5 New Trends From the Next-Gen Copenhagen Fashion Week

by Erin Fitzpatrick

Copenhagen Fashion Week trends from the s/s 21 spring 2021 season

Photo:

Getty Images/Lovechild 1979

The first fashion week of a new era has arrived. Last season, Copenhagen Fashion Week officially established itself as a trailblazer of the sustainable-fashion movement. That commitment remains this season, but as the first event on the fashion calendar, the organization was also unexpectedly tasked with determining what fashion week looks like in the coronavirus era. After having attended the event three times in the past, I was confident that Copenhagen would be able to meet the moment—and it certainly did.

Denmark has been cited frequently as a country with one of the best responses to COVID-19, so the fashion week team was able to proceed with a mix of in-person, digital, and hybrid events. Many of the physical shows took advantage of the sunny Copenhagen weather this week and were held outside with spaced-out seating (or no seats), including Henrik Vibskov, Helmstedt, Remain Birger Christensen, Soulland, and 7 Days Active. Other brands such as Ganni, Stine Goya, and Rodebjer showcased their filmmaking and photography chops, presenting striking videos and images to reveal their new collections in lieu of runway shows.

Copenhagen fashion week spring 2021s/s 21

Photo:

Mark Kenly Domino Tan

Copenhagen Fashion Week's hybrid format also allowed for more panel discussions to be added to the calendar. In particular, the event did not shy away from addressing the topic of racism in the Scandinavian fashion industry head-on. Actress Amelia Hoy hosted two days of talks and workshops addressing representation, consumer activism, anti-racist practices, accountability, and creating a charter.

All in all, the stellar runway trends that we've come to expect from Copenhagen shared the spotlight this season with filmmaking, photography, reflection, and digital innovation. But as this season proved, there's plenty of room for all of the above and much more. Scroll down to see and shop the five trends that stood out to me from Copenhagen Fashion Week S/S 21.

Stine Goya