From football to fishing: Trends of Copenhagen Fashion Week

Copenhagen Fashion Week this season presented itself as a particularly clear reflection of society, showcasing two sides. One, a world full of colourful and alternative looks. The other, a more conservative style with classic silhouettes and high-necked pieces.

The trends from the Danish capital stood out, particularly from the first perspective. Some playful details repeatedly lightened up the more conservative looks, perhaps as a sign of hope in difficult times.

Discover which trends particularly shaped Copenhagen, and the role the rat played in it all.

Negligés

On the first day of fashion week, it already became clear that negligés with ruffle details in various designs – from long dresses to recycled pieces – were highly popular for SS26.

Depending on the collection, the styling was either simple or sophisticated. A long dress with toe separators at OpéraSport could be seen, as well as more urban looks from Baum und Pferdgarten, which presented the negligé together with olive-green cargo trousers and black Y2K-style boots. Meanwhile, Bonnetje showcased the reconstructed top, with the former slip dress styled as a detail over a knee-length black skirt.

Transparent fabrics

It wasn’t just the silky nightdresses that provided a touch of sensuality in Copenhagen. The use of transparent fabrics also conveyed a magical lightness. The respective materials were used for both partial sections and entire pieces. The spectrum ranged from knee-length dresses and jackets to jumpsuits.

The transparent materials – especially through the many different applications – created a variety of styles that could be sensual and elegant, but also casual and sporty.

Fishnet

Several net-like tops, dresses and decorative throws, reminiscent of full-body jewellery, complemented the rather revealing trend, even if they were sometimes only used as an additional layer. Overall, the looks around the coarse-meshed pieces seemed to show a lot of skin.

The decorative aspect seemed to be at the forefront of most pieces of this kind, whether through small details adorning a coarse-meshed dress or the use of the product as an accessory. The exception was a sleeveless top by Rolf Ekroth, where the net was only used as an insert.

Horse girl

The following looks, reminiscent of show jumper uniforms, were significantly more structured. The sharply tailored blazers are reminiscent of the athletes’ competition jackets, which, fittingly, were rounded off with leggings and dark boots at brands like MKDT Studio and The Garment. Gestuz, meanwhile, shortened the blazer and combined it with a short skirt – a look less reminiscent of equestrian sports, but one that came closer to a uniform through accessories such as white gloves.

Football shoulders

Statement tops with a sporty reference could also be seen at PLN, Han Kjobenhavn and Rave Review. However, these brands focused particularly on the shoulders, which looked as if the designers had been inspired by American football. They used the associated shoulder pads – the protective gear worn under the jersey – to play with the silhouette.

Pattern mix

Copenhagen is known for its Scandinavian minimalism as well as its vintage street style aesthetic, which often features patterns from past decades. Some of the brands pursued the second approach this season, sending looks with many different patterns down the runway, some of which also clashed within a single look.

Layering played a particularly important role through contrasting prints like floral embroidery with stripes; polka dots with hearts and stripes; and check patterns. The various garments also brought together different colours, combining, for example, pink with brown – a colour palette that doesn’t necessarily come to mind immediately, but which created a certain harmony among the disharmony through the jumble of patterns.

Stiff scarf

The scarf, which has been gaining popularity in recent seasons, including in menswear, was also present in Copenhagen. What was striking, however, was that the accessory tied around the neck at several brands, such as MKDT Studio, Rave Review and Rolf Ekroth, appeared somewhat stiff, sometimes looking as if it were blowing in the wind.

Ratty It-bag

The absolute It-piece of the season was delivered by Anne Sofie. The 'Radbag', presented in various colours such as a lilac-chrome or gold, is based on the sculpture by artist Esben Weile Kjær and depicts an oversized rat. Various designers have already proven that replicas of animals are popular bags, above all Jonathan Anderson, who has already turned creatures such as pigeons and frogs into absolute It-pieces for his brand JW Anderson.

Similar to the pigeon, the rat is popularly considered a dirty, disease-carrying pest, yet they are said to be particularly intelligent animals. The rat, as the cliché “pet” of punks, is also attributed with rebellion. So is the new It-bag only a statement or is it also a response to the growing pressure from the conservative movement worldwide?

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.

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