Can you be sharp and loose at the same time?

Vilsbøl De Arce have shown their clothes at Copenhagen Fashion Week for few years now and I missed them every time. This time I saw it along with a lot of other fashion interested mortals in a show made for the public.

I always liked their futuristic avant garde style and the SS10 collection kept true to their originality.
Based in black, white and wine-red colours the look was loose and symmetrical at the same time.
Still having their signature spacey bathing suits - but this time more wearable than earlier - the collection was simple and solid. The short jackets and leather shorts with elegant details in cutting were some of me favourites, but I also really liked the jumpsuits and the general cut of the pants.

Yesterday I saw that they were featured in Dazed and Confused for an interview, which is definitely worth reading.

The rainbow at the end of the tunnel

The first days of Copenhagen Fashion Week have showed light and loose garments. The dark gloominess from the fall collections have been replaced by light rainbow colours. Perhaps there is a trace of design-optimism in this financial crisis after all. According to the clothes next summer will be brighter.

Wednesday:

Rüzou showed a delicate and very feminine collection with hints of fun in the sprinkles of gold, blues and pinks. Beautiful flowing dresses were combined with loose suits and in general the clothes look relaxed, comfortable and wearable.

Thursday:

Yesterday Bibi Ghost showed voluptuous shapes and stiffer fabrics in a simple yet strict collection that made me think of Japanese Samurais. Nothing delicate about this, except maybe for the ligth and pale colours.

The graduates from the Danish Design School had created a very impressive show, with some really interesting prints and silhouettes. So far I must say that this was the most playful and fun styles, probably because these students don't have to worry as much about selling their things, as the established designers do.

The colours were very cool. The pure lavender and golden brown and orange were used beautifully. I really look forward to seeing what they will bring to Danish fashion in the future.

As I wrote earliere I was excited to see Batlak and Selvig's SS10 collection. In contrast to most of the designs seen so far they showed fitted and tight dresses and suits. They used heavy materials and created a very classic ladylike style. You might almost say that they did an updated and Scandinavian version of the Chanel suit and the 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' -look. I had been expecting more bright colours, but they too used a lot of watercolours and light grays. The raw edge from what I had seen in their earliere work was truned down here leaving the look more refined and elegant.

All photos by Sacha Maric /Copenhagen Fashion Week

Peter goes to Greenland II

I apologise for this unintentional long break from blogging. In my absence I've noticed that the people of Greenland have responded back to Peter Jensen's inspirational flirt with their national costume and not in a positive way. I think it is beyond everyone else why Greenlandic traditional costumes cannot be appreciated and used for inspirational purposes just as the Japanese kimono has been.

Greenland is the closet thing my country comes to having a real colony – yes, Greenland is officially a part of Denmark in case you didn't know. But as far as being in any way a part of Danish traditions, art or politics it is strangely distant and not really appreciated here – unfortunately.
I was really genuinely happy to see someone like Peter Jensen find and use Greenlandic art in a bigger purpose. Yet I am as everyone completely confused and surprised by this odd and far out reaction from the country. It's just art and fashion – it's in no way harmful.

Peter goes to Greenland

The Danish designer and now turned London hipster Peter Jensen showed his A/W09 collection at London Fashion Week this weekend.
I’m actually not really sure whether to call him Danish since his base has been in London for many years. However in this show you could not miss his Nordic heritage.
Inspired by his aunt Jette who travelled to Greenland Peter Jensen has created a bright and interesting collection. The colours are refreshing and the cuts are bold. Finally here is someone who dares to take some risks with the look.
I love the references to Greenland’s national costume – especially the boots look like the traditional kamiks which are really beautiful.

Shades of black and grey

I don’t know if it’s the gloomy financial predictions for the future or just the Nordic winter depression slipping in, but judging by what the designers have showed us so far we’re heading for dark times next winter.

Dark and golden

Stine Goya – formally known, in my mind at least, as the queen of psychedelic prints and bold colours – has blacked out in this one.

Her collection is very rock and roll with her signature of arty sophistication. The fluttering sleeves and beautiful dresses are still there, but the experimental edge, not so much.

Icy rock from Wackerhaus

Wackerhaus’ style is also in the shadowy end of the colour pallet, but that is not such a change from the dark look of the SS09 collection.

This A/W collection has a cold and rough look with slick fabrics and very pale greys and blacks, which I think is really cool.

Beautiful knitwear for a cold January

Nerd Girl is back after a long x-mas holiday. And since the real x-mas weather with snow and heavy minus degrees usually sets in around January I thought I’d introduce a cool Danish knitwear designer that I just discovered recently.
Iben Høj makes the most exquisite knitwear that will keep both you and your fashion sense warm and bright throughout the winter.

The garments are extremely delicate and in an interview made for Danish television she explains how her designs are exclusive, as she will not compromise the quality of the material or the knitting technique, making the pieces rare and more expensive than the usual knitwear. Iben Høj’s designs are definitely within a class of their own. It is so artistic and almost avant garde in its structure. The lovely Helena is apparently also a fan of Iben Høj's dresses as you see below.

