FIVE SCANDINAVIAN BRANDS OFF THE BEATEN FASHION TRACK
From quirky streetwear to elegant floral-like dresses, Scandinavia without a doubt offers eclectic contemporary fashion. Designers have taken it upon themselves to incorporate warm, feel good textiles and colour schemes into the “Scandi” style pallet, to accommodate to the predominately Wintered countries of Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Although, each country has its own individual aesthetic; Copenhagen being the home of revolutionizing the androgynous look, with the likes of Astrid Anderson and Ganni, Stockholm continuously making its mark on high street fashion by birthing numerous accessible brands, and Oslo silently mastering edgy but feminine streetwear. As the Scandinavian fashion scene has flourished over the past decade, with designers blending Japan’s cutting edged style with bubbly dresses and the American chic, so has the offering of style shaping brands. Here are 5 up and coming “Scandi” designers off the beaten fashion track – set nonetheless defining Nordic Fashion Weeks.
Cecilie Bahnsen
Cecilie Bahnsen designs luxurious clothing based in Copenhagen. Her design exhibits a rich culture and combines couture craftsmanship with sculptural silhouettes, for a contemporary audience. The Spring 2018 collection embraces femininity with pastel pinks and welcomes refreshing sunflower yellow coloured dresses. The fishnet details and quilted fabrics enhance the structures of the full skirted baby doll dresses.
Ida Klamborn
Ida Klamborn is a Swedish fashion designer, situated in Stockholm. Klamborn designs garments with a balanced union between colour, shape and material; where the momentum explores and develops simplistic ideas. The award-winning 30-year-old designer is a member of the creative feminists in Stockholm and embodies a feministic approach to design – showing an appreciation for the female body within her garments. Ida Klamborn stands for a graphically strong expression where the textiles and prints create contrasting thoughts, because who wouldn’t want to wear a bold tee stating “Eat My Pink”?
Saks Potts
This innovatively timeless brand incorporates vivid and strong colours with a fresh interpretation on fur. Saks Potts is far from your usual minimalistic Scandi brand, if anything nothing but extravagant and untraditional. The designs represent quirks all around, with delicate materials in high quality. Barbara Potts and Catherine Saks, still in their early 20’s established the Nordic brand in 2013 and since then have made it their mission to make wearers feel nothing but joy when in their designs. This brand will make you feel like the sassy, Danish diva your alter ego fights to restrict on the daily.
Cecilie Copenhagen
We are all too familiar with being on the receiving end of a deathly dragging phone call with our best friends, trying our absolute hardest to persuade them that your night ahead will be, “worth it, FOR SURE”. Even though they’ve been complaining for what feels like decades, because they have nothing to wear. The rustling up of a sophisticated tunic made from two scarves was the epiphany of CECILIE Copenhagen – As creative director Jorgensen refused to go out in her birthday suit that night. Jorgensen now runs an international brand that’s recognised globally on Instagram and stocked at Browns, Matches Fashion and Liberty’s in the UK. Her designs are cool, classic and often feature prints inspired by the similar keffiyeh’s that kicked off her career.
Veronica Vallenes
Veronica Vallenes is an award winning Norwegian designer and her latest collections have already gained international recognition. Vallenes aesthetic is equidistant from the simplistic, Nordic look and a high-end Parisian vibe. Her designs incorporate the finest silks and heavy alpaca wools to create a combination of sleek and sensual Scandinavian inspired garments.