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Over 624 miles from Paris, I stood in the biting cold for my first peek at the creative ecosystem that is Copenhagen. The Scandinavian city of over 1 million has captured the attention of adventurous insiders who want to see what’s next in fashion. Case in point: in a week, I braided wool, marvelled at performance art, and was enchanted by trompe l’oeil. While there were so many amazing designers to choose from, here are the four to know.

Sson Studios

Founded over a year ago by Yulia Kjellsson and Ellinor Håkansson, Sson Studios has already made it to Copenhagen Fashion Week’s One to Watch list. Conceptually merging circularity with editorial taste, the Swedish brand’s latest collection, “The Fortunate Ones,” was as much of a statement as it was a litmus test of the brand’s design ingenuity and its sustainable values.

Set in inter.pblc gallery, the 11-look collection was displayed on models seated along its four corners. Created entirely of second-hand garments and textiles, pieces were sourced, taken apart, and reassembled, allowing their previous use to remain part of the final design. One of my favourites was a bag skirt, whose top handles and pockets were left intact, with two slits in the center to put one’s legs.

However, the most interesting part of the presentation was the mountain of clothes piled to the ceiling. A nod to landfills and our insatiable need for consumption, or “having access to excess,” as the program stated. “The ability to discard, replace, and continue consuming,” it continued.  “SSON works from the belief that relevance in fashion does not depend on producing more, but on learning how to work with the resources already at hand,” the program concluded.

Perhaps, it’s time we take note.

Bonnetje

Try something: grab a piece of paper and fold it into sections. Now, draw a face at the top of the paper, fold it, and pass it along. The result of Cadavre Exquis, this surrealist game invented in the 1920’s, is creative collaboration without restriction. The same could be said for Danish design duo Anna Myntekær & Yoko Maja Rahbek Hansen’s avant-garde collection of the same name, for their brand Bonnetje.

Made from vintage suiting and defunct materials, the brand creates fashion treasures. Thought pieces that could be worn around the office of an art magazine as much as on a red carpet, and the presentation— absolutely sensorial. From the haunting hum of a black-and-white campaign projected at the entrance, a stately domestic living quarters where models lounged on couches with bratty pouts and cool indifference, stood on apple box platforms or walked fur tails on leashes, to the dining room where models waited around a table of crystal glassware, swishing keychain-covered heels to an off-kilter piano arrangement, stimulation was everywhere.

And what of next fall, when these clothes live their lives on the rack? That’s when the real fun begins.

James Cochrane

James Cochrane

James Cochrane

O.Files

Oscar Jardorf doesn’t waste time. He knows his audience, so he doesn’t have to. Founded in 2018, from the moment Jardorf turned on his camera, the O.Files customer was baked in, ready to give feedback, praise, and simply check in. Citing inspiration from military style, the brand’s no-fuss aesthetic is based in Scandinavian minimalism and Italian craftsmanship, rooted in collaboration with a curated selection of tailors that Jardorf keeps close.

“What can be refined, without losing what works?” is the question eternal. From the curve zipper on a leather jacket to a double lapel on an overcoat, it all works. The melding of influences is part of the formula, so when O.Files announced Japanese origami as an added influence in his debut presentation, it fit. “In practice, this becomes a tripartite dialogue between traditional sartorial menswear, uncompromising technical execution, and purposeful playfulness,” said the show notes.   

The playfulness came through in the presentation, each model an actor in a domestic scene, one model practiced his watercolours, while the other brushed up on ironing skills, and one even read a newspaper, a tongue-in-cheek prop that announced the collection in bold headlines. 

“Complexity stays close to the garment; it is felt, not announced,” read another line from the show notes. We won’t tell if you won’t.  

Ranra

Inspired by Beeswax, also the name of Ranra’s most recent collection, a practical finish with a long Nordic history of waterproofing and reliability in demanding conditions, Ranra continues its reverent exploration of nature’s wonders. 

Created by Reykjavík-born co-founder Arnar Már Jónsson and British co-founder Luke Stevens as a performance-based outerwear brand, the Reykjavík and London-based brand rebranded in 2022 as a design studio with a new name and has created several staples that lie on the intersection of style, comfort, and innovation. Silk wool-blend puffer jackets refined with a wool blend to maintain structure while remaining light, and their Wool River Fleece updated with a new dye treatment deepening its tonal range and enhancing the material’s natural texture, chief among them. Now introducing tailoring to their assortment in wool suiting and a structured coat developed with material function and construction in mind. 

Set against the backdrop of yellow wax structures, the choreography of the show added a cinematic drama to the collection. Models walked by briskly in their fur-trimmed hoods, turning them into faceless mannequins. A punchy rose and grape-colored button-up with matching trousers did a figure eight around guests, and fair isle sweaters in burnt orange and camouflage green added a domestic sensibility.  

