Corina Gaffey: Sustainability walks the walk at Copenhagen Fashion Week

Stylist to Vogue Williams and Joanne McNally, Corina Gaffey takes a front-row seat at Copenhagen Fashion Week and reports back on the street styles we can expect to see in 2024

Some of the highlights of the Copenhagen Fashion Week

Rainy runways were a signature at Copenhagen Fashion Week’s spring 2024 offering. 

Unseasonable downpours dominated the Danish capital but designers didn’t let drizzle dampen fashion show proceedings and staged alfresco shows in museum courtyards, gardens, by the sea, and on a residential street. 

Models (and showgoers) braved the inclement weather at Sak Potts, A. Roege Hove, Stine Goya, Markimeko, and Skall Studio, with umbrellas becoming a firm fixture on the front rows. But despite the grey and gloomy skies, the runways were awash with bright, springy shades. 

Opera Sport was inspired by the early hues and silhouettes of spring and the sky, reflected in their collection’s use of powdery blue and buttery yellow. 

Stine Goya's scorching shades of fuchsia. Picture: James Cochrane

Stine Goya showed scorching shades of fuchsia, proving Barbiecore is going nowhere, as well as soothing blue hues and delicate lilacs. 

Softer pastels, mainly pink, also appeared at Lovechild and Opera Sport, while Sak Potts went bold with punchy shades of cobalt, zesty orange, and bright pink.

Elsewhere, sheer, shorts, sparkle and skirts also featured heavily; in previous years, the dress dominated, but designers showcased sleek separates. 

From mini to maxi, skirts came in all variations, notably layered over tailored trousers and jeans at Sak Potts and Lovechild and paired elegantly with nipped-in blazers at Remain.

Remain showcased elevated classics. Picture: James Cochrane

Tailoring remains, but instead of the oversized shapes of previous seasons, it sees more feminine silhouetted blazers teamed up with skirts or easy wide-leg trousers.

In contrast to the eye-popping shades and sultry flashes of skin was the set of designers embracing minimalism. 

As ever at Copenhagen Fashion Week, there is a stark contrast between the monochrome, muted minimalists and the bold, statement maximalist designers. 

Sitting on the minimalistic side were Skall Studio, Remain, and Love Child, showcasing elevated classics with a hefty dose of pragmatism.

Buttery yellow trenches paired with a classic combo of knit and jeans or mismatched tailoring in soft shades of beige. 

Marimekko showed bold oversized floral designs. Picture: James Cochrane

At the opposite end of the spectrum were designers such as Stine Goya and Rolf Ekroth who played with prints and patterns. 

Marimekko showcased their collection on the Danish design museum grounds; despite the drizzling rain, bold, oversized floral designs emblazoned on kaftans and co-ords brightened up the grassy catwalk.

Knits are often considered a cold-weather staple, but Copenhagen Fashion Week proved they are an all-around wardrobe addition — a key component on the runways of A. Roege Hove and Skall Studio. 

Also weaving knits into their spring collection was Zalando Visionary Award winner, Paolina Russo.

Zalando presented the first-ever Zalando Visionary this season to Paolina Russo. Picture: James Cochrane

As part of their partnership with Copenhagen Fashion Week, Zalando presented the first-ever Zalando Visionary award this season to Paolina Russo. 

The award puts the spotlight on fashion brands that share the same values and future of fashion vision as Zalando.

With a strong focus on craftsmanship, sustainability, and artisan techniques, Paolina Russo showcased its signature knits that merged the brand’s athletic aesthetic and fantastical folklore.

Fast becoming one of the most influential fashion weeks, alongside Paris, Milan, New York, and London, Copenhagen Fashion Weeks’ dedication to socially
responsible fashion is unparalleled. 

All brands that want to showcase their designs at the Danish fashion week must follow a sustainability action plan and meet 18 requirements. 

One such condition is ensuring the textiles used are made from at least 50% certified, deadstock, upcycled, recycled, preferred, or new-generation materials. 

Opera Sport was inspired by spring with a buttery yellow. Picture: James Cochrane

Opera Sport showcased its first shoe collection, all made from recycled vegan leather, and styles from earlier collections and leftover fabric were upcycled and remade into unique showpieces. 

Zalando Visionary Award Winner Paolina Russo complimented the sunbleached pastel pieces with gradient denim, created using low water-intensity materials and production processes. 

In comparison, Skall Studio promoted Danish-made knitwear from one of the country’s last remaining spinning mills and knitting factories.

STREETSTYLE: Classic trenches and raincoats were showcased in every form by sho-goers. Picture @noorunisa

Street Style

The rainy weather also played havoc with showgoers and their outfits. 

The spring-summer edition of Copenhagen Fashion Week is customarily marked with scorching temperatures, but this August, the rain scuppered plans for sunshine dressing. 

Instead, the mix of influencers, journalists, and buyers attending the shows embraced outerwear in every form, from classic trenches to glossy raincoats to motorcycle jackets and neutral overcoats. 

STREETSTYLE: Pops of colour added sunshine amid the rainy weather. Picture: @noorunisa

The deluge didn’t put off the street-style set from embracing colour. 

Instead, contrasting the gloomy skies were pops of vibrant green and rust. 

Dressing practically was rife, with knits, leather, double denim and tailoring all equipping showgoers with rain-proof outfits that were ideal for dodging showers and rushing between shows.