Polly’s Copenhagen Fashion Week Diary
MONDAY
Day One
While the shows don’t technically start until Tuesday, I arrived a day early with my friend Francesca to give ourselves time to go to a couple of appointments, get settled and enjoy the culture – by which I mean eating pastries and hitting up the incredible shops! Our first stop was Sankt Peders Bageri – it’s the oldest bakery in the city and known for its cinnamon buns. We were lucky it was sunny but it was pretty chilly, so I decided to embrace Scandi dressing by donning my balaclava – a cheap and cheerful number from H&M. I also rented an amazing coat from HURR by Danish brand Saks Potts and wore a comfy pair of printed trousers by fellow Copenhagen-based label Stine Goya.
If you’re into vintage shopping, Copenhagen has a seriously good selection of stores. I tried on a couple of reasonably priced shearling jackets in Time’s Up Vintage, and just missed out on a pair of pre-loved Totême boots in Magnolia’s. I did pick up an incredible roll-neck jumper by a brand called All from Another Nue – if you’re in the market for great quality knitwear, it’s well worth checking out.
My first appointment of the day was at the Birger Christensen Collective to pick out a look for the Remain Show. It was a challenge to choose just one – I loved so many of the pieces, including some pink leather trousers – but decided on something a little more out there. Then, we ventured down to the Blanche showroom to choose an outfit for its show, before heading out for dinner at Esmee. I kept my outfit pretty casual, adding some Pearl Octopussy earrings for a bit of glamour.
TUESDAY
Day Two
Time for some shows – my first of the day was Blanche, which we were almost late for after my friend Rebecca got locked in her hotel room. I wore a brown waistcoat and trouser suit from the brand, with a cornflower blue coat by Mariam Al Sibai, plus some statement Vehla sunnies and Adidas Sambas. The collection was characteristically Scandi-cool – think boxy jackets and utility-inspired details, while pops of pastel green cut through a largely neutral colour palette.
Aftewards, we wandered over to the By Malene Birger presentation. The minimalist décor reflected the brand’s effortless, luxurious vibe and I fell hard for a buttery soft knitted dress with a cropped shrug overlay – it would look amazing with some knee-high boots.
After wolfing down some lunch and popping back for a quick outfit change, it was time for the Remain show. I picked a blue leather jacket and mini skirt set – and yes, my legs were pretty damn cold. Let’s just say practicality is no one’s first thought at fashion week. This collection was my favourite of the bunch – full of metallics, strong shoulders, denim and sharp tailoring. I’m gutted we’ll have to wait until next autumn to shop the collection; I want it all in my wardrobe now.
WEDNESDAY
Day Three
No rest for the wicked as I had four shows in the diary today. It was cold from the moment we arrived, but the wind felt particularly biting today, so I made the wise choice to slick my hair back into a bun and bundle up in an ARKET roll-neck, leather trousers and my Mariam Al Sibai blanket coat. OpéraSPORT was the first show of the day and despite the cold, the street style game was on point. I loved Francesca’s double denim look with a maxi length Raey skirt, and Emili Sindlev’s green Hermès Birkin was a personal highlight. Stephanie Gundelach and Awa Melina Stelter are the female duo behind OpéraSPORT, which was established in 2019. Though edgier than some collections, I loved how much leather featured here, as well as double denim – proof that that trend is going nowhere.
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@EMILISINDLEV; OPERA SPORT
After some refreshments, I popped back to my hotel room to change into my second outfit of the day. The next three shows were back-to-back and with shows often running behind and locations far apart, I was worried time might be tight. Some more committed fashion week attendees bring a different outfit for every show but at this point, I just didn’t have it in me! Plus, my Stine Goya bomber jacket and cargo pant combo was pretty epic, so I thought it deserved to be given a full outing.
First stop was Baum und Pferdgarten, which sadly I didn’t get to see much of as I was stood at the back of a crowd, but the old Danish church was very pretty. After that, we headed to Saks Potts, which was held in the Tivoli concert hall. The show started with a performance by a Danish concert band, before the achingly cool collection – complete with signature leathers and shearlings in vibrant colours – made its way down the runway. The turnout was huge, which made getting a taxi afterwards a nightmare – at one point, it was touch and go as to whether we might miss the start of Stine Goya. In the nick of time, we made it, and no sooner had I sat down on my seat, the lights came down. Aptly named ‘Freeze’, the collection combined duvet-like puffers and luxurious faux furs with Goya’s signature floral prints and bright colours. The brand got the double denim memo too – only this time in acid washed pink.
After a long day of rushing between shows, we finished up with a well-deserved dinner at Bottega Barlie, which was recommended to me by the team at Stine Goya. If you’re visiting Copenhagen, it’s a must-visit for incredible tapas-style dining, and the wine list is extensive. I couldn’t leave without doing one final bit of shopping. After trying on some metallic silver Rotate trousers that have been on my NET-A-PORTER wish list for months, I knew I had to have them. I threw them on with my All roll-neck for the journey back to London. Until next time, Copenhagen…
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