Copenhagen is undoubtedly home to the coolest fashion week on the calendar. The Gen Z of fashion weeks, CPHFW is unrivalled in its championing of inclusivity and sustainability. This season, the Danish capital became the first major fashion week to ensure that its brands were taking sustainability seriously, with the announcement of a radical three-year action plan. “We are in the middle of a climate crisis, so we have to act now and urgently, Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO of Copenhagen Fashion Week, told Vogue. “It’s looking at how we, as a fashion week, can use our platform to actively engage with the industry and drive change. The most important part is looking at how we can accelerate the sustainable transition of brands.”
They’ve already turfed single use plastic and by 2023 all participating brands will have to adhere to strict sustainability policies, like the use of 50 percent certified organic, upcycled or recycled textiles in all collections. Not only is Copenhagen outpacing other fashion weeks when it comes to taking responsibility for their impact on the planet, the CPHFW attendees are as cheery and welcoming as the clothes are covetable. All-round sunshine vibes!
To kick things off, beloved brand Baum und Pferdgarten, masters of highly wearable garments and wizardry wordplay, sent a fleet of angelic models down the runway wearing a lineup of sweet, sustainable clothes. With 50 percent of the pieces in their collection already sustainably sourced, they aim to increase that number to at least 65 percent by 2024. “We want the public to know where we produce, how we produce and what fabrics [we use],” Rikke Baumgarten, the brand’s co-founder, told Vogue. “It's not easy but it is possible to make [the] industry more green. Everybody knows it's just not possible anymore to continue like we did before.”
You can spy all the magic that went down on the runway here before you come backstage with us in the gallery above to see all the tasty sartorial treats up close. In its entirety, the collection embodies the electrifying and eclectic energy of music festivals, with its 70s-inspired colour palette and fabrics, faux fur and animal prints. Brown, the hottest colour of the moment, got a look in, paired with yellow in a checkered suit, worn by Melissa Matzau, that would be as appropos at work as it would be on an urban Sunday morning stroll (versatile = sustainable, 10 points!). Copenhagen cutie Amina Adan looked like an absolute vision in a zebra print lewk, solidifying the notion that animal prints are as much worthy of ‘wardrobe staple’ status as other timeless pieces like denim.
We could wax lyrical on their collection till the cows come home, but we should probably let the clothes talk for themselves—they’ve got a lot to say. You know where to find them ☝️.
Feature: Madeleine Woon Photos: Chloe Hill
