This Spring/Summer edition of Copenhagen Fashion Week brought a whirlwind of creativity to our otherwise slow-paced August. From garden-inspired elegance at OpéraSPORT to Han Kjøbenhavn’s urban edge, the collections were anything but ordinary. A. Roege Hove made a stylish comeback, Sinéad O’Dwyer wowed with her debut, and Nicklas Skovgaard took a bold trip down memory lane. This recap dives into the highlights of a week where Scandinavian cool met fearless innovation, setting the stage for what’s next in fashion.
Held in the Exillion Garden, just north of Copenhagen, OpéraSPORT’s SS25 collection masterfully blends sophistication with functionality. Inspired by the garden’s enchanting Renaissance and Baroque elements, this season’s collection embraces elegance and femininity with a contemporary twist in styling. Featuring a vibrant colour palette, abundant florals, and a fresh quilt design, the brand’s latest collection highlights the art of mixing and matching patterns, textures, and colours. This season, OpéraSPORT transports us to a labyrinthine botanical dreamscape, combining the natural with the classical through their designs.
While SS collections usually reach for florals and equilibrium, Han Kjobenhavn’s SS25 collection served us drama with a collection that showcased sculpted silhouettes and functional fabrics. From the broad shoulders to the leggings-turned-shoes and knee-low crotches, these shapes aim to narrate a tale about the “royals of concrete”: kids that grew up in the urban landscape who, in the eyes of the brand, seem to be shaping a new reality. This ode to the urban youth is only accentuated when looking at the textures; while working with faux furs and leathers, denim embraced this collection’s lead role. A collection which holds deep personal significance for Artistic Director Jannik Wikkelsø Davidsen and reimagines Han Kjøbenhavn’s grunge aesthetic with a futuristic edge, drawing heavily on utilitarian silhouettes to capture the essence of urban resilience.
Held at a massive brewery with towering steel tanks and reflective surfaces, A. Roege Hove’s SS25 show marks a triumphant return after a brief hiatus. This collection, titled A. Roege Hove 2.0, showcases a renewed focus on material clashes—think structured knits juxtaposed with flowing woven fabrics and intricate jacquards that add depth to the collection. Designer Amalie Roege Hove transformed the industrial setting into a canvas that echoed, or better, reflected her meticulous designs. There’s no doubt that A. Roege Hove is back and better than ever, delivering a collection that plays on transparency and opacity while sticking to her impeccable technical and body-conscious silhouettes.
Set in the scenic Opera Parken, Sinéad O’Dwyer’s SS25 show brought ethereal novelty to the Danish capital. Inspired by nature and feminine expression, O’Dwyer Copenhagen’s debut was a harmonious blend of sensuality and modern craftsmanship. Known for her intricate latticework and sculpted denim, this season, we saw flouncy frocks and micro hemlines that added a playful edge to her signature form-fitting silhouettes. The collection also featured daring keyhole cutouts and ultra-high slits. As for the colour palette—rich indigos, earthy khakis, and vibrant chartreuse added a twist to earthy tones, modernising an often monotone palette. It goes without saying O’Dwyer’s SS25 was a brilliant debut. By combining nature-inspired elegance with bold, modern details, the brand is gradually redefining fashion’s approach to femininity and the body.
New kid on the block Nicklas Skovgaard took a sharp turn this season by curating and staging a gallery retrospective, along with presenting his new collection. While many designers might wait years to reflect on their brand’s legacy, Skovgaard did not play by the rules, offering a glimpse into his brand’s nascent heritage—underscoring that, despite its brief existence, his eponymous label is here to stay. Guests were welcomed to walk through the brand’s visual memoir before entering a nostalgia-fuelled dimension, a mix of 80s prom and aerobics classes. Revisiting his past work, the designer incorporated new elements like floral prints and noteworthy trompe l’oeil creations into his hallmark pieces like balloon skirts and drop-waist bubble dresses. In a bold fusion of retrospection and innovation, Skovgaard’s approach bridged past and present, leaving guests with a lasting impression of the brand’s evolving signature character.
Words by Agata Villa
Images courtesy of Copenhagen Fashion Week