James Cochrane

James Cochrane

James Cochrane

James Cochrane

James Cochrane

words. Malcolm Thomas

Rei Kawakubo’s latest showing for Comme des Garçons Homme Plus Autumn/Winter 2026 took inspiration from black holes – astronomical phenomena where spacetime is warped and compacted so intensely that nothing, not even light, can escape. The collection itself didn’t feel dissimilar. In fact, it felt as if you were being pulled towards the designs, drawn in by an invisible force, unable to look away or resist their gravity. The show carried a quiet sense of inevitability, as though surrendering to it was part of the experience.

The first look immediately set the tone. A white cotton shift was worn beneath a black ruffled jacket that seemed to swallow up the light around it, absorbing rather than reflecting. But what truly defined the look was the mask worn over the model’s deliberately unkempt, bedhead hair. The silver design appeared torn away at the centre, fragmented and raw. Iterations of the mask – designed by artist Shin Murayama – continued throughout the show. Some took on a more armour-like appearance, while others leaned closer to hockey masks, blurring the line between protection, anonymity, and menace.

Silhouettes shifted throughout the collection, moving from shapeless and elongated forms to more cropped, fitted proportions. A loose silver satin slip and a baggy plaid jumpsuit allowed for ease and freedom of movement, contrasting with sharper tailoring elsewhere. A boxy double-breasted blazer was paired with low-rise balloon trousers, revealing a brief sliver of the model’s torso. Fitted blazers featured experimental cuts and were often layered with ruffles, giving familiar tailoring an unfamiliar, almost distorted appearance.

Among the predominantly black colour palette – what else is to be expected from Kawakubo? – subtle splashes of light grey, white, silver, and blue emerged. These appeared in slips, satin jackets, crisp cotton dress shirts, and oversized shorts, offering moments of relief without breaking the collection’s dark orbit.

Footwear remained relatively minimalist in comparison. Versions of the Air Jordan 11s appeared alongside leather shoes hand-painted with “freedom” mantras by Kids Love Gaité. Zip-up ankle boots and polished leather dress shoes grounded the looks, neither distracting from the garments nor fading into the background. Instead, they felt like the perfect, considered counterbalance – quietly reinforcing the collection’s gravitational pull.

photography. Courtesy of Comme des Garçons
words. Amber Louise

The Proenza Schouler Spring/Summer 2026 campaign represents a definitive opening statement for the brand following the appointment of Rachel Scott as Creative Director. This debut marks a transition towards a narrative where the woman acts as the primary author of her own story. A team comprised entirely of women brought this vision to life, offering a perspective on modern womanhood that feels both personal and direct. Scott, who gained significant recognition for her artisanal craftsmanship at Diotima, now brings her focus on texture and identity to this New York institution. 

The campaign captures a world defined by intricate layers and a strong sense of self-possession. Caitlin Soetendal features in the visuals, which were captured by photographer Senta Simond and styled by Marika-Ella Ames. The creative direction by Rana Toofanian takes the form of a short film that moves closer to the subject to explore her complexities. This protagonist inhabits a space where sophistication and sensuality exist together. She relies on her instincts and intelligence, projecting a steady authority that requires no explanation. Every element of the campaign focuses on the emergence of this updated Proenza Schouler identity, moving away from past conventions to embrace a more layered reality.

The collection itself is built on the concept of a soft undoing, where construction is exposed and hidden elements rise to the surface. Tailoring appears inverted, notably in a grey mélange blazer with exposed shoulder pads and raw edges. This approach extends to the fabrics, such as reversed jacquards where threads are drawn outward to create ornament from structure. Glossy coated cotton is reimagined through laser-cutting, allowing negative space to form delicate floral patterns. Draped dresses in shades of black and sea-glass green feature blurred chrysanthemum motifs, appearing like images glimpsed through misted glass.

Accessories further ground the collection in a blend of utility and indulgence. Organza thigh-high boots veil the legs in translucent layers, while shearling thong sandals in shades of wisteria and coral provide a textured contrast. The footwear is joined by new bag silhouettes, including the Days Carryall in printed mesh and the East West Chelsea Tote in striped nappa leather. 

These pieces complement a wardrobe of matte double crepe dresses and popcorn slub separates that suggest a lived-in history. The campaign serves as the foundation for the seasons ahead, prioritising a woman’s own authorship over external expectations and signalling a fresh era for the House.

Discover the Spring/Summer 2026 campaign here.

photography. courtesy of Senta Simond
words. Gennaro Costanzo