COPENHAGEN FASHION WEEK AUTUMN/ WINTER 2023

by Cecile Paul · February 7, 2023

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For the Quintessential 2023 Scandi Fashion Cocktail, add A Dollop of Grunge, a Dash of Texture, a Pinch of Sheerness and Oodles of Volume. Mix and Wear.

All Image and Video Credit: Copenhagen Fashion Week

A plethora of exotic shades. At Selam Fessahaye

The ultimate jewel in the crown of the universally respected Scandinavian Fashion circuit is Copenhagen’s famed bi-annual Fashion Week. Fashionistas, trendsetters, fashion editors, tastemakers and fashion reporters alike from around the globe pilgrimaged up to the Danish capital to pay homage to this acclaimed fashion event.

A bit of grunge. At (di)vision

Copenhagen Fashion Week’s Autumn/Winter 2023 schedule was jam-packed with goodies: a whopping 29 brands showcased physical presentations or rocked the runways with live shows. In parallel to all this activity a plethora of thought-provoking talks, celebrations and activations also took place. Needless to say, the bold and the beautiful came out in full force and inimitable Copenhagen street style was a fashion event in its own right!

Headscarf magic. At Henrik Vibskov

This top Scandinavian Fashion Week has long been a platform for reform in fashion, for innovation, sustainability and further plant-friendly solutions for the fashion industry, and this season was no different – the emphasis was on all the ways that fashion could be made more inclusive and environmentally-friendly. In fact, the organizers of Copenhagen Fashion Week have created a set of sustainability criteria for participating designers, with the goal of setting a new industry standard – we commend them!

Emerald satin. At Munthe

Back to what we know and love: wonderous, magical fashion with a very distinctive Scandi touch! The stalwarts of the bustling Copenhagen fashion scene were out in full force: the likes of top brands Ganni, Baum & Pferdgarten, Henrik Vibskov, Saks Potts and Holzweiler, to name but a few, wowed with their offerings. The usual suspects at this prestigious event included Helmstedt, Gestuz, Stine Goya, A. Roege Hove, (di)vision, Rotate and the outrageously spectacular Selam Fessahaye.

Where Scandi prints meet a touch of West African magic. At Henrik Vibskov

Trends were aplenty, too. Voluminous, wide-shouldered tailoring was back as a throwback to the eighties, as was nineties grunge – most notably so at (di)vision. The artsy and the avant-garde made landfall at Henrik Vibskov, Helmstedt, Gestruz, Latimmier and Alpha whereas textures also had a moment in the limelight, as seen at Operasport and Baum & Pferdgarten. We saw sparkles, sequins and all things glitzy at Rotate, Saks Potts and Munthe and eighties bleached denim at Stine Goya, Holzweiler, Baum & Pferdgarten and Gestuz. Denim, that dependable old fashion workhorse, was also back in full force – as seen at Ganni, Gestuz and Rabens Saloner. Other funky trends for 2023 we spotted included maxi skirts, sheer fabrics and animal prints. Oh, and forget about zipper fastenings – strings are the new ‘it’!

Textured jewellery. At P.L.N.

But without further ado, let’s catapult straight into all the action. (Note: do keep your little black book to hand for some serious note-taking … this is the stuff you’ll be sporting come Fall 2023 – if Copenhagen Fashion Week has a say in the matter.)

The transparency trend rules! At Stamm

THE ARTSY AND THE AVANT-GARDE

There was no shortage of fantasy future-forward, artfully constructed pieces at Copenhagen Fashion Week. Take for example the creations at Alpha, where every 10 Nordic finalists are selected to present their work at a joint fashion show at Copenhagen Fashion Week. These creations are so awe-inspiring, little wonder Alpha talents have gone on to international houses like Givenchy, Maison Margiela, Marni and Balenciaga!

