Couleurs de l'été apportent un optimisme prudent à Copenhague Fashion Week
Pastel shades and cautious optimism stalked the catwalks at the Copenhagen Fashion Week that ended here Sunday.
As designers showcased collections for spring and summer 2012, industry professionals hoped consumer spending would pick up and propel growth in the fashion sector, which has been buffeted by recession.
“I think Danish and Scandinavian fashion has potential in a market with an economy like this,” said Eva Kruse, CEO of Copenhagen Fashion Week (CFW) and Director of the Danish Fashion Institute.
“That is because the prices are fairly low. You get a lot of brand value and original design for your money when buying Danish brands,” she told Xinhua.
Indeed, while avant-garde styles were displayed at CFW, many of the collections reflected the sharp, simple, value-for-money fashion that Nordic design is associated with.
In all, the week featured 39 runway shows, including nine designers exhibiting collections for the first time.
According to Kruse, the large number of newcomers sends a signal that, “designers are taking up the challenge of meeting the market” and is reflecting the optimism of an industry that is recovering after being buffeted by the 2008 global financial crisis.
According to Iben Albinus Sabroe, Editor-in-Chief of Dansk Daily, the official CFW newspaper, the creations shown during the week add up to a “new sort of glamorous minimalism”.
GLAMOROUSLY MINIMAL
Among other typical offerings, flat pastels of pistachio, peach and beige marked the oversize jackets, tight shorts and trousers presented by designer Veronica B. Vallenes.
The trend continued in Trine Wackerhaus’s show which unveiled grey-tone cocktail dresses, flamingo-printed jumpsuits and more pastels in yellow, blue and pink.
According to Iben Albinus Sabroe, Editor-in-Chief of Dansk Daily, the official CFW newspaper, the creations shown during the week add up to a “new sort of glamorous minimalism”.“Minimalism still rules the fashion world. That doesn’t mean it’s dull,” she said in an editorial Friday.
However, it was considered a one-sided argument by some designers.
“Some of it is very experimental, some of it is very average,” said Berlin-based fashion designer Matise Garten-Bach.
“Scandinavian design for me is emotionally cool, minimal, reduced. But we do see other things here which surprise me. For example, we can see influences from England, Germany and France,” he told Xinhua.
Others believe the collections are engaging and wearable, but need to make more of an impact.
“Danish fashion is all about wearable fashion, and I think we need to take that up one step: make it showpiece oriented,” said Mads, a freelance stylist from Denmark.
In fact, tulle and feathers helped spark life into the corsets, face-veils, evening dresses and bridal gowns presented at the ballerina-themed Trash Couture show.
And menswear designer Jean-Phillip provided contrast by presenting a predominantly black collection notable for its long, flowing cardigans, fitted trousers and the use of poplin, cashmere and linen.