Saturday: Vibskov – the hype, the hype

So far I’ve not written anything about Henrik Vibskov. He is THE media darling (- he and Stine Goya ought to get married, they’d be king and queen of Danish fashion)Anyway I hadn’t really figured out what I thought about him apart from what I was told; that he’s the most original designer so far, he the ‘enfant terrible’ of Danish fashion and that he’s the one most likely for a huge international breakthrough, voted best designer of the year and so on – basicly enough to he thinsk he’s too much already.
….Naturally all this hype for the oh so cool Vibskov has boosted my sense of criticism (Nerd Girl's attacks tougher when praise has already been given)
- There were the über popular scarves which all most everyone at Strøget (or at least in Krystalgade) wore a few yeas back, then there were fringes on every thing (in last season’s show), so he plays drums for electronic hipster Trentemøller – and now he also does children’s clothing. He is the image of Copenhagen I hate – I’m sorry, but it’s too much. Please tell me he’s an environmentalist and a friend of animals, because I wouldn’t be surprised.
And though his SS09 collection might not have been as high standard as usual for DANSK DAILY I thought I was great. That’s right, I’m joining the hype – a little late, but at least now, I get it.
This collection, I guess was when I found the time to enjoy the combination of interesting prints and his signature loose cuts. The colours are toned down now compared to what he did before, but I guess that's what I like.

CFW Friday: The drama begins

The MoonSpoon Saloon show at the Royal Theatre.

This label is completely new to me and I was very eager to see what the combination of wellknown Danish painter Tal R and designer Sara Sachs would bring. And I was not let down. As a fan of artistic,theatrical shows and clothing this was right up Nerd Girl's ally. And what bette location than the Royal Theatre with its classic sense of art and drama.

But the Moon Spoon Saloon's collection might be too costume-like for some buyers.
Anyhow this is a designteam I'm deffinately going to keep an eye on in the future.

The strong colours and patterns are straight out of Tal R’s artistic universe and the almost pantomime like figures added to the volume of the whole collection. The inspirations seemed to come form Comedia dell art and surealisem.
I especially liked the knits and small multi-coloured jackets. And I guess I enjoy the playfulness of MoonSpoon Saloon attitude to fashion in general. But I also thought the beautiful dresses and sharp cut suits were really cool

Stine Goya - The lost city

Goya’s SS09 collection 'La city perdu' was shown last night and again Stine Goya has created a strong collection true to her specific style. High waist pants, oversize shirts and again a shade of apricot –hmm… I wonder if this will become a trend?Otherwise the colours were watery or kind of smoky – leaving a bit of the same damp summer like feeling as Wackerhaus’ collection, but still much more arty. Goya’s hand painted prints add such depth to her style making the clothes much more than edgy silhouettes and delicious fabrics.Goya has always had some cool settings for her shows. Her last SS collection was shown in the beautiful decorations by Helle Mardahl and this one was no different. Small cut out houses were placed along the runway I matching colours with the clothes - very artistic.
Photos: Sacha Maric

Fashion week Wednesday

Hazy Jayne from Wackerhaus
Trine Wackerhaus showed her SS09 collection this evening. I love her original approach to clothes that mixes masculine and feminine styles. I’ve been a fan of hers ever since her 20s inspired dresses from her last collection. She has a really cool way of creating a strict and sharp look with loose and comfortable clothes.In this collection it was the rough cut dresses in soft materials and her boyish suits for girls that I especially liked.

Apricot is usually a colour that I’m not too fond of, but I think it goes really well with the grey and black here.

Photos: Sacha Maric

Great Expectations

No no, there's nothing about Pip or old mr. Charles D here except for the clash in titels.

Copenhagen Fashion Week is coming up again. I can’t believe it’s already August. And the line up is really impressive with still more new designers to get to know. The schedule is packed with such stars as Stine Goya, Rützou, Noir, Weckerhaus, Elsie Gug just in the first day.

And I’m glad to see the international success Camilla Stærk returning home to show off her SS09 collection here.

Naturally expectations are high – I mean the anti-nerd girl nr. 1 Paris Hilton has flown in for this... Well she’s probably just here to advertise for her own products anyway. But nevertheless my beloved city is definitely getting the world’s attention.

Thus Nerd Girl is off to try and catch all of the interesting fashion and also some of all the other cool things going on in Copenhagen in connection with fashion week.

Butterflies and roses

Surfing around online to see if I could find some cool retro swimwear for this summer season, I came across Signe Tolstrup’s S/S08 collection of ’afterwear’ as she calls it.
I’ve known about her designs for some time now as she is one of the few ‘famous’ Danish lingerie designers.
Last year’s A/W collection had a Frieda Kahlo-sort of theme with strong colours and a mysterious mood. It was lingerie with an attitude of force and sexual desire. The spring collection is more delicate, but still ever so seductive. I’m thinking Marie Antoinette caught in bed with Anaïs Nin – or something.The colours are innocent and girlish, but still tempting and mouth-watering. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with for this fall.

Celebrating political women

On Sunday - tomorrow- it's the 100 th anniversary for the Danish women’s right to vote and be elected in local elections – an important milestone on the road to women's complete right vote, which came in Denmark in 1915. Tomorrow a huge celebration will take place in the Town Hall square with open air concerts with among others the cool JaConfetti, delicious foods and a lot of interesting debates going on about women in politics. All over town powerful women – not only politicians – are interviewed in public about their different roads to power. I love these type of historical event and I think it's important to recognise the historical perspectives in our democratic development. Without the efforts of historical nerd girls and women a hundred years ago our reality would look completely different.

The very cool Danish artist Katirne Ærtebjerg has put her picture on the poster as you see above. Her artwork can also be seen on her website and she also has a piece at the Danish National Gallery. I really like her imaginary cartoon-like world, it is spooky with fairytale facination. Her heavy brush strokes and the strong colours remind me a bit of O’keefe’s pictures.A special scarf has been designed by Danish designer Susanne Rützou to mark the occasion.
It is inspired by the classical PLO-scarf, but it’s pink and decorated with small women’s symbols and 100-signs. I think it's a cool way of marking this historical event and the design is modern, but perfect for all types of women.
It can be bought tomorrow at the town hall square and then on at Susanne Rützou’s own shop here in Copenhagen.
So all Nerd Girls unite and come to the celebration tomorrow - it will be going on all day!