Had I not visited the brand’s showroom the day before, I would not have known about its focus on natural Danish materials and mono-fibres, the latter a crucial help when it comes to circularity (multi-fibre textiles are much more difficult to recycle) but not on the to-do lists of a brand – yet.
‘Conscious living’: Hong Kong fashion label hosts wearable art pop-up
‘Conscious living’: Hong Kong fashion label hosts wearable art pop-up
The diversity of models was also striking. CPHFW shares guidelines with brands on the importance of representation, a move that has clearly paid off.
At the event’s core was the fashion and, on this front, designers offered plenty to mull over. From tailored three-piece suits to hardware worth expanding your jewellery vocabulary for, below are seven trends that we bookmarked for styling inspiration and future shopping trips.
1. Barbie pink’s second wind
During Stine Goya’s show, hosted in the brand’s colourful atelier, the Danish brand presented impeccably tailored wool coats and cut-out gowns in cool pastel pink, alongside a warmer-hued silk draped dress with a matching shoulder bag.
Its eponymous founder’s fondness for a rich palette was evoked in a manifesto printed on the walls and narrated by her to begin the show. A pink dress also made an appearance at Alectra Rothschild/Masculina – a ruched, asymmetrical bubblegum pink number.
For those looking for ways to pair brighter pinks with wardrobe staples, take note of minimalists’ favourite Aeron, which interspersed its collection of looks in earth tones and pastels with fuchsia ostrich leather trench coats and trousers.
The latter’s pairing with a burgundy jumper and scarves was inspired, and offers a chic way to contrast brighter statement pieces with cosy cold weather favourites.
2. An ode to the mob wife
Given the current “mob wife aesthetic” trend, it was no surprise that leather and faux fur made appearances on runways in the Danish capital.
At up-and-comer Nicklas Skovgaard’s show, 1980s-inspired hair and make-up and Laban’s “Caught Me by Surprise” set the scene for a retro-glamorous collection.
Draped leather dresses with an exaggerated hourglass silhouette, high-waisted leather pants and faux-fur-panelled cardi-coats exuded extravagance, while slouchier off-the-shoulder necklines and jersey underlayers paid tribute to the aerobics boom.
Elsewhere, at OpéraSport and The Garment, leather took on a more pared back look in the form of coats, capelets, blazers and bombers.
3. The bigger the bag …
Bulky totes and clutches were all the rage, contrasted with short hemlines and slinky fabrics. Saks Potts, the cool-girl label run by childhood friends Cathrine Saks and Barbara Potts, released its debut bag alongside an urban yet bohemian line-up that paid tribute to Kate Moss and other 90s tabloid regulars.
The bag, rendered in a croc-like black leather, contrasted nicely with the collection of silky dresses – a tempting proposition for those who, like me, enjoy having a snack, first aid kit and book on hand at any given time.
The big-bag memo had clearly also been received at Aeron, where leather totes were folded up and held as clutches alongside suits and maxi dresses, while an oversized bucket bag was held over the shoulder alongside a suede gown.
4. Masculin féminin
Androgyny was the name of the game for several designers, who made Savile Row tailoring cues covetable for all.
Skall Studio kept things wearable with denim, cosy knits, and blazers in seasonless earth tones which were dressed up with skirts, statement jewellery and pointed flats.
At MKDT, both male and female models wore cummerbunds under impeccably made blazers and bombers, as well as pleated trousers, tucked into riding boots, in greys, blacks, browns and navy that let the craftsmanship speak for itself.
5. The high-low
Waistlines hit the extremes, with drop waists and ultra-high waistbands dialling up the drama.
Alongside the cummerbunds at MKDT, Nicklas Skovgaard continued his now-signature dropped waist look, which for AW24 took the form of dresses in Grecian-meets-disco drapes, ruched suede and asymmetrical sloped bodices.
There were also the wide statement belts – studded and sequinned, and worn low-slung over jumpers and shirt-dresses – at Saks Potts, which nodded once again at Kate Moss. Even I, a wide-belt sceptic having lived through the 2010s, was persuaded.
6. Alt accessories gain ground
Being an earrings-and-maybe-a-ring girl myself, the shows encouraged me to broaden my vocabulary when it comes to accessories. There were the safety pins at MF Pen, which were often strung with pearls and pierced on blouses for an undone look.
Also noteworthy were the silver brooches on show at Skall Studio (a collaboration with Danish jeweller Kinraden) and Mark Kenly Domino Tan, which made a case for using them to fix shawls and scarves so they drape just so; moonstone-topped bow-ties were also a stand-out.
Another unlikely winner was the humble glove, which peeked out of handbags at Stine Goya, and were rendered in gauzy sheer fabric at The Garment, lending feminine charm to the sharp-shouldered oversized coats they were styled with.
7. Statement spins on heritage knits
Scandinavians love a good knit, and several designers played with traditional patterns. Finnish designer Rolf Ekroth referenced his roots via a series of multicoloured knit pieces with patterns featuring birds and figures; rather than selling the clothes traditionally, he will partner with yarn company Novita to sell knitting kits for select items in an effort to bring shoppers closer to craft.
The label, known for its sculptural knits, returned to CPHFW after winning the Zalando Visionary Award last season.