Copenhagen Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2016: The New Eclecticism

An exuberant Scandinavian confection of straw and chiffon at Nichols Nybro during Copenhagen Fashion Week SS16. Photograph by Jesper Bang P. Thortzen

The Scandinavian designers at this season's Copenhagen Fashion Week filled the catwalks with androgynous and eclectic designs that brought an original and fresh look to Spring/Summer 2016, writes Limor Helfgott. Photography by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen



Flowing gown at Mark Kenly Domino Tan.

ESTABLISHING an influential place among the other important fashion events in European capitals, Copenhagen Fashion Week is attracting press and buyers from around the globe. Known for a laid back and effortless style, this season there were over sized designs again but this time with bolder colours and some serious chic.

One trend dominated the catwalks: the genderless look – a fast and growing theme in the fashion world, especially in Europe. It has been a very strong element in past seasons at Copenhagen. Designers featured both men and women in their shows while clothes and models blended together.

The most important Scandinavian designers presented interesting and quirky collections, and we chose some highlights:

The Queen of Goth

Barbara I Gongini. Photo: Jesper Bang-P Thortzen

 Known for her androgynous creations and for not following fashion trends Barbara I Gongini didn’t disappoint this season. She sent out on to the catwalk, mysterious, Gothic silhouettes, but this time surprising us by adding pale elements to her collection such as striped white pieces and matching trainers. Other colours appeared in the form of bright blue sneakers, which certainly stood out in the sea of monochrome, and added a touch of freshness to the dark collection.


Barbar I Gongini. Photo: Jesper Bang-P Thortzen

The abstract genderless pieces included tailored jackets, over sized t-shirts along with wide-legged jumpsuits all created with strong geometric cuts. We could see a lot of layering with the use of sheer materials, leather details and straps, all teamed with heavy asymmetric and bold abstract jewellery that fitted perfectly to the no-nonsense feel of the collection.

AGL ~ Photo: Jasper Bang-P Thortzen

The Rule Breaker
Last season Asger Juel Larsen offered a rock and roll collection. Winner of the European International Woolmark Prize for menswear, the designer’s presentation for SS16 had a lot of 70’s jungle fever and less romantic looks.

With his signature elements of sportswear mixed with tailoring, AJL presented a strong androgynous collection with garments such as cropped tops, slick pants, textured leather and some very short shorts mixed. The patterns of the materials included jungle leaf prints in deep greens and fiery oranges. All teamed with Huckleberry Finn scarves, and with a “socks-in–sandals” look which which added to the whole fresh feel of the collection. 

Henrik Vibskov. Photo: Jesper Bang P. Thortzen

The Spiritual Guide
Henrik Vibskov’s SS16 collection continued to combine his men's and women's shows together in a unified mix of looks. The collection, called “The Hot Spray Escape” was all about exploring the human survival instinct and our search for spiritual calmness and physical perfection. It demonstrated survival in the desert through different symbols and textures with bold geometric patterns, abstract prints, vertical lines and polka dots, and a lot of reverse layering, transparency and sheer panelling.

 Vibskov. Photo: Jesper Bang-P Thortzen

Most of the collection was kept black and white with some contrasting colour and elements such as curved lines and circles and the transparent materials adding a touch of elegance. Vibskov said the plan was to have a collection purely based on white, but while creating it, the designs slowly became more colourful.

This season Vibskov presented a new collaboration with iconic Danish swimwear brand H2O. The designer created his first swimwear collection for the brand, known for mixing sporty and functional, which goes well with Vibskov's own designs. Two-dimensional wool hats were a creative nod to desert landscapes.

The Young and the Wild

Mardou & Dean.Photo: Jesper Bang P-Thortzen

 The Oslo-based hot young fashion brand Mardou & Dean presented their first international show this season in Copenhagen, with a parallel women’s and men’s collection. The collection was a fantastic mix of wild, wearable pieces with strong industrial references using woven metallic fabrics together with leather, denim and velvet details.

The palette was mostly grey, white, gold and silver. And although some of the silhouettes on the catwalk could be described as androgynous with both masculine and feminine touches, we could also find some softer pieces such as tight-fitting dresses and puffy sleeves. An eccentric touch were the protective plastic goggles that added a futuristic vibe to the collection.

The Grown Up

Baum und Pferdgarten.Photo:Jesper Bang-P Thortzen 

Baum und Pferdgarten offered a sophisticated collection as always, with classic elegance mixed with some eclectic and daring garments. It was a more “grown up” collection than what we have seen before: blazers played a key role, and although it was a women’s collection there were some menswear influences, like the collared dresses and masculine-feminine combination of a boyfriend blazer.

