Copenhagen Fashion Week’s Visionary Designers Embrace Art and Conscious Craftsmanship
By Mackenzie Richard
Copenhagen Fashion Week currently holds the fashion world in thrall, showcasing an exuberant and inventive display of designers. This season, the focus is firmly set upon a myriad of imaginative luminaries who boldly transcend the conventional limits of style and aesthetics. Their commitment extends beyond mere fashion, delving into the realms of sustainability and ethical craftsmanship. Through an exclusive series of interviews, we embark on a journey into the psyche of these forward-thinking designers. We unravel the wellsprings of inspiration that fuel their collections, witness their seamless integration of eco-conscious methodologies, and uncover the profound narratives that they aspire to articulate through their artistry.
Index
Featuring: A. Roege Hove, Ganni, Gestuz, Helmstedt, Henrik Vibskov, Latimmier, Lovechild 1979, Marimekko, Mark Kenly Domino Tan, Munthe, Remain, Saks Potts, Skall Studio, and Stine Goya
A. Roege Hove
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your collection for this season?
Drawing inspiration from the allure of summer, the collection combines technical craftsmanship with contemporary silhouettes and attention to detail. Embracing exposed skin has almost become a signature for the brand, but with this collection, the brand is using transparency and skin in a more understated and refined way. The designs exude sensuality and confidence, embodying new, enlivened spirit. The collection features a mix of soft and bold colours and shades, with some pieces showcasing intricate draping techniques, while others maintain a simpler style. This creates contrasts between the garments, which are the central focal point of the collection, encouraging individual expression for each of the wearer.
Did you incorporate any sustainable or eco-friendly practices in your design process?
When designing a collection we always think a lot about sustainability. Both in terms of materials and yarns and how the pieces are constructed. We already knit everything fully fashioned, meaning there is no cut and sew and therefore the waste is minimal. But we have discovered that if we construct pattern pieces from squares, we can minimize waste and mistakes even further, therefore this has become a principle for us when constructing. It might not always be possible, but if it is – we do it, and sometimes the principle of squares even becomes a design principle, in that sense limits might sometimes be a gift. We also look into using new innovative and sustainable yarns every season. This season we have for example been using a sustainable viscose yarn, we have been outfasing our signature nylon yarn in some styles in favor of Circolose yarn, and we make sure that our more standard yarns such as wool and cotton are always certified.
What do you hope viewers and attendees take away from experiencing your collection?
We hope that attendees will leave the show with a feeling that we have created a series of innovative looks that are elevated yet effortless. Our technical knowledge is developing and unfolding with each season, and we hope this is something the show viewers will notice as well.
Ganni
Ditte Reffstrup, Creative Director, GANNI:
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your collection for this season?
This season’s collection was driven by the fascinating concept of Artificial Intelligence in collaboration with the talented artist Cecilie Waagner Falkenstrøm from ARTificial Mind in Copenhagen. We’ve been discussing AI for years, and the idea of creating a kinder, more thoughtful AI intrigued me, especially as a mother of three and as a woman leading a business. The AI was embodied by a physical form, symbolising hope and life, with trees serving as a significant inspiration.
Did you incorporate any sustainable or eco-friendly practices in your design process?
In this collection, we’ve made efforts to incorporate responsible practices and materials. For instance, we’ve introduced innovative fabrics like Oleatex, made from waste streams of olive oil production, and Algreen, which transforms seaweed and agricultural waste into fully biodegradable and recyclable sequins. These innovations are part of our “Fabrics of The Future” program, and by 2025, we aim for 10% of our collection materials to come from this program. Furthermore, we’re committed to reducing our carbon footprint by 50% by 2027 and this season marks the first virgin leather free collection for us across Ready to wear, shoes and accessories.
What do you hope viewers and attendees take away from experiencing your collection?
Through this collection, we want to inspire viewers and attendees with a vision of kindness, positivity, and inspiration for change. The AI-driven aspect of the show mirrors our contemplation on how technology can be harnessed for good and make a positive impact. We hope that our audience will appreciate the elevated and thoughtful GANNI looks we’ve created this season, embracing the essence of tailoring and easy dressing, with a playful twist. We hope the viewers will feel inspired by the transformative journey of GANNI and embrace the spirit of change and positivity that define this collection.
