In conversation with Cecilie Bahnsen

Cecilie Bahnsen has never seen romance and functionality as opposites – in her world, they elevate each other. Her signature sculptural silhouettes – voluminous yet weightless, intricate yet effortless – have been sprinkling the fashion scene with much-needed whimsy and playfulness for a while now. But her vision doesn’t stop at clothing. In her ongoing collaboration with ASICS, she’s brought that same dreamlike sensibility to footwear, proving that sneakers can be just as poetic as they are practical. With each release, Bahnsen has woven her delicate, couture-like aesthetic into ASICS’ technical world, turning performance shoes into something unexpected – part sculpture, part sneaker, part feeling. Together, they’ve blurred the boundaries between couture and sport, softness and structure, fantasy and function, showing that a sneaker can be as graceful as it is grounded. 

Now, with her latest drop (perhaps their dreamiest one yet), Bahnsen takes this fusion even further by introducing the GEL-TERRAIN™ MT. Inspired by the misty mountains around Tokyo, as seen through the lens of legendary photographer Takashi Homma, the drop leans into rich midnight blues, icy silvers, and crisp whites, showing that minimalism can be emotional. We caught up with Bahnsen to chat about the art of balancing couture with comfort, drawing from intuition, and why the best pieces aren’t just beautiful – they’re made to be lived in.

Hey Cecilie, lovely to speak with you and congrats on your latest drop! Your collaborations with ASICS have this beautiful tension – melding the sporty, sometimes utilitarian feel of the brand with your signature delicate, sculptural aesthetic. What is it about that contrast that excites you?

I’ve always been drawn to contrasts – structure and softness, functionality and romance, tradition and innovation. My world is built on the idea that there is power in femininity, strength in romance, and beauty in simplicity. Working with ASICS allows me to explore that balance in a new way, bringing couture-like intricacy into everyday, technical yet comfortable silhouettes. It’s challenged me to think differently, transforming something inherently technical by layering in emotion – creating pieces that feel both strong and delicate, and in the process, bringing something entirely new to life, beyond what any of us could have imagined when we started out.

You’ve talked about designing a modern vision of femininity. What does femininity mean to you, and how do you bring that to life in your work?

 For me, femininity is not one thing – it’s fluid, individual, and deeply personal. It’s about creating clothes that allow women to express themselves, to feel at ease, to move freely. The Cecilie Bahnsen universe is built on inherent beauty and romance but grounded in simplicity and pragmatism. The craftsmanship, the airy volumes, and the intricate details all come together in a way that feels wearable. These are pieces to treasure, to share, to lend, but above all, to wear – not to be too precious about.

That’s such a refreshing perspective – fashion should live with you, not be this untouchable entity. Building on that, how would you like the wearer to feel in your pieces?

Confident, effortless, and at home in themselves. My clothes are designed to move with you, to become part of your life – whether it’s a high day, a holiday, or just every day. There’s something powerful in wearing a piece that feels both light as air and deeply considered, something that brings joy without needing to be overthought.

Within this overarching ethos, how do your creative processes compare and intersect when designing clothing versus footwear?

Footwear is an entirely different rhythm – it’s a longer process, more technical, and involves extensive wear-testing to ensure both function and form work together. With ASICS, I’ve had the chance to really dive into the technical side, collaborating closely with their team to push what’s possible while still keeping that sculptural, refined aesthetic. With clothing, I work with fabrics that are light and fluid, almost cloud-like, whereas footwear is about structure, stability, and durability. But in the end, the goal is the same: to bring a sense of ease and beauty to everyday dressing.

It sounds like a balancing act between technical challenges and creative freedom, but you make it feel seamless, always creating a product that feels ethereal but not fragile. Your ASICS collaborations have leaned into monochrome in a way that feels both effortless and intentional. What’s behind this minimalist approach?

 Monochrome has always been central to my design identity – there’s a certain beauty and quiet confidence in simplicity and restraint. It lets form, texture, and craftsmanship take center stage. With ASICS, it’s about refining the sneaker, allowing its shape and details to speak for themselves.

Do the specific colours chosen in the most recent release hold any personal or symbolic significance for you? 

Colour is something I approach intuitively – it evokes a mood and sets a tone. For SS25, where the most recent release debuted, I drew inspiration from the mountains surrounding Tokyo, seen through the lens of Takashi Homma, whose work has long influenced me. My deep admiration for Homma’s work has led to many collaborations, and while we have yet to travel to those mountains together to shoot a campaign, this collection became a tribute to their beauty, light, and quiet vastness. The palette reflects that spirit, shifting from breezy pastels to deep midnight blues, contrasted with shimmering silver sequins, earthy greens, crisp snow whites, and rich, scintillating blacks. Homma’s blue-toned mountain photographs set the backdrop for the show, while his live performance of original music added another layer, creating a dialogue between nature, art, and fashion. The ASICS collaboration continues this exploration, drawing from Homma’s minimalist aesthetic and the poetic power of restraint. The deep midnight blue, crisp white, and shimmering silver tones in the shoes echo the collection’s palette, extending the dialogue with the mountains. Meanwhile, the campaign – shot by Homma for the ASICS release – reinforces his signature blue, further tying it to the collection’s vision.

It’s something that definitely translates – the shoe evokes such a stark sense of serenity. When designing a sneaker that straddles the line between couture and activewear, how do you approach the challenge of blending luxury and comfort in such an accessible, everyday piece? 

It’s something that comes naturally to me. I’ve always designed with the idea that clothes should be worn and lived in, not just admired. That philosophy extends to footwear – finding that balance between refinement and ease. With ASICS, it’s about bringing my world into a technical space, while ensuring that the sneaker carries the same essence as the rest of my collection.

Looking at the evolution of your ASICS collaborations, how have your own design philosophies or approaches changed in response to the growing crossover between fashion and sport?

It’s definitely opened up new directions for me, inspiring me to push further into technical materials, finishes, and functionality. It’s made me think even more about wearability – how something moves, how it interacts with the body, how it feels over time. The crossover between fashion and sport is a space I love exploring – it’s where the pragmatic meets the poetic – and within that juxtaposition, I find spaces to really push things.

What is your creative relationship to Copenhagen? What are the aspects of the city and its fashion culture that inspire your work?

There’s a deep appreciation for craftsmanship here, but also an ease – a way of dressing that is both considered and effortless. It’s a city that values simplicity, but in a way that feels rich with detail. My work is shaped by that contrast: the romance and intricacy I bring from my time in London and Paris, balanced with the Scandinavian minimalism and practicality that is part of who I am. Being surrounded by the sea, shifting light, dark winters, and bright summers creates a certain emotion – a moodiness, but also a clarity and directness that draws me in. 

On a final note, what is your vision for the growth and evolution of Cecilie Bahnsen?

The heart of the brand will always stay the same – rooted in emotion, romance, and craftsmanship. But growth is about staying open, letting new inspirations in, evolving in a way that feels natural. It’s about deepening our connection with our global community, seeing how they wear the pieces, how they make them their own. The beauty of fashion is that it lives beyond the studio – it’s something to be worn, to be shared, to become part of people’s lives. That’s what inspires me most.