Copenhagen Fashion Week may not carry the prestige of the more traditional events on the fashion calendar (think Paris, New York and London), but that’s exactly the way they like it. Since its inception in 2016, the Nordic event has carved out its own niche within the sartorial landscape.
The Danes have been happy dressing to the beat of their own drum, offering a generally more playful and colourful take on the Scandinavian aesthetic and slowly but surely, the fashion world has opened its eyes to the Danish way of designing and dressing. As the latest CFW kicked off last week, Vogue decreed that the event is at the heart of a vibe change.
It’s an appealing approach for many here in New Zealand, where we too pride ourselves on the fact we happily do things a bit differently, clothing included. With that in mind, we take a look at some of the ensembles on the street outside the shows - and the broad ways you can work them into your spring and summer wardrobes.
LESSON ONE: Cork wedges are back (sorry)
An unexpected choice to resurrect for sure, but platform heels are enjoying a (summer) renaissance and although they're struggling to shrug off their Snooki from The Jersey Shore connotations, trust us (and Vogue) when we say cork wedges are right behind them. We’re back in our JLo era, although some of us never left.
Seen here they’re a playful counterbalance to the punky colour of the dress, and that's the key to wearing them in 2022 - leaning right the way into the unexpected.
LESSON TWO: Green was everywhere
This may seem like an obvious pick given that CFW has made sustainability its focus, but all shades of green cropped up last week. That the verdant colour makes an appearance in three of the five looks we’ve pulled from gathering really speaks to the continued strength of the trend.
Previously, green outfits tended to make a single shade the focus, but fresher iterations are incorporating tonal variations, or working in contrasting colour combinations that shouldn’t work, but somehow do. In other words, any green goes.
LESSON THREE: Cowboy boots
Emma Chamberlain is an official Ganni Girl: she’s the face of their collab with Levi’s, and to our eyes the most covetable part of her outfit was the footwear that she boot scooted her way around in.
Horse girls will rejoice at the news that Western fashions are making their way back into favour. Yes, celebrities like Dua Lipa have been styled in cowboy boots for a while now but Emma’s outfit, paired simply with a dress and sunnies, feels wearable.
If boots seem too hot (in the literal sense) to incorporate into your summer attire, perhaps consider their upstairs cousin, the Cowboy hat, which was also spotted multiple times kicking around Copenhagen.
LESSON FOUR: Crafty belts and necklaces
Alongside loosely woven singlets and dresses, boho influenced details in the form of crafty belts and beaded necklaces featured heavily on the streets of CFW.
The trick to having your crafted details not look cheap lies in just that: choosing pieces that have been crafted with care and sourced with intention. We like makers like Wellington’s Baobei who make their pieces to order and Buana Satu on Auckland’s Karangahape Road, who’ve been selling designs from around the Pacific Rim for decades. You might also find some tiny makers at your favourite market.
LESSON FIVE: Try shorts
Menswear silhouettes continue to dominate below the belt and they’re extending to shorts now as well. Adding in an oversized shirt, as seen here in an aloha variety, does well to dial up the hokeyness in a knowing wink sort of way.