Gestuz
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your collection for this season?
We looked into a new way of working with finishes. Exploring asymmetric hemlines, organic cutlines, and sculptural silhouettes; working with the contrast between a clean finish and imperfections. Through the 15-year journey of GESTUZ, I have both strived for perfection and later accepted that perfection is neither achievable nor interesting. So this collection is very much a discovery into the connection between traditional “beauty” and something edgier.
Did you incorporate any sustainable or eco-friendly practices in your design process?
75% of the collection is made with responsibly sourced and certified materials. We always try to look at new ways to improve and create pieces in good quality that can become a wardrobe evergreen. We are also working continuously with our suppliers to improve on materials for the collections. We are working with BCI cotton or organic cotton, together with recycled polyester and ecovero viscose. Our leather is always certified Leather Working Group.
What do you hope viewers and attendees take away from experiencing your collection?
I hope they feel like they are experiencing a bit of an art performance, while still very much seeing a wearable collection that can be brought into your daily life. I also hope they truly see and feel the diverse way of seeing beauty, we are trying to convey in both the collection and the show.
Helmstedt
Emilie Helmstedt:
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your collection for this season?
For this season i have based the collection on FW23 as i really liked the direction it was going and that there was so Much to build on from there. Turning this into a summer version have been difficult but nothing great comes easy. I have worked with the color Tones and tried to incorporate a lighter color in between to have the summer ceip feeling. As well as we have taken a step in both directions making a more couture showpiece for our occassionwear category as well as added a few more styles on the commercial section. Together making the S24 very special to me.
Did you incorporate any sustainable or eco-friendly practices in your design process?
We always think about the enviroment when making the collections and for this time we included ecovoro in mulitple styles the collection where it previously has been silk.
What do you hope viewers and attendees take away from experiencing your collection?
I hope they Will Remeber it and Will find peace, joy and power!
Henrik Vibskov
Henrik Vibskov [TRANSCRIBED]:
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your collection for this season?
Hi, Henrik Vibskov speaking. The general inspiration for this collection, it started a bit out with looking in to how we as human beings love to systemize things, that we love to put things in boxes, how we like to, you know, move things around so everything goes in order, so everything with red goes in here and tiny boxes are over here, sugar is over here, so we kind of organize constantly and how we box things in the brain, how we like to categories things and systemize things, how we constantly kind of measure and categories things, and you see even as kids when they are two years old how they move stuff, start moving sand, or all playtoys goes over in this area of the playground and from that whole systemizing, categorizing things which was a subject we looked in to boxes, how you fold boxes, looking into different culture of boxing things, the Japanese culture, they have a big thing about how you present stuff, how you package stuff, so the whole boxing systemizing, categorizing, the mind things, but also as a very psychical thing how we put things in boxes, and how boxes are fold together, put together, that you see in the print. But then we also suddenly went into boxing, like the sport, but I thought I liked the idea of the, you could say mind fight, which is before the fight, where you kind of just with the eyes, you are measuring, categorizing you are kind of in the mental fight. So that was kind of the idea of the whole thing, with looking into boxing, boxes, unboxing boxes, folding boxes. So you see that in some of the artwork, you see a lot of either unfolding boxes in the patterns, you see some boxing gloves in some woven linen, you see some of the, you could say, the accessory are kind of like boxing gloves put on top of the head as some weird hat, which became very futuristic, you see first aid bandages that were also made into jewelry together with Vibe Harsløf, so we had a little collab there. Boxes in transit for boxing system post boxes, out for delivery, all kind of weird stuff mixed together on this boxing unboxing theme.
Did you incorporate any sustainable or eco-friendly practices in your design process?
In general of course regarding the sustainable perspective, always, everyday we look into materials that we try to use the best effort to work with textiles, which is our way of the best fabrics organic or recycled cotton, recycled polyester, recycled wool, linen which is biodegradable, so we actually for this collection, it depends from collection to collection, but this collection is categorized as I think its 83% of the garments are certified fabrics, which is either recycled or organic, so kind of a big chunk of the fabric are pretty good, of course it’s a long journey this whole sustainable thing, even though we do better and better, there’s constantly new questions appearing, new problems appearing, and you can say in general we shouldn’t consume anything, but I think we need to, because of protection in general, I guess that’s why we wear clothing, but it could be good with ten years of just reusing stuff I guess, but then I should find another job.
