Show after show, presentation after presentation, and event after event. This feeling is especially palpable during Copenhagen Fashion Week, which never fails to set a lively tone for the rest of fashion month. No matter the weather (it was frigid), the mood of the week is always buoyant, and no matter how long the days get (they were really long), they feel almost too brief. When the week of navigating heart-racing daily schedules and running around town in heels comes to an abrupt end, I can’t help but feel a certain kind of sadness. Kiss-kiss. See you next season! I say goodbye to my friends and start mentally planning my next visit.

It’s been a few weeks since I landed in Los Angeles from Copenhagen after a thrilling fashion week interrupted by rain and punctuated by copious amounts of fastelavnsboller (otherwise known as cream-filled buns made to celebrate carnival season in February). The passage of time is, at least for me, the true litmus test for a show’s impact. To understand just how much a collection has managed to move me, or just how fully it has permeated my thoughts and feelings, I often have to let these memories steep like a good cup of tea. Without a bursting-at-the-seams schedule, I can give those moments greater cognitive space and maybe even give them new context. 

What do I remember weeks after the excitement ends — or more importantly, how do I remember it? Well, several things. Many designers this season looked internally for inspiration, a move that lent their collections a certain kind of authenticity without dipping into old ideas. Passion was a running theme in many of the fall-winter 2025 shows, as fashion makers recharged and revitalized their signature styles. Many toed the line between buttoned-up masculinity and polished, mid-century elegance. Both on and off the runway, ties and pillbox hats were ubiquitous, and comfort colors — dark, sumptuous chocolates, burgundies, and mustards — dominated. Here are some of my favorite moments, in no particular order.

Herskind: An Ode to Understated Elegance

Surrounded by floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall windows and soaring concrete columns, Danish brand Herskind paid homage to understated elegance with a collection that put smart twists on time-tested wardrobe staples. “The AW25 collection is for the modern woman who values both versatility and individuality — a wardrobe designed to feel as current today as it will 10 years from now,” designer Birgitte Herskind, who worked alongside her daughter Andrea on the collection, said in the press notes. The colors were rich (think: chocolatey browns, plum-tinged burgundies, butter yellows), and the mood classic. Heavy wool, supple suede, and cashmere were favorite fabrics. There was much lace, juxtaposed with weightier fabrics. In fact, the whole show was a play in contrasts, through which the designers sought to show versatility for the modern woman. 

What I loved most

The designers’ starting point was texture — and that tactile inspiration shone through and through. (I can’t tell you how many pieces I mentally earmarked. Well, I can — all.) 

Gestuz: Don’t Bring me Roses

They say fashion is a storytelling business, and with its fall-winter 2025 show, Danish darling Gestuz proved that to be the case. On the whitewashed walls of church-turned-gallery Nikolaj Kunsthal, a letter began unraveling — words (fictional, of course) written by the brand’s muse to a former flame. It might’ve been the end of a romance, but it was also the start of a new chapter. “After a break up or a difficult time in life, a very common thing we do is to change our hair, buy a new dress, basically do something to make us feel like a better, more empowered, different version of ourselves,” creative director Sanne Sehested said in the show notes. Proof of this newfound confidence came in the form of masculine silhouettes, tailored for her. Power-shouldered blazers were finished off with neckties, and outwear was cut with an offhand edge. All of this was cleverly balanced with hazy floral prints, airy lace, and shimmery fabrics. The ex’s leather jacket made several appearances, adding to the Gestuz muse’s bold, rock ‘n’ roll attitude. 

What I loved most

Long a fixture in the Danish fashion scene, Gestuz built on its established foundation of cool-girl staples and gave us a compelling backstory to its muse’s post-breakup transformation. It was a wonderfully witty and satisfying show. 

CMMN SWDN: In Between Spaces

Set amongst the striking sculptures inside Thorvaldsens Museum’s gallery rooms, the show was CMMN SWDN’s first Copenhagen Fashion Week outing — and first foray into womenswear. For Saif Bakir and Emma Bakir Hedlund, the husband-and-wife duo behind the brand, the inspiration came directly from their diverse backgrounds: Scandinavia and the Middle East. In bridging the two, they created an impossibly clever collection that brought together several divergent styles. “So it’s two geographies, two cultural heritages … the Scandinavian simplicity that meets the sort of opulence and the embellished Middle East,” Emma told Vogue in reference to the collection. This cohabitation of cultures materialized in breezy, long-line shirts balanced with the kind of clean-lined, sharp, and functional tailoring that Scandinavian design is known for. Knits in metallic lurex, layers of clear sequins on button-ups and glen plaids, and fur-printed technical fabrics all made strong statements. 

