BRUTALLY SOFT: CECILIE BAHNSEN

CECILIE BAHNSEN presented her collection titled “Hana-bi” (fireworks, in Japanese) during Copenhagen Fashion week. Cecilie Bahnsen is, of course, a CPHFW classic – even during her Paris years, her heart and her hemlines stayed firmly Scandi. This collection marked a major milestone: ten years of the brand, hence the fireworks.

One thing is for sure: her style is unmistakably whimsical, but always grounded (usually by a pair of Asics). This collection was a celebration of her archive, but reimagined. Pieces were flipped (literally: fronts became backs, sequined briefs peeked out like naughty subtext), silhouettes tweaked, volumes reversed, proportions reimagined. And while she’s often bracketed with fellow puff princesses like Simone Rocha, Cecilie’s universe is distinctly her own. She has this uncomplicatedness and ease to her collections that really sets her apart. For someone who designs for frivolous maximalists, it’s surprisingly restrained: the models all wear the same sheer knee-high tights, and at most, carried a simple (but shiny) bag with their dress. Ten years in, it’s still bold to deem ruffles non-negotiable, and accessories expendable. 

The brutalist setting of Refshaleøen, a post-industrial peninsula in Copenhagen, paired with the fog machines, makes for a dreamlike, backdrop for a collection that’s so fiercely soft. Of course, her long-standing collaboration with ASICS, a cult favourite, evolves here as well. Each pair is reworked with embroidered details, metallic foil, and inside-out linings, like your favourite gym shoes went on a gap year and came back with a developed frontal lobe.

Combining a puffy dress with ASICS is perhaps the only propaganda we’ll admit falling for again and again. After a decade of Cecilie’s whimsy, we’re ready for ten more of sculptural-but-squishy, couture-but-wearable, ultra-femme but never costume-y looks.