What do you hope viewers and attendees take away from experiencing your collection?
In general for the collection we tried to create this kind of vibe of using textiles as working with the space, the outdoor space, and by performers that are creating kind of a flow of a boxing ring, so you could say we have three boxing rings appearing, the models would appear in all the boxing rings. I really love to use, in general, textiles, the woven material in other ways than just on the clothing, because when you of course are creating clothing its 3D architecture for the body, but I think it’s really nice to use it in other ways, so this became, you could nearly say a massive parachute umbrella boxing rings. Hopefully the more theatrical performance idea, and also mixed with the MC who has the boxing arena introducer, hopefully it will give this more states, performative, theatrical part, and I like that part, the more theatrical performance idea, to create the whole setting for the show, so hopefully that will be something that would stand out. Thank you, I will go back to making food, chao chao.
Latimmier
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your collection for this season?
The name of our 4th collection presented in the SS24 season is ’Positions of Power’. It is inspired by the archetypes of men in power that are idolized in North-American film and TV, mainly characters like Wall St businessmen and corporate executives. Martin Scorsese’s 2013 film Wolf of Wall St, and the idea of men high on power and money pounding their chests to show dominance was a big thematic inspiration.
Through subversive tailoring and process-led craftsmanship we delved into questions like is the idea of traditionally masculine power real or is it just lies and showmanship by bloated egos.
Did you incorporate any sustainable or eco-friendly practices in your design process?
We see eco-friendly practices and sustainable chooses as fundamental to our design process, not as something that should be included in some designs. For our 4th collection we have 70% certified sustainable, organic, recycled or otherwise eco-friendly materials. The rest are natural materials like wool, silk and leather. We see data like this as something that shouldn’t be anything to brag about, it should be a given for a brand like us.
What was new to this season was the usage of natural dyes. We have used post consumer waste coffee grounds gathered from local businesses near our studio to dye and print fabrics. We also used this dyeing method for fabrics made from post consumer fabric waste that was collected and spun to yarn here in Finland and woven to denim and other heavier materials in Spain.
We love the slower process that using natural dyes demands and also the ever-changing nature of fabrics using natural dyes, similar to that of, say, raw denim.
What do you hope viewers and attendees take away from experiencing your collection?
Just that, I hope they do feel they were part of an experience. We have a little showmanship of our own planned for the runway show, but to be honest, we’re not trying to chase random viral moments, we want the show really to emphasize the theme of the collection. Ultimately we really want people to enjoy the clothes, the design and the tremendous effort we’ve put into this collection.
Lovechild 1979
Mia Kappelgaard, Lovechild 1979 Creative Director:
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your collection for this season?
The SS24 collection, ‘Sensitive Standards,’ draws its inspiration from the profound and tactile brilliance found in the renowned American photographer Irving Penn’s work. Our goal was not to pursue perfection, but rather to evoke emotions and explore the inherent beauty of materials and the creative processes involved in their transformation.
At the core of SS24 lies a celebration of the quintessential woman – someone who embodies proficiency, imagination and self-reflection. To convey this essence, we are embracing a modern and sculptural approach to textiles, inviting a closer examination of the interplay between form and surface. Through seamless fusion of masculine elements and feminine shapes, we are aiming for a soft tailoring that gracefully envelops the body while maintaining an alluring blend of wearability and aesthetic appeal, bridging atelier with a breezy ambiance of summer dressing.
The path to achieving this balance involved thoughtfully working with a diverse range of materials, including luxurious heavy textiles and ethereal cotton-silk voile. Meticulously draping satin and crepe fabrics adding a sense of density and contrast, elevating its visual allure, and infusing each piece with a distinctive character.
Did you incorporate any sustainable or eco-friendly practices in your design process?