What I loved most

How the designers pushed the boundaries of minimalism by mixing a refined palette with bold patterns, rich metallics, and some fantastic textures. The accessories in particular (fur clutches, opera gloves, and hats) kicked up the drama quotient — all spectacular.

Won Hundred: Collapse and Rebuild

The subject of destruction and creation was explored at Copenhagen-based Won Hundred, which hosted its show in a sprawling concrete-heavy space in the Papirøen district. This season, creative director Nikolaj Nielsen partnered with the brand’s newly appointed head of design Katrine Lund Hansen to develop the collection. Together, they mined the archives, re-examining and reworking time-tested house codes. “This season, we emphasized precise refinement and thorough attention to detail, capturing the essence of Won Hundred: minimal yet distinctive, polished yet edgy, rugged yet sophisticated,” Nikolaj said in the show notes. It was all of those things. Denim, as always, was a focal point, and this season, it turned up ripped, lived-in, and darkened with dirt and grime. Leather was abundant and distressed. Even the most polished leather nipped-in blazer had a slightly vintage-inspired, insistently authentic look. Wrinkles, creases, exposed seams, and unraveling edges on otherwise clean-cut pieces further emphasized the collection’s rugged-refined message. 

What I loved most

Won Hundred proved that it can bring new and raggedy twists to wardrobe staples — and still create pieces with lots of staying power. Quality, craft, and commitment to sustainability have always been an integral part of the brand’s philosophy, and this season was no exception. I’d also be remiss not to mention the show’s standout star: a caramel-colored little poodle. 

Rolf Ekroth: No Distance Left to Run

Arriving at Finnish designer Rolf Ekroth’s densely packed show on the island of Refshaleøen, there was a certain expectation of nostalgia. I’ve been to several of the brand’s shows, each one linked to poignant memories from the designer’s past. No more. He’d overdosed on nostalgia a bit, the designer said. The reference point this season was darkness — with all its meanings and interpretations. The darkness that blankets Finland in the winter. The darkness that pervades the mind when the going gets tough in this industry. “I thought about, ‘What are my ways to get through those dark times?’” Rolf told me in a post-show interview. “And for me, it usually was exercise and running.” Although he doesn’t run anymore (bad knees, he said), the idea offered him hope — and inspiration. Track pants gave him a running start; he showed several different versions in a myriad of cuts and fabrics. He presented plenty of sportswear-inspired looks by way of hoodies, shell suits, running shorts layered over tights, outerwear with matching hydration packs. There were surprises everywhere, including a new sun-inspired print dreamed up by Rolf’s girlfriend Matilda and her sister Emanuela. 

What I loved most

It was nice to see the designer look back over his shoulder to some of his earlier work with technical fabrics and show us that skillset again. The storytelling, as ever, took center stage. The effort Rolf puts into every little detail is nothing short of astounding.

Stamm: 100p PASSION

Known for her thrilling, high-energy runway shows, Danish designer Elisabet Stamm opted for a presentation format this season. Inspired by the rose garden near her former studio, Elisabet transformed a second-floor loft space into a “passion garden” with patches of grass, a central pond, and vines crawling on park benches. Guests were invited to observe vignettes of real talents — a recording artist, a writer, and a drummer — practicing her passions. “At the end of the day, it’s that passion that’s the driving point,” Elisabet told me. “So, no matter if you can do a fashion show or runway or whatever, I guess I’ll never stop creating.” This season, this meant revisiting some of the strongest pieces she’s created throughout her career and reworking them into new garments with a fresh vision. The result? A tightly edited collection that authentically showed the brand’s spirit. Roses cropped up as motifs throughout, appearing on jackets, t-shirts, and bottoms. The brand’s typical body-swallowing silhouettes were brought closer to the body, and an expanded range of denim offerings proved the designer’s mastery of the fabric. 

What I loved most

Even with a presentation format, Elisabet didn’t shy away from putting together a thoughtful and immersive spectacle. What’s more, the fact that she focused on a smaller collection but made it purposeful gave it that extra-specialness.

Baum und Pferdgarten: Heartbeats

For their fall-winter outing, creative directors Rikke Baumgarten and Helle Hestehave chose a raw, industrial venue just across from Baum und Pferdgarten’s headquarters in Copenhagen. Inside, massive inflatable hearts bathed the crowd in a warm red glow — which was fitting, given the show’s title. “Heartbeats is about capturing the thrill of what makes our hearts beat,” the designers said in the show notes. “We wanted to create a collection that feels personal and expressive, full of pieces that resonate and inspire creativity in how we dress.” It was a simple premise but one that tied together several mix-and-match ideas — from flirty, bow-adorned dresses to bubble-hemmed skirts. The designers piled on the colors and prints, sending several leopard-spotted looks down the runway. Elsewhere, a palette of browns, plum purple, and olives set a lively but grounded mood. Beautifully fabricated outerwear ranged from shearling-cuffed toppers to Harrington jackets (the designers wanted to show their affection for the British countryside.) 