The collection was very wearable, the fluid silks and lightweight chiffons were combined with bold patterns, Victorian inspired details and exaggerated turtlenecks. We especially loved the use of lace in both the long skirts and pants that added an element of glamour.

Hair and Make up

Backstage at Barbara I Gongini. Photo: Jesper Bang-P Thortzen

This seasons’ catwalks at Copenhagen featured some standout hair and make-up looks from glamorous retro waves to graphic eyes. Here are some of the looks that caught our attention: wet-look hair was clearly a trend and it appeared again at Barbara I Gongoni with side-parted waves, teamed with dramatic smudgy eye make-up.

Nichols Nybro. Photo: Jesper Bang-P Thortzen

We loved the basket-weave braids at Nichols Nybro and can easily see this look as a fun hairstyle for a special summer party. Effortless chic is always in style and at Mark Kenly Domino Tan  a bright orange lip was simply featured on an otherwise bare, fresh face. Another key look on Tan’s runway was the bold green eye makeup in clean, graphic shapes.

This season in Copenhagen showed that Scandinavian fashion is full of creative and original designers and the design future in this part of the world looks to be an exciting one. 

Click on photographs for full-screen slide show

Vivid colour and curving patterns at Henrik Vibskov. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen

Bold geometric patterns, abstract prints, swirling lines and burnt orange, pink and black brogues at Henrik Vibskov. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen.

Floating dresses with sea like motifs at Henrik Vibskov. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen.

Black on black at Barbara I Gongini. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen

Lighter notes at Barbara I Gongini with stripes and white trainers. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen

 A whimsical mix of jacket, scarf, shorts, sandals and socks at Asger Juel Larsen. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen. 

Black mixed with brilliant prints at Asger Juel Larsen. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen. 

Backstage at Asger Juel Larsen. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen. 

Clashing colours but matching prints at Asger Juel Larsen. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen.  

Jungle prints, sandals and short shorts at Asger Juel Larsen. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen.

Ferny green ensemble at Asger Juel Larsen. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen. 

Dramatic black evening gown with fur earrings by Mark Kenly Domino Tan. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen.

All in grey with a dash or orange lipstick at Mark Kenly Domino Tan. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen. 

Futuristic oriental inspirations at Mark Kenly Domino Tan. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen.

Stripy silks at Baum und Pferdgarten. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen 

Flowing gowns at Baum und Pferdgarten. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen

Lace and long jackets at Baum und Pferdgarten. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen 

Denim and floral shirts Baum und Pferdgarten. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen 

Blazers and lace at Baum und Pferdgarten. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen

Pale denim and perspex glasses at Mardou & Dean. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen.

White Nehru collared shirts and silvery, zipped trousers at  Mardou & Dean. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen.caption

A splash of orange to enliven a 70s colour combo of green and Mission brown at Mardou & Dean. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen. 

Nichols Nybro's evocative straw creations during Copenhagen Fashion Week SS16. Photograph by Jesper Bang-P Thortzen

Modern Ballet: NYC Dance Project by Ken Browar and Deborah Ory

Ashley Ellis, Principal Dancer at the Boston Ballet shot by photographers Deborah Ory and Ken Browar at their studio in New York City.

American photographers Deborah Ory and Ken Browar created the NYC Dance Project to shoot contemporary and classical dancers in New York, capturing their dynamism and beauty, Antonio Visconti reports

DEBORAH Ory started her career as a modern dancer while Ken Browar worked as a fashion photographer. Today, working together they are able to use each of their different strengths to create startling portraits of New York's top dancers. The dance project grew from their shared love of the human body in motion. 

“It is a celebration of dancers’ bodies," says Ken Browar. "Dancers must simultaneously be artists and athletes, and we try to highlight both qualities of our subjects in the photographs.” Ory and Browar describe their collaboration as one of  "give and take" between both them and their subjects.  

“We want to showcase and celebrate the dancers as individuals so that our project becomes a diverse portrait of New York's dance community,’’ says Browar. “Even in photographs where the dancers wear costumes, we look for the human being within the character they are playing.”

They prepare each shoot as though it is a dance production, working like choreographers and designing the sets, lighting, mood and movement to reflect the particular qualities of each dancer. “Our favorite moments are the simple ones: the breath the dancer takes after a jump, the quiet introverted moments often only seen backstage, or the second, mid-motion, when the dancer feels free,’’ says Deborah Ory.