In collaboration with a Danish/Peruvian female community, we proudly present a soft alpaca yarn in a delicate, natural hue for this collection. By bringing together cultures and continents, we embrace a slow approach to material craftsmanship, paying homage to heritage techniques that resonate deeply with us. Their simple yet profound mantra, ‘All we knit is love,’ embodies the spirit of our collaboration.
Furthermore, we have worked with deadstock fabrics and as with every collection adopted a general mindset of designing for longevity – creating products that complement one’s existing style and wardrobe.
What do you hope viewers and attendees take away from experiencing your collection?
In this collection, we aim to evoke a profound sense of tactility, density, and authenticity that resonates with viewers long after they have experienced it. Drawing inspiration from Irving Penn’s tactile, subtly composed, and often melancholic universe, we have endeavored to imbue our collection with the same captivating essence. Our hope is to enchant the audience and leave a lasting impression, allowing them to carry a part of the creative process and emotional journey with them.
Marimekko
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your collection for this season?
The year 2024 will mark the 60th anniversary of Marimekko’s most iconic and globally recognized print design Unikko by Maija Isola, which is celebrated in the SS24 collection in more ways than ever, both in terms of scale, placement, coloring, and technique.
For SS24, we wanted to reflect Marimekko’s design legacy by highlighting two equally meaningful design aspects of Marimekko – the dress as a canvas and bold patterns bringing joy to people’s everyday life.
Marimekko’s SS24 collection explores our rich print and color heritage, as well as the happy contradiction happening in the meeting between minimalism and utilitarianism. Minimalism as in avoiding the unnecessary, focusing on simplicity, utility, and ‘less is more’s. Utilitarian pragmatism as found both in Marimekko’s history of celebrating functionalism both in our belief that you should be able to run in a dress, but also in inspiration from the artist uniform.
Besides celebrating Unikko we have also worked with a Finnish artist Antti Kekki and asked him to develop new artworks focusing on the dress as a canvas. He has worked in close collaboration with our design team to create new work for our archetype silhouettes.
Did you incorporate any sustainable or eco-friendly practices in your design process?
We start every design process by addressing sustainability – questioning what we can do better, exploring how to incorporate more sustainable materials or solutions and always paying attention to timelessness in prints, materials, and fits.
For that reason, we have introduced the concept of Marimekko archetype silhouettes – A-line, straight and fit & flare. Silhouettes that we are revisiting and incorporating every season to ensure the timelessness of our collections.
For the SS24 collection we will be launching a new recycled knitted polyester bag program. A new super cute recycled acrylic hair accessory program, as well as expanding our swimwear collection made in Econyl, recycled nylon.
We do not only continue to explore cotton alternatives but we also continue to increase the share of organic cotton every season.
What do you hope viewers and attendees take away from experiencing your collection?
Joy and optimism!
An opportunity to see how well Marimekko works on many different individuals, how the collection can be super bold, timeless, and chic or utilitarian and workwear-like. How relevant Marimekko is for all situations of life.
Mark Kenly Domino Tan
Caroline Engelgaar, MKDT Creative Director:
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your collection for this season?
Our Spring Summer 2024 collection is a homage to the beauty of the ocean. We found inspiration in the subtle and abstract life surrounding the coast, which led us to reinvent the refined riviera styles from the 1920s and 1930s. The collection has a poetic and tactile feel, with a color palette inspired by the calming tones of sand and sea, giving it a sophisticated and understated look.
Our exploration of the ocean took us below and above the surface, studying its natural forms and treasures. This inspired us to include pearls in the collection, paying tribute to the incredible Korean pearl diving women known as Haenyeo, who have been diving off South Korea’s southern coast for generations without oxygen, some even in their 90s. We worked with exclusive materials like the finest linen silk, playing with volume and movement to create a wave-like flow in the fabrics, symbolizing the dynamic and ever-changing essence of the ocean.
Did you incorporate any sustainable or eco-friendly practices in your design process?
We always strive to use clean materials and organic fabrics in our designs, and our production primarily takes place in Europe. This constant effort reflects our commitment to being eco-friendly in everything we do. Additionally, we prioritize creating long-lasting products, which means our design approach is not trend oriented. Instead, with each collection, we focus on crafting timeless pieces that can stand the test of time and become cherished wardrobe staples for years to come.
