Four Emerging Danish Designers to Watch This Copenhagen Fashion Week

My label is defined by the notions of femininity, performance and inclusion. I believe that the people I engage directly through my label are a huge part of why the label exists to begin with, so collaboration is also at its core.

What pieces define Alectra Rothschild / MASCULINA?

AR: My hyper-gathered pieces are a huge part of my design development along with corsets, lingerie pieces and of course my bag boots.

Hypergathered Asymmetric Top

Fringe Logo tee

Hypergathered Mini Dress

Why do you think people are so drawn to Scandinavian design in recent years? And what’s a common misconception about it?

AR: I think Scandinavia has sold this idea of minimalism for many years, not only in fashion but also architecture.But a common misconception is that minimalism is all that exists here. Just take my label as an example.

Where do you pull your inspiration from?

AR: I pull my inspiration from people around me like all my collaborators like Kenneth Cockwhore, CassieAugusta Jørgensen, Proxy Server, dj g2g to name a few and from iconic people like Pete Burns, Angelynethe billboard queen, Arca and all queer culture at large.. My work is vert narrative based, so a lot of myinspiration also comes from lived experience and the investigation of this.

What about Alectra Rothschild / MASCULINA are you most proud of?

AR: I’m most proud of the people and collaborators I engage with my label. I’m very proud to have made it this farand to be able to showcase my culture as working-clASS transwoman on this scale.

Elisabet Stamm: Stamm

How would you describe Stamm to someone who isn’t familiar with it?

ES: I’d always prefer to have them feel it and wear it, instead of me describing it. STAMM is a young brand founded in Scandinavia, but established and driven with an international approach. It is hyper-local and universal at once. The silhouettes are created to embrace freedom and movement.

What pieces define Stamm?

ES: I have been a fan of jackets and coats since childhood where I would try on my dads big VOLVO truck jackets. I have a profound working experience in outerwear design and with STAMM I think the jackets are essential with their pattern of having the side seam build into the sleeve, they are bold, they stand-out and I am proud of them.

Stamm Dream Maki

Why do you think people are so drawn to Scandinavian design in recent years? And what’s a common misconception about it?

ES: I think in recent years many initiatives have been bringing attention to Scandinavian design, such as the sustainable direction of CPHFW, ‘3DAYs of Design’ as well as other areas as festivals and restaurants are attracting a global audience and visitors. Quality and creation are important ingredients to this popularity, I’d say. A misconception is perhaps that everything is ‘simplistic’ and I often read ‘minimalistic’. Looking back many of the great danish furniture designers were interested in bringing quality to more people. The designs were a response to a certain time, but that might have become a stigma to ‘Scandinavian Design’ that it’s minimalistic. I think there is a lot of flavours and spices to be added into the well-known monochrome mix too.

Where do you pull inspiration from?

ES: I pause and I sense and then I see what sort of feeling and energy I want to approach and bring. I listen to the ‘zeitgeist’ I suppose and then enter a process where i combine something heartfelt with something universal.

What about Stamm are you most proud of?

ES: That it is unified. I’m proud to have founded something personal that is so much bigger than myself and that more people take part in. I’m proud that anyone who wears SAMM starts to move and quite often smile. I’m proud that within 1,5 years we have won an international ‘Sustainability and Visionary Award’, joinCPHFW New Talent, had 3 shows and onboarded a huge platform as Zalando. We have been called the buzzing brand of CPHFW and ‘the counterpart to the GANNI girl’ – that’s quite something when the operation is taking place in my home/studio where I live with my son and it’s all based on private investment with myself working on all aspects of the matter and with freelancers on projects.

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Frederik Berner Kühl: Berner Kühl

How would you describe Berner Kühl to someone who isn’t familiar with it?

BK: With Berner Kühl I am really trying to convey my vision in ultimate materiality. It’s an exploration in texture and feel. The ideas first solidify into materials, which are then driving the actual design. Always utilizing the key attributes of the raw material in the fabric development phase, the designs often end up being highly dependent on their material origin. The fabric decides what shape is best showcasing the material quality. I am trying to build something that will be here for a while, so it takes time. Slowly building it, brick by brick, tobe able to stand the test of time.

What pieces define Berner Kühl?

BK: We do a full collection, but outerwear is very close to my heart. It’s difficult to create a piece that stands out, without being loud. Which is what we are all about. Its very small details coming into play when creating a jacket. Fabric, fit, trims etc. all define the final piece. It’s the sum of its parts. I love it when we succeed in doing just that.

Wander Shirt Microtril 081 Grey

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Berner Kühl Wander Shirt Fukure 064 Stone

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Berner Kühl Solo Blazer 100s Canvas 008 Charcoal

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Why do you think people are so drawn to Scandinavian design in recent years? And what’s a common misconception about it?

BK: We talked so much about Scandi for so long, that there is not a lot more to be said. Simple, clean, easy to wear, value for money brands. And it’s all true. However there is a misconception sometimes that allScandinavian brands are like that. Which is for sure not true. We have a very diverse body of brands, embracing all sorts of aestethics. We might all be standing on the shoulders of a Scandinavian design tradition, but we all go about it in different ways. I for sure don’t see Berner Kühl as particularly Danish.Which is often how people look at it from the outside, due to the very simple look. But it’s not that minimal on the inside. We use fabrics from Italy and Japan that are highly complex in their origin and craft, but you might need to touch and feel it to understand that. It’s only after use that garments begin to reveal themselves.People tend to forget that.

Where do you pull inspiration from?

BK: Everywhere! I tend to look backwards a bit to see what came before me. In terms of clothing, it was just better quality back then, and we need to try and preserve that. To add more value to garments, so people wear them for longer, and treasure them. We don’t work with seasonal themes, we just try to constantly enforce our vision, be even stronger in whatwe want to project. It’s never ending. I think about our collections all the time, so I try to look at other things to relax and rewind. Art, architecture, furniture—old stuff! Which then spark new ideas for the collections.

What about Berner Kühl are you most proud of?

BK: Right now I am just proud of even having a brand, with some kind of presence. The fact that people actuallyappreciate what we do. And I am proud of not having to compromise too much, which is such a battle all thetime when you are so small. I want to do this my way, its why I started a brand in the first place. We fighteveryday to get the chance to do more of what we want to do. Every little victory is so important! It keeps yougoing.

Tara Gonzalez is the Senior Fashion Editor at Harper’s Bazaar. Previously, she was the style writer at InStyle, founding commerce editor at Glamour, and fashion editor at Coveteur.