Today, Browar and Ory live in Greenpoint, Brooklyn with two teenage daughters who are studying to be ballerinas. Browar’s passion for dance began when he lived in Paris and photographed dancers from the Paris Opera Ballet. His fashion photography has appeared in Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire and other European fashion magazines.

Ory began studying dance as a child and  made it her profession until she was injured and began her photography career, shooting the rehearsals she could not participate in. After moving to New York City, she worked as a photo editor at magazines such as House & Garden and Mirabella and began shooting editorial work for international design publications.

Click on photographs for full-screen slideshow

Marcelo Gomes, Principal Dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. “Our work is a celebration of dancers’ bodies," says Ken Browar. "Dancers must simultaneously be artists and athletes, and we try to highlight both qualities of our subjects in the photographs.” 

Ashley Ellis, Principal Dancer from the Boston Ballet making a graceful pose in New York. “Our favorite moments are the simple ones: the breath the dancer takes after a jump, the quiet introverted moments often only seen backstage, or the second, mid-motion, when the dancer feels free,’’ says Deborah Ory

The sheer physicality of dance ~ Alexandre Hammoudi, Soloist at American Ballet Theatre. They prepare each shoot as though it is a dance production, working like choreographers and designing the sets, lighting, mood and movement to reflect the particular qualities of each dancer. 

“Even in photographs where the dancers wear costumes, we look for the human being within the character they are playing,” says Ken Browar. Dancer Gabrielle Salvatto, currently shooting the film Flesh & Bone. Photographed in New York at Browar and Ory's studio.

The expressive Daniil Simpkin, Principal Dancer at the American Ballet Theatre.

Stretching ~ Daniil Simpkin of the American Ballet Theatre. 

Anthony Javier Savoy of the Dance Theatre of Harlem shows his elegance and strength.

Perfect alignment ~ Anthony Javier Savoy and Gabrielle Salvatto, dancers from the Dance Theatre of Harlem 

Expressive contemporary dance ~ Anthony Javier Savoy and Gabrielle Salvatto from the Dance Theatre of Harlem

Taking a flying leap ~ Anthony Javier Savoy of the Dance Theatre of Harlem.

Dancer Gabrielle Salvatto, currently shooting the film Flesh & Bone. Photographed in New York at Browar and Ory's NY studio.

Hee Seo is a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre. Born in Seoul, Seo is the first South Korean principal with the ABT as well as being one of the youngest dancers in the company to hold this title.

All suited up and ready to dance ~ Daniil Simkin of the American Ballet Theatre.

Valentino in Rome: Light at the Heart of the City's Darkness

Modern Roman princess: golden gladiator sandals and a dress decorated with wheat sheaves captures a sense of Rome's ancient and contemporary beauty and excess.

Valentino’s evocative haute couture collection shown in Rome’s historic heart at Piazza Mignanelli was set against the scenic backdrop of Renaissance palazzi and the great column of the Madonna of the Immaculate Conception. The atmospheric show offered light, beauty and opulence amid the unkempt Eternal City's current woes of near bankruptcy and an internecine corruption scandal, reports Jeanne-Marie Cilento

ROMAN sylphs clad in floating black, red and golden gowns adorned with filigree coronets and elaborate parures, strolled through Valentino’s haute couture Autumn/Winter 2015 show at twilight in Piazza Mignanelli. Artist Pietro Ruffo designed a wooden, modernist confection of the Roman Forum as a backdrop to the majestic collection by Valentino's award-winning creative directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli.

Maria Grazia Chiuri & Pierpaolo Piccioli
 

"Rome is a very layered city, a very sinister city, it’s not a postcard,” Mr. Piccioli said. “And all the layers are still there: paganism, Catholicism, imperialism, baroque. It’s a balance that is entirely unique. We wanted to show Rome as living history.”

The beautiful spectacle in Piazza Mignanelli, along with exhibitions of Valentino creations in the 18th-century Casanatense library and the Bath of Diana, were held in a city wracked by the Rome Commune’s Mafia Capital scandal, struggles with bankruptcy and crumbling public services. 

The corruption investigation has engulfed Rome's city hall, housed in a Renaissance palace designed by Michelangelo overlooking the ruins of the ancient Roman forum. The probe and the first wave of arrests have rattled Italy, suggesting organised crime is flourishing far beyond its base in Southern Italy. 

Collapsing under 14 billion euros ($15.5 billion) of debt, Rome was only saved from complete bankruptcy by emergency state funds. Today, the ancient stony streets of the centro storico are dim, grimy and pot-holed, making a strong contrast to the sleek new Valentino store in Piazza Mignanelli, the brand’s largest retail space in the world at more than 20,000 square feet.