What do you hope viewers and attendees take away from experiencing your collection?
With a strong focus on coherence and sensory experience, we put a lot of effort into ensuring that everything works together harmoniously, from our initial inspiration to the choice of location, music, and model cast. Throughout the process, we have meticulously honed the interplay of senses, space, music, and the tactile qualities of materials, breathing life into our show and allowing the audience to fully immerse themselves in the textures and emotions conveyed through our designs. I hope that as the audience experiences the collection, they can fully grasp the subtle yet profound poetic essence of our story, finding both inspiration and a strong sense of connection with our creations.
Munthe
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your collection for this season?
Art is one of the key foundations of MUNTHE as a house, and drawing inspiration from an array of different art works naturally aligns with the brand’s ethos. Through Art Monday, MUNTHE shares and supports female artists in what can be seen as a digital art gallery. The Spring Summer 2024 collection builds on the same principle.
Art prints incorporated from artists like New Yorker Heather J. Chontos and London-based Aline Gaiad are intermingled with sumptuous woven fabrics, resplendent sequins, patchwork denim, vivid patterns, and intricate jacquard patterns. It is a meeting of concepts and ideas that would not normally occur, but through careful curation, they come together for a higher purpose.
Did you incorporate any sustainable or eco-friendly practices in your design process?
This is something that is always top of mind at MUNTHE when we create a collection. Pushing the boundaries to become more sustainable is one of the most important matters we can do as a fashion house.
We uphold our commitment to more sustainable practices, with 52% of the SS24 collection being created from more responsible materials, including organic cotton, EcoVero viscose, and recycled polyester.
What do you hope viewers and attendees take away from experiencing your collection?
I would like for the viewers and attendees to depart feeling enriched by an unforgettable experience. The immersive experience of art, the celebration of female empowerment, and the dreams inspired by the collection leave a lasting impact, reminding them of the power of art to transform lives and connect people across boundaries.
Remain
Denise Christensen, CEO, Birger Christensen Collective:
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your collection for this season?
This collection reflects on illusion, subverting expectations and presenting a surreal approach to our core brand aesthetic. We see a continued emphasis on the values of the brand – high craftsmanship in leather and tailoring, informed by over 150 years of heritage. We have taken simple, elegant forms and fabrics and added unexpected finishes, embellishment and drapery to attract the eye and reject convention.
Did you incorporate any sustainable or eco-friendly practices in your design process?
We are very proud of how we have incorporated more responsible practices into this collection, with a focus on the garments being made from preferred fabrics, yarns and leathers. Since leather is a large part of our brand DNA, we have used is 100% certified variants. We are a member of LWG (leather working group), which promoted the best practices in both animal welfare and chemical management, and only work with certified suppliers. Across the entire collection, we favour durable, high-quality fabrics, that stand the test of time both physically and emotionally. In addition to the material pieces, we have started to use the digital platform CLO 3D, which allows us to make alterations without the need to produce excess samples. We are just beginning our journey with CLO 3D and we are excited to continue this path.
What do you hope viewers and attendees take away from experiencing your collection?
The presentation of our SS24 collection will take place in an immersive environment, we hope that it will be a sensory and experiential moment for the attendees, and leave them with a sensation of our brand and what we stand for.
Saks Potts
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your collection for this season?
This collection is about going on holiday. – The essential styles to pack for the perfect holiday. We had a cabin size Rimowa trolley in our design studio throughout the design process as a reminder to pack light no matter if you are going on a short weekend trip to the countryside of Denmark or traveling to somewhere warm for your summer holidays. Therefore many of the styles are adaptable for any occasion no matter if you are going to the beach or to a festive summer party.
Did you incorporate any sustainable or eco-friendly practices in your design process?
All the materials we use are carefully selected for their high quality so they can last. Many of our fabrics and all of our leathers are certified and we are constantly developing our collections to be more and more environmentally friendly.
What do you hope viewers and attendees take away from experiencing your collection?
In terms of the show, we hope that viewers are amazed by the beautiful location just outside of Copenhagen, a place we love to go during our time off during the summer. We have spent so many summer days in this exact location throughout our life, swimming in the sea and having lunch at the iconic “Café Jorden rundt”.
