COPENHAGEN
In a city long hailed as the minimalist design capital of the world, the fashion scene has sometimes been forgotten in the international hype around hygge. However, as young Danish designers become more confident in their work, that cool Scandi aesthetic has put Copenhagen firmly on the fashion map.
Henrik Vibskov, Cathrine Saks and Barbara Potts of Saks Potts, and Ganni’s Ditte Reffstrup have been international names for a few years now, but as younger designers like Cecilie Bahnsen and Astrid Andersen sign on to major fashion emporiums such as Dover Street Market and Hong Kong’s I.T, Copenhagen Fashion Week has become a destination for any style maven with a yearning for northern simplicity.
“I think the look these days is a creative mixture of everything,” says Bahnsen from her studio in the Danish capital. “People mix cheap and expensive, feminine and masculine, sportswear and formalwear. There are no rules, and I think people in Copenhagen are pretty bold and creative when it comes to fashion and style.”
And Bahnsen herself has been feted for her feminine, ultra-wearable collections that manage to be sensual without revealing much skin. “I love to play with discreet details and work in transparent materials that capture the attention without showing too much,” she says. “It creates an understated sexy expression that’s hard to get rid of and easy to feel confident in—and that’s exactly what fashion is all about.”
SHOP
Luxury fashion retailer Holly Golightly has two equally stylish shops right in the heart of the city—gammel Mønt, which sells clothing and fine jewellery, and Store Regnegade for shoes, bags and beauty. hollygolightly.dk
eat
With a flower-filled outdoor courtyard and some of the healthiest Danish food in the city on the menu, Apollo Bar & Kantine is a feast for the eyes and the taste buds. apollobar.dk
sleep
Set on busy Åboulevard northwest of the city centre, Hotel Avenue feels like an elegant home, albeit one filled with the most fashionable people in the city sipping cocktails in the downstairs bar. brochner-hotels.com