\u201cMaybe it has something to do with the fact that it\u2019s unbelievably cold this week, but it feels a little less showy and over the top in a way,\u201d says Shiffman. \u201cThe shows have felt more intimate, and it\u2019s been a great opportunity to really take in the collections.\u201d<\/p>\n
Caroline Bille Brahe\u2019s Caro Editions was staged as an intimate salon-style show at her husband Frederik\u2019s Apollo Bar, with guests handed glasses of wine upon arrival and a live performance from a saxophonist in what felt like a party in an extension of the couple\u2019s home.<\/p>\n
Backstage after The Garment\u2019s show, designer Charlotte Eskildsen hugged models that she\u2019d cast from the next generation of her own friendship group. \u201cIt\u2019s all my friends\u2019 children really, that I have cast for this show,\u201d she shared. \u201cIt\u2019s like a whole new team of 20-year-olds. I\u2019m friends with their parents.\u201d<\/p>\n
This focus on community seemed like no coincidence, as the more volatile retail climate forces brands to double down on their direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels. \u201cOn the DTC side, we\u2019re focusing on being more intentional with drops, keeping volumes considered, and creating a clearer dialog with our community through content, events, and physical touchpoints,\u201d says Op\u00e9raSport\u2019s Stelter. \u201cRight now, it feels especially important to build brands around people rather than pressure or perfection. Creating spaces for connection, collaboration, and shared experiences feels like a meaningful way to move forward in an industry that can otherwise feel distant or transactional.\u201d<\/p>\n
Extreme weather-ready<\/p>\n
Sheltered from the biting cold and snow outside, it was as if designers had foreseen the extreme weather that hit Copenhagen this fashion week, with a focus on performance fabrications and footwear.<\/p>\n
At MKDT, every model was clad in rubber-soled khaki wellies, paired with both outerwear looks and silky slip dresses, in what creative director Caroline Engelgaar said was as much an homage to the local lifestyle as it was a reaction to the unpredictability of climate change. Anne-Sofie Madsen took winter footwear in a distinctly subversive direction, collaborating with Ugg on spiky, clawed variations of its classic boot.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, at Holzweiler, the puffer jacket and anorak outerwear typical to the brand were paired with snow boots in a tie-up with Norwegian high-tech, performance brand Viking. \u201cWe come from a place with four clear seasons, where nature and weather strongly influence how we dress,\u201d Holzweiler said post-show. \u201cWe often say that we are born from a need, and the snow boots are a very direct response to that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Embracing artisanal craft<\/p>\n