Watch the Alpha show here:

Artful and sculptural. At Alpha

A work of art. At Alpha

Avant-garde camel. At Alpha

3-D sculpture. At Alpha

Cutouts. At Alpha

Goggles fit for a garden party. At Alpha

Patchwork panels. At Henrik Vibskov

Texture! At Henrik Vibskov

Watch Henrik Vibskov’s show here:

Cutouts. Lace and the winning combo of red and pink. At Selam Fessahaye

Oversized camo. At Selam Fessahaye

Butterfly wings. At Selam Fessahaye

3-D Prints. At Selam Fessahaye

Seventies lapels and cutouts. At Selam Fessahaye

Pocket magic. At Selam Fessahaye

Watch Selam Fessahaye’s show here:

Asymmetry. At Alpha

Tubular magic. At Helmstedt

Sculptural accessory. At Latimmier

Oversized pocket. At Latimmier

Strappy! At Alpha

SHEER MADNESS!

Transparency has been a trend that’s shown its sheer head for a few seasons now. Fresh and sculptural, we’ve seen incredible pieces at the likes of Zalando Sustainability Awards Finalist Selam Fessahaye, a Nordic brand that’s been making waves since 2018 and has been seen on celebrities like Beyoncé. These creations are most certainly more like wearable art than mere fashion! A. Roege Hove, Alpha and Gestuz also offered their takes on the transparent trend.

Sheer magic. At Selam Fessahaye

Glam and sheer! At Alpha

Layered transparency. At A. Roege Hove

Sculptural! At A. Roege Hove

Watch A Roege Hove’s show here:

An oversized gold chain accentuates a sheer dress. At Gestuz

Layering. At Alpha

Perfectly sheer. At Stamm

Grungy and transparent. At Stamm

BLUE JEANS FOREVER

We know denim is an age-old staple that’ll forever be in vogue, but what these designers have managed to magic up is no short of breathtaking. Take world-famous Scandi brand Ganni, for example. Their motto that ‘Ganni is all about making their community who wear their clothes feel even more confident and capable of anything’, is evident when you look at how they’ve dished up their denim offerings this season. Their double denim in bluest blue will give anyone enough confidence to conquer the world!

Sheer denim. At Selam Fessahaye

Double denim. At Ganni

Acid bleached denim. At Ganni

Double denim. At Rabens Saloner

Printed denim. At Alpha

Dyed denim. At Wood Wood

Sculptural denim. At Alpha

MORE IS MORE!

The trend for voluminous creations wasn’t only alive and well at Copenhagen Fashion week, it exceeded all expectations! Copious quantities of fabric were seen across various brands, most notably so at the designers at Alpha and Selam Fessahaye. Sculptural and avant-garde, these pieces were closer to resembling art than fashion! Oversized everything – blazers, coats, puffer jackets, ballgowns – made for even more more-ish deliciousness on the runways.

A tulle symphony of layering. At Selam Fessahaye

Bold and floral. At Alpha

Crafty volume. At Alpha

Structured volume. At Alpha

Padded volume. At Wood Wood

Padding and cutouts. At Alpha

Voluminous leaf green faux fur. At Stine Goya

Oversized shoulders. At Alpha

TOUCHY FEELY

No Scandinavian fashion event would be complete without the crafty elements of texture. Texture came in many different shapes and forms – from 3-D components to delicate knits, sculptural leather to sequined pieces of art. It was the more experimental designers like Alpha and Selam Fessahaye that stood out for showcasing beautiful textures, but others like Holzweiler and P.L.N. also gave us plenty to touch and feel.

Sculptural! At Alpha

Sheer knits. At Holzweiler

Leather crafts. At P.L.N.

Sequin magic. At Selam Fessahaye

Oversized fuchsia sequins. At Rotate

New-age creased jersey. At TG Botanicals

Knitted layers. At Holzweiler

Quilted texture. Rabens Saloner

A cactus! At Henrik Vibskov

Stringy texture. At Latimmier

GRUNGY VIBES

The early nineties have been featuring as a trend over the past few seasons, and at Copenhagen Fashion Week AW 2023 many designers paid homage, yet again, to this vibey, nostalgic time in fashion history. (di)vison, in particular, embraced the trend and wowed with their eclectic ensembles. Stamm, Alpha and P.L.N. also gave a nod to grunge.