhouettes – oversized, cropped, you name it – for every shape, size and comfort level. The design duo were inspired by heritage materials, working with “winter lace”, a combination of wool and lace that formed easy knitwear layers, as well as laser-cut suede separates for evenings where there’s a chill in the air. The vibe was sexy and feminine, but practical, the earthy garments and holster-like accessories perfect for a forest walk, “as we like to do here in Copenhagen”, Catherine said, or the New York City sidewalks. Overall, the setting, the inspirations, the many babies on the runway, all speak to the massive success of the brand, brought to you by loyal friends and family, who all turned up in their signature designs. If there’s one show not to be missed, it sure is Saks Potts.
Alectra Rothschild/Masculina
Last season, Alectra Rothschild/Masculina closed out The Danish Royal Academy’s graduate showcase with her MA collection that saw sartorial archetypes, such as ‘The Raver’, ‘The Babe’ and ‘The Pirate’, worn by some of her closest friends. Though the young designer, who’s dressed the likes of Arca and Zara Larsson, chose to forgo a traditional runway show this season, she turned once more to her nearest and dearest — Cockwhore and Macho, DJ G2G, performer Thea Carla Schott and more — to create her AW23 fashion film ‘R.I.P. Masculina’. In it, models are seen revving motorcycles in lace up corsets and dancing centre stage, with the sort of energy that can shut down an entire block — as the film’s launch party did. Catch a glimpse of the epic film above, and read more about Alectra’s journey here.
(di)vision
Walking into (di)vision’s AW23 show was like stumbling into a living room after throwing a raging party the night before – half empty wine glasses and mini bottles lined the tables, cartons of cigarettes spilled out on the floor, leftover takeout was left out and music was still playing somewhere in the background. ‘Dressed for Disaster’, as it was aptly titled, was inspired by late-90s disaster culture, kawaii and Y2K, or as founders Simon and Nanna Wick wrote word for word in the show notes: “the train wreck Woodstock 1999 festival meets the Met Gala”.
The thing about (di)vision, is that the buzzy young label has developed a cult following in Copenhagen, placing members of the city’s fashion and arts community on the runway. Much like last season, in which they invited attendees into the woods, the crowd cheered as their friends strut around the ballroom in 90s striped knits, nostalgic logo tracksuits and California skate separates, to jazz covers of Avril Lavigne (“Sk8ter Boi”, obviously) Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park. On their feet, was a collaboration with Asics, sure to sell out by the time I’m writing this. The show was one of the most energetic of the season, culminating in a viral finale, in which Simon’s partner Sarah Dahl clinked her wine glass, as if making a toast, but instead, seeing as the train of her wine-soaked dress was actually the tablecloth, she walked off to close the show – toppling glasses, plates and remnants in tow. ‘Dressed for Disaster’, truly.