Creating a green identity in Fashion Industry, Stella Alverina discusses the new movement by Copenhagen Fashion Scene, and its distinctive nature from other global styles.
Amidst all the glitter and glam, Fashion Week is one of the most monstrous events that stresses our planet. Production of innovative trends that use unusual resources, carbon emissions from fibers and fabrics, disposal of unused clothing. The fashion industry consumes more energy than the airline and shipping industries combined. According to the Environmental Audit Committee's investigation on the eve of London Fashion Week 2019, total global emissions from textile production are estimated to be at 1.2 billion tons of CO2 annually.
With fashion labels being more scrutinized and pressured by the public to take action, Copenhagen Fashion Week became the first event to pioneer the green movement. Their 2020-2022 Sustainability Action Plan is to reduce 50% of carbon footprint emissions from event operations. Via actions such as a ban of single-use items, and a developing code of conduct with trade fairs, other fashion weeks and partners globally. The Advisory Board also announced that in 2023, all brands participating in Copenhagen Fashion Week must pass Sustainability requirements and 17 minimum standards to be able to participate. This assessment will include pledging not to destroy unsold clothes, smart material choices, and sustainable packaging usage.
The Scandinavian Fashion Scene has always embodied distinctive elements compared to its counterparts. While bold colors and prints are a big hit in today's major fashion markets - UK's love for animal prints, America's tie-dye trends, and Asia's rising emergence of neon and printing - Nordic labels choose to tone down with minimalistic designs. Despite the love of minimalism, each country still has its own aesthetics. Monki, & Other Stories and H&M from Sweden introduce us to quirky prints and power pastel color selections, while Ganni, Henrik Vibskov, and Cecilie Bahnsen of Denmark explore oversized silhouettes and puffy sleeves as their trademarks, giving a taste of androgyny. On the other side, Oslo's style is building its own fan base through collections of outerwear, moderate color tones, and practical streetwear. Outside of their commitment to sustainability and recycled materials, all Scandic designs focus on timeless pieces that are wearable at any event - the functionality and wearability of Scandinavian style is key to its charm.
On Netflix's newest fashion series Next In Fashion, contradicting trends from all around the globe has become apparent in the viewers' eyes. Scottish designer, Hayley Scanlan who participated in the show, mostly embraces monotone colors on her creations, while America's designers Ashton Michael, Kiki Peterson, and Julian Woodhouse always go for Avant-Garde futuristic look through combinations of shiny materials and candy color patterns. Asian aspiring designers Angel Chen, Minju Kim, and Narresh Kureja, on the other hand, showed entirely new perspectives with cultural embodiments on their hand-made prints and fantasy-themed clothing. Audiences will surely be enticed by identities coming from these talented designers and excited to see the next fashion trends’ evolution in the coming years. The competition also offers an insight as to how culture and training can influence work and design.
Focusing back on Copenhagen Fashion Week, AW20 features mixtures of formal pieces and layering as the key players in this event. Straight from streetwear snaps, olive green, orange, and fuchsia pink are truly guests' favorites. Not to forget, bucket hats, statement bags from Dior, Prada, and Chanel, as well as sole shoes and hunter boots, which added a sense of wearability. In true Danish style, all guests seem to nail the effortless look by amping up their outerwear layering over simple basics. Some of my favorite street style looks include a pairing of a dual-tone oversized coat with black turtleneck and leather pants, matching olive green belted blazer and knee-length pants over grey knit top, brown plaid wrap trench coat over bold statement heels, and faux fur pastel coats over jumpsuits and activewear. On the runway collections, my personal favorites would be Soeren Le Schmidt's all white, one-shoulder puffy sleeve jumpsuit and Cecilie Bahnsen's Leika Gown with Madelyn Vest.
Will these effortless and practical looks overthrow avant-garde style in the future? It is definitely possible. After all, we all want designer collections to be wearable in day to day life too. Next time, if you are looking for a stunning runway style that also contributes to a better future, Scandic clothing should be your way to go.