What I loved most

There’s always an I-can’t-put-my-finger-on-it sense of joy that bubbles inside of me before any Baum und Pferdgarten show. It’s a mix of the right music, the right attitude, and dopamine-inducing fashion that always makes my heart skip a beat. The brand was established over a quarter of a century ago, and it’s now one of the leading fashion houses in Denmark — for good reason. 

TG Botanical: Costa Brava

When taking a step back from the noise of the industry during her pregnancy, Tetyana Chumak found inspiration while walking along the moonlit Costa Brava coast in Spain. Nature has always been the source of it all for the Ukrainian designer, who founded TG Botanical almost four years ago with an unbreakable bond to earth. (Some background: Tetyana grew up in a family of farmers back in her homeland of Ukraine, so it’s no surprise that her collections are heavily reliant on raw materials like certified batiste, cottons, silks, organic nettle, and linens.) For her fall-winter 2025 presentation, she took visual cues from the sea. Some hemlines curled like waves cresting and falling; others rippled like seaweed bending with the current. Blue was surprisingly absent. Instead, the color palette oscillated between the soft, muted greens of marine plants and the rich, inky blacks of the water’s surface at night. 

What I loved most

The textures! Tetyana is a master of creating innovative and highly tactile garments. Fabric was puckered, smocked, and curled. The effect was subtle this season; that resulted in a very easy, wearable lineup of dresses that were more fit for summertime. 

Han Kjøbenhavn: Concrete Born

Throngs of the brand’s fans and guests turned up at TAP1 — an enormous event venue where the Danish brand hosted its fall-winter 2025 show. The show was packed to the brim, which said a lot about the kind of excitement Han Kjøbenhavn never fails to stir. Inside, the space was blanketed by an eerie, thick haze. Out of the fog, the models emerged, descending down the runway against a backdrop of an ominous, low drone. As the show progressed, the slow-creeping soundscape grew steadily more tense and chaotic. “Looking at society today and where we are as humans, it’s important to me that I create something that connects and resonates with my upbringing,” artistic director Jannik Wikkelsø Davidsen said in the press notes. Relying on memories of growing up in Denmark’s suburban neighborhoods, Jannik sent a collection full of faux fur, leather, and denim in cement grays, blacks, and concrete creams. We saw dramatically exaggerated silhouettes and hulking shoulders that projected like ledges. Jannik also made references to his local football club with retro-inspired jerseys and shorts, and paired almost every look with monstrous boots. 

What I loved most

There’s a lot of theater and spectacle in every Han Kjøbenhavn show; I know I’m always in for a treat. I love how textures — both sonic and material — come together to form an experience that keeps guests on edge. Toward the end of the show, the deranged soundtrack comes to a screeching halt, and it’s replaced by nothing but a consistent high-pitched ring. When the models walked down the runway for their final lap, we could hear the sound of their footsteps and every shift and shuffle of fabric.

Bonnetje: Doublages

An abandoned office floor played host to Danish brand Bonnetje’s fall-winter 2025 collection, which borrowed heavily from corporate codes — from the traditional business attire worn to the workplace to the design elements of an office space itself. Case in point: There were skirts made to look like old-school roller blinds and a dress resembling a plastic document sleeve with reinforced punch holes. Several looks were accessorized with beaded cords, ball chains, and dangling pens. “We digged a bit into this whole private, work-life [balance],” Anna Myntekær, who co-founded the brand with Yoko Maja Hansen, told me in a post-show interview. “and how it’s not really there, maybe, and how you almost carry your office home, and you always have this,” She was referring to cell phones, which have increasingly blurred the line between work and personal life. Anna and Yoko primarily work with upcycled men’s suits and deadstock fabrics, so the office theme lent them plenty of room to play around with staples like blazers and button-ups. A skirt made out of shirt cuffs twisted into rose-like shapes was the ultimate statement piece. 

What I loved most

There was a lot of sex appeal throughout, as the designers toyed with the idea of “reveal-conceal” and the interplay of the public and private. Circular cutouts, low-plunging backs, and sheer fabrics turned the dress code from 9-to-5 to 5-to-9.