With their long winters, distinct ecosystems, and unique cultural history, the Scandinavian countries have a long and rich history of the art of knitting. Dating back to at least the 1400s, what first began as a practical necessity to keep warm and draw on the natural resource of sheep soon developed into a complex art form, with each country developing its own vernacular style in response to the local landscape and culture while influencing and being influenced by their Nordic neighbors.
For the Spring 2025 season, this practice is alive and well. Many of Copenhagen’s designers leaned into traditional knitting techniques and motifs, while others boldly evolved them in experimental new directions – often doing both at the same time. But wherever they fell on this spectrum, it’s clear that knitwear is not just for the winter.
Knitting is also a powerful way to express the culture and ethos of sustainability that is core to the Copenhagen fashion scene. Wool is of course a renewable natural resource, but the art’s character that draws closely on the tactile nature and the production process of the fibers used also provides a space to showcase sustainably made materials and recycling techniques, making for a beautifully eclectic synthesis of heritage and responsible innovation.