From the collection, we obviously hope that viewers will fall in love with the whole collection, but in particular, we hope they will notice our many new dresses, a category we feel we are becoming really strong at.
It is also worth noticing how the Saks Potts collections suit each other across seasons. We are re-designing current or former styles to highlight that our designs are timeless. We re-think materials on iconic styles such as introducing our popular jeans in a leather version in denim print and many iconic styles are introduced in new materials.
Skall Studio
Julie & Marie Skall, Sisters & Founders of Skall Studio:
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your collection for this season?
We named our Spring Summer 2024 collection The Blue Window. We have always been fascinated by silence and the room it leaves for reflection – on our moodboard we have a picture of a peaceful room with a desk in front of an open window where you have a beautiful blue ocean view. To us the blue window is a window to the world, at least a glimpse of it as it has a certain framework. Sometimes we like to narrow things down a bit – in fact, we see it as a strength. Too many choices can make things too complicated – this approach is also translated into the way we design. We try to keep it simple.
For this collection we have been inspired by many things – nature is always part of our inspiration. This season in terms of the blue endless ocean and lush gardens and the special atmosphere it creates and the room it leaves for reflection – we need to reflect even more in our industry – and for many reasons.
Did you incorporate any sustainable or eco-friendly practices in your design process?
Skall Studio is rooted in Northern nature, and since we founded the brand in 2014 a conscious approach has been a top priority. In general, we only use natural materials (still working on the thread, but we are looking into other solutions as we believe every little detail matters). Skall Studio is GOTS certified, and the Spring Summer collection is made in 100 % natural fibers and 95 % mono fibers – and for this season our linen holds the European Flax Standard certificate. As always, our Danish knitwear is part of the collection, made from Danish wool in one of the last remaining spinning mills and one of the last knitting factories in Denmark – to support local production and craftsmanship. Also, this season our new denim is part of the collection. The denim is GOTS certified and made in a GOTS certified factory in Turkey – and each batch comes with an EIM score, mapping the specific use of water, CO2, chemicals, and worker impact.
What do you hope viewers and attendees take away from experiencing your collection?
Well, that is time to buy less and better – and focus on styles made to last as classic will last forever.
Stine Goya
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your collection for this season?
The inspiration behind my upcoming SS24 collection, ‘Homecoming,’ revolves around the powerful and multi-dimensional concept of home. Home is not just a physical space; it represents a sanctuary of emotions, memories, and connections. I wanted to capture the essence of this emotional attachment with a collection that delves into the idea of finding comfort, belonging, and nostalgia, whether it’s in the familiar corners of our houses or the warmth of loved ones. ‘Homecoming’ celebrates the diverse aspects of home that resonate with everyone on a personal level.
Did you incorporate any sustainable or eco-friendly practices in your design process?
While we cannot claim to be 100% sustainable as a brand yet, responsibility remains part of our core value system and something we are consistently striving towards. It has been an integral part of our design process for many years now. With ‘Homecoming,’ we’ve taken even greater strides to incorporate eco-friendly practices throughout the collection’s creation. We have focused on sourcing materials responsibly, opting for organic and sustainable fabrics whenever possible. Additionally, we’ve been mindful of our production techniques to reduce waste and environmental impact. Our commitment to sustainability is reflected not only in the materials but also in our responsible manufacturing practices. We believe that fashion should be beautiful inside and out, leaving a positive impact on both the wearer and the planet, and we are committed to growing as a brand in this way.
What do you hope viewers and attendees take away from experiencing your collection?
Beyond the aesthetic appeal, I hope the audience contemplates the significance of ‘home’ as an emotional anchor in our lives. It’s a place where we find belonging, solace, and support. ‘Home’ is not confined to a specific location; it can manifest in the arms of a loved one, the laughter of family and friends, or the embrace of a community. ‘Homecoming’ is an invitation to cherish the meaning of home in all its facets – a physical shelter and a heartfelt emotional connection. I aspire to leave the audience with a renewed appreciation for the sanctuaries we call home, and a sense of empowerment to create a more sustainable and compassionate world.
