Not every fashion week can be characterized as friendly, approachable and relaxed. But those are three ways to describe Copenhagen Fashion Week, a twice-a-year event in the capital city of Denmark, a country that has often been ranked among the happiest in the world.
Even though Copenhagen Fashion Week has continued to grow since it began almost 20 years ago, it doesn’t draw the same crowds that gather for shows in New York, London, Milan and Paris. This isn’t a bad thing: As other fashion weeks have become over-the-top spectacles where as much attention is paid to who’s sitting in the front row as to what’s on the runway, Copenhagen Fashion Week has managed to avoid some of the egos and excess that can come with its more established counterparts. (Helping to reduce the excess are sustainability requirements that organizers of the shows in Copenhagen require participating brands to meet.)
Last week, at the latest installment of Copenhagen Fashion Week, the event’s inviting nature was reflected in the crowds and on the runways, both of which were full of people of all sizes and backgrounds. The clothes were similarly diverse.
Brands with notable collections included Remain, which experimented with mesh fabrics and sleek silhouettes, and Henrik Vibskov, which embraced frenetic patterns in vivid prints. On the streets, outfits in white and neutral shades — the types associated with the Scandinavian minimalist aesthetic (and summer) — contrasted with ensembles incorporating vibrant colors. There were also lots of loose layers and many clothes with flowing proportions, which looked even better on people who were pedaling around the bicycle-friendly city.