You can count on A/W 2023 Copenhagen Fashion Week to introduce hygge to the world of high fashion. The Danes welcomed visitors to the “City of Fairytales” despite the subzero temperatures and sideways winds to showcase the many ways in which Denmark will provide for its citizens’ comfort in the year 2020. Wood Wood, (Di)vision, and PLN stood out with collections that offered a subverted take on serotonin dressing; The Garment and Mark Fast were also notable for their inclusive casting and strong sense of community. Kenly Domino Tan brought museum-quality ease, Henrik Vibskov homered with a tribute to the surprisingly ostentatious tomato, and Rotate and Opérasport kept the Y2K butterfly in the air. It was a good-feeling, good-doing season because every brand on the schedule was required to meet 18 sustainable standards, such as using at least 50% certified, organic, upcycled, or recycled textiles and having zero-waste set designs.
In this gallery, Wallpaper* presents its picks for the best looks presented during Copenhagen Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2023.
Trends to watch for at Copenhagen Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2023–2024
Designer Dominic Huckbody said backstage after the show that themes of subculture, youth culture, and club culture were central to Wood Wood’s ultra-narrow offering this season. We wanted to expand on the concept of people you might meet on a night out in Copenhagen. We’ve gotten closer to fully developing [that idea] with each passing season. Wood Wood, created in tandem with Cecilie Engberg and Liam Hodges, is flourishing in every way. Leather donkey jackets were thrown over crinkled satin dresses, brushed wool coats were paired with patent thigh-high boots, and embroidered shirting was thrown on under slouchy suiting. Huckbody called this trend “disco denim,” and it “took advantage of the way a denim jacket might look in the glow of a club.” a little out there,’ while the portrait prints were actually Ellis Scott’s shots of the Wood Wood studio’s own staff and members. It was a show that gave us a tantalising glimpse into what the Wood Wood club — nay, community — looks like, and it was presented against the backdrop of rising star and performance artist William Darby pulling rave shapes in a smoke-machine-filled box.
Holzweiler
Keeping things in the family, Susanne and Andreas Holzweiler, as well as Andreas’s wife, Maria Skappel Holzweiler, aren’t looking for attention for its own sake. After the show, Andreas said, “I think it’s just important that we [keep] everything more subtle so that people see the full brand on the runway.” As he had promised, this was an assortment of clothing rather than ideas. Asymmetric suiting with hammered silver fasteners that were a nod to ocean treasures arrived, and stonewash denim (a constant in Copenhagen this season) was also present, along with crinkled suits, laddered knits, quilted coats, and grungy twinsets. Susanne explained that the suiting’s rough-cut pearlescent fastenings were chosen because “Maria loves to dive and has been fascinated by the deep seas.”
Astounding Goya artwork by Stine
Putting a well-known Danish fairy tale in the context of a luxury ski resort is the best way to update it for the year 2023. This winter, Stine Goya was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen by way of Aspen. Backstage, Goya credited the story of this beautiful snow universe and ice-crystal landscape, as well as the way he portrayed his female characters as strong, brave, and heroic. We wore our brocade and jacquard onesies, duvet wraps, diamanté tracksuits, and watercolour floral puffer coats to the Jägermeister bar, where we were greeted by a friendly bartender. Goya’s own snow queen made an appearance midway through the performance, bringing with her the frozen results of a studio experiment in which organza was dipped in boiling hot vinegar and salted water and then applied to a mannequin, where it freezes instantly. Then came the leather dresses and faux-fur coats with snowflake and icicle embellishments.