Pierpaolo Piccioli: "Rome is a very layered city, a very sinister city, it’s not a postcard. All the layers are still there: paganism, Catholicism, imperialism, baroque."

Tilda Swinton and Mika attend

the Valentino show in Rome

This type of fashion extravaganza has not been in the city seen since Valentino Garavani, founder of the Valentino fashion house, celebrated its 45th anniversary in Rome in 2007 with a retrospective at the Museo dell’Ara Pacis, a ball at the Villa Borghese, and a dinner and fireworks at the Temple of Venus. 

Ms. Chiuri and Mr. Piccioli became creative directors of the brand six years ears ago and have skillfully brought their own aesthetic to Valentino. “Everything is so global now, we think it’s very important to be personal,” Mr. Piccioli said. “We feel a social responsibility to this job,” Ms. Chiuri added. “We can’t talk only about clothes."

Artist Pietro Ruffo designed a wooden, modernist confection of the Roman Forum as a backdrop to the majestic collection by Valentino's joint creative directors 

A deep red gown in silk crepe

Yet the designers have beautifully and skillfully captured both the discipline and rigor of design in ancient Rome and the extravagant folly of the 16th Century baroque in a collection full of chiaroscuro: strong contrasts of light and dark all worn with flat gladiator sandals and boots in black or gold, and golden necklaces, belts and crowns and the motif of the eagle. 

"We love Rome's beauty, its contrasts, its multiple facets, its ability to change in time and to project itself into the future,” explains Maria Grazia Chiuri. Long, draped gowns in semi-transparent organza or shimmering velvet were mixed with curvilinear wool capes with pure lines and brocade trim, and short dresses created from intertwined golden feathers and wheat fronds. Cardinal Red organza dresses with full skirts under sheer tops and sleeveless gladiatorial gowns of silk crepe under embroidered gold leather. 

Maria Grazie Chiuri: "We love Rome's beauty, its contrasts, its multiple facets, its ability to change in time and to project itself into the future.” 

The designers with actor Ben Stiller

 at the candlelit dinner at Villa Aurelia

The eagle, the symbol of the Roman legions was used throughout the collection. A painting Mr. Piccioli and Ms. Chiuri uncovered while renovating their atelier in Rome was recreated on velvet. The great domed ceiling of the Pantheon was embroidered almost three-dimensionally onto an asymmetric caped minidress while other gowns were made in a brocade of mosaics.

After the dramatic show in Piazza Mignanelli close to the Spanish Steps, the designers were given a standing ovation.

The great and the good of fashionable Rome along with guests including Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson sat down to a candle-lit, romantic dinner set under the trees of the gardens at the 17th-century Villa Aurelia. Looking out over the Eternal City, the lights are still twinkling despite the dark tremors at its heart.

Scroll down to see more highlights from the collection in Rome

Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli created long, fluid dresses evoking a dark and fragile poetry.

A draped, flowing dress like an ancient Roman statue of a goddess with opulent embellishments in opaque gold.

Embroidery with metallic thread adorns this gown creating a three dimensional effect 

Delicate, beaded dress falling in long vertical folds of organza with a richly-sculpted necklace and fine gold coronet of stars and bees.

Alessandro Gaggio’s jewellery adds an element of drama to the regal looks including the stars of the Altieri family and the bee representing the Barberini.

For the Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2015-16 collection creative directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli wanted to show a Rome full of both opulence and a dark beauty.

The designers also wanted to express the essence of Rome in the collection through the quality of the materials and textures and create a "multisensory" experience like this dress in lace and feathers.

Long organza dresses in Cardinal red with sheer tops and full skirts were one of the key motifs in the collection

The leather folds of ancient Rome's soldiers are cleverly reworked to create a long gladiatorial gown embroidered in red and black.

The great domed ceiling of the Pantheon replicated as embroidery, almost three dimensionally, on a caped minidress. "With the Valentino Mirabilia Romae project we wanted to depict through our eyes the beauties of the city of Rome, a constant source of inspiration for us ~ both the ancient and the new," say designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli.

As light as air, the Valentino evening gowns subtly reveal and conceal the body

Unexpected contemporary detailing gave the collection a richness and depth and a sense of modernity.

Golden wheat sheaves give this splendid evening dress a connection to the symbolism of Rome.

A dramatic fall of Cardinal red drapery across one shoulder links the dress back to the flowing folds of ancient Rome's clothes 

 Diaphanous gowns with fine embroidery are cinched at the waist by delicate gold belts