Copenhagen Fashion Week SS27

Copenhagen Fashion Week has just celebrated its 20th anniversary. From a regional showcase event within the Nordics to a global platform with a purpose and championing sustainability, the event is a lot more than the Scandi street styles. What has grown in the past 20 years is not just the structure and scale of the fashion week, it’s also the global presence and influence of Scandinavian fashion trends, innovative use of materials and upcycling production, and a conversation around important topics such as the relevance of media, climate change, the rise of modest fashion, etc. Everything that’s happening in the world is relevant to the fashion industry. CPHFW has been at the forefront of creating and implementing the sustainability framework that sets a high standard for the industry to follow, and is partnering with Oslo Runway, the Norwegian Fashion Hub, Berlin Fashion Week executed by the Fashion Council Germany, the British Fashion Council and Amsterdam Fashion Week to generate bigger impact.

SS27-Copenhagen-Fashion-Week-Stine-Goya-Backstage-Bryndis-Thorsteinsdottir

Street styles during CPHFW have always been a focal point that captured the world’s attention, and the August SS27 edition is as interesting as it can get. Colours, patterns, the “wrong shoes”, maternity style and everything in between, it’s a celebration of freedom of dressing and personal expression. Copenhagen sets a stage for this acceptance and judgement-free space, embracing diversity – LGBTQ+, age, ethnicity, sizes. All you need to do is to show up as who you want to be seen as, and no approval is needed.

Street Style Day 1. Photo: Noor-u-nisa-Khan.

Street Style Day 3. Photo: Noor-u-nisa-Khan.

Street Style Day 4. Photo: Noor-u-nisa-Khan.

Street Style Day 2. Photo: Noor-u-nisa-Khan.

Street Style Day 4. Photo: Noor-u-nisa-Khan.

Street Style Day 4. Photo: Noor-u-nisa-Khan.

Street Style Day 3. Photo: Noor-u-nisa-Khan.

Street Style Day 4. Photo: Noor-u-nisa-Khan.

Street Style Day 4. Photo: Noor-u-nisa-Khan.

Exciting highlights include the first catwalk debut of Finnish brand Almada Label, the first international guest slot for Collina Strada, and the return of some big Scandinavian brands such as By Malene Birger, Baum und Pferdgarten, Freya Dalsjø and Stine Goya. When “Scandi style” is mentioned, it’s often related to black, blue, beige, neutrals and minimalism, yet at CPHFW SS27 we see an obvious breakaway from this stereotypical idea, both on and off the catwalk. Brands such as Marimekko, Caro Editions, Swedish School of Textiles, Institution and Nickolas Skovgaard, etc., are showcasing numbers after numbers of gorgeous colour palettes, colourful patterns, structural silhouettes, embellishment and exaggerated lines that are not immediately related to Scandinavian minimalism.

SS27-Copenhagen-Fashion-Week-[The-Garment] -Runway. Image:James Cochrane.

SS27-Copenhagen-Fashion-Week-[Institution]-Runway. Image: James Cochrane.

SS27-Copenhagen-Fashion-Week-[Nicklas-Skovgaard]-Runway. Image: James-Cochrane.

What we can see on the runway trend for Spring Summer 27 is a diverse colour palette and a revival of glamour in a restrained way. The restrained glamour comes through in more polished silhouettes, unexpected textures, subtle embellishment and a more individual approach to dressing up. There is still the practicality and functionality that Scandinavian fashion is mainly based on, but it is no longer limited by minimalism, which is the biggest myth from the outside about Scandinavian style. People wear colours and patterns not just during fashion week for the camera, it’s just less known in between seasons when the city isn’t filled with international guests. There is a sense of playfulness, individuality and freedom.

SS27-Copenhagen-Fashion-Week-[Caro-Editions]-Runway. Image: James Cochrane

SS27-Copenhagen-Fashion-Week-[Stine-Goya]-Runway. Image: James-Cochrane.

It feels fitting for Copenhagen Fashion Week’s 20th anniversary. The evolution of CPHFW reflects the evolution of Scandinavian fashion itself: from a recognisable aesthetic to a much broader and more diverse fashion language. What remains consistent is the willingness to challenge convention, whether through sustainability, materials, silhouettes or simply the way we choose to dress.

After 20 years, perhaps the most interesting thing about Copenhagen Fashion Week is not what Scandinavian fashion looks like anymore, but what fashion means to you.

SS27-Copenhagen-Fashion-Week-[OpéraSport]-Runway. Image: James Cochrane.

SS27-Copenhagen-Fashion-Week-[Collina-Strada-]Backstage. Image: Tonya Matyu.

SS27-Copenhagen-Fashion-Week-[Nicklas-Skovgaard]-Runway. Image: James Cochrane.