Highlights of Copenhagen Fashion Week Day 1 SS25

Sól Hansdóttir

Sól Hansdóttir describes her label as “an anti-disciplinary label based between London & Iceland.”

That was translated into a two hour performance called Simulation Swan, and inspired by the poem River & Sugardusk by Ásta Fanney. Fanney is considered one of Iceland’s most innovative contemporary poets and her live vocalization provided the soundtrack. (Think Meredith Monk)

This collection was created with zero-waste patterning and crafted entirely from deadstock materials, with the exception of organic Organdy cotton and bamboo jersey.

Hansdóttir is also inspired by Icelandic folklore and traditional handicrafts. This approach leads to unique, contemporary designs with a distinctive, unconventional aesthetic. The work is colorful and fanciful and we look forward to seeing how this “One to Watch” evolves.

A. Roege Hove

A. Roege Hove’s return to Copenhagen Fashion Week for Spring 2025 marks a pivotal moment for the conceptual knitwear brand. After winning the prestigious Woolmark Innovation prize in 2023, designer Amalie Røge Hove had to close her brand due to financial troubles. This isn’t unusual for young brands that grow faster than their business model allows –further complicated by retailers failing to make timely payments. So we were excited to see Amalie Røge Hove return to present a collection that both honors her signature style and ventures into new territory.

True to form, the collection showcases Røge Hove’s mastery of innovative knitwear techniques. Her sculptural pieces continue to celebrate the body’s natural curves, playing with transparency and opacity in ways that are both daring and elegant. While maintaining her primarily black and white palette, accented by moments of ‘brat’ green, Røge Hove introduces clever material clashes and expanded silhouettes. New Jacquard techniques effectively create prints within the material itself, adding depth to her designs. This evolution in design reflects a growing maturity in the brand. While still celebrating the female form, A. Roege Hove now does so with a broader range of options, from the subtly sexy layering of sheer panels over signature ribbed knits to more structured, grown-up silhouettes.

As A. Roege Hove enters this new phase, the Spring 2025 collection proves that responsible, thoughtful design can be both avant-garde and accessible. It’s a powerful statement from a designer who continually redefines the possibilities of knitwear.

Stem

At No Kill Mag, we believe that loving fashion and loving the planet should not be mutually exclusive. But sometimes, it feels that those in the fashion industry – even those with the best intentions – haven’t fully gotten the memo. Which is why we find a brand like Stem really exciting.

Part of the “One to Watch” series at CPHFW, this 6 piece collection is Edition 3 –the third study of handcraft and industrial weaving. It’s entitled Pulling in reference to the new weaving technique designer Sarah Brunnhuber developed over the past two years. Similar to smocking, it gathers fabric to create volume and shape, combining digitally woven material with hand-knotting

“It feels important, whilst at the same time rebellious, to be creating a new handcraft at a time when crafts are dying out – we live in a time where speed and convenience are prioritized over the development of artisanal techniques,” Brunnhuber told Vogue Scandinavia.

Brunnhuber’s commitment to responsible production informs all her decisions. This includes the raw materials (only working with certified natural fibers), the production techniques (zero-waste & pulling technique), to sharing Stem’s production story through its pieces. The fabrics convey visual information that the wearer can learn from: how many pattern pieces make up the garment, how much material would have otherwise gone to waste, and what a sleeve looks like.

But above and beyond that, her techniques create some really beautiful and interesting garments. And with this collection Brunnhuber also announced the Stem Mill. The focus of the mill is on three areas: advancing Denmark’s circular textile infrastructure, establishing efficient setups for small-scale, agile production, and fostering research, development, and education.

Rolf Ekroth

Ekroth’s press release begins by setting the scene for his collection.

Imagine the stillness of a Finnish summer night, only broken by the distant notes of a bittersweet waltz. Rolf Ekroth’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection, “Lavatanssit,” captures the enigmatic charm of traditional Finnish dance pavilions scattered across the Finnish countryside. In these pavilions, everyone is in search of a dream, from wallflowers to nighttime legends. While Finnish people may appear stoic, beneath their reserve burns a blend of romance and melancholy. This collection, inspired by the designer’s personal experiences, is a playful nod to longing—a love letter to summer nights spent at the dance pavilion. It dances with contrasts, reflecting the hope and fear of potential encounters. Threaded with the dark humour characteristic of the Finnish spirit—such as hukkumisbingo, “drowning bingo”, a game where bets are placed on how many drunken people end up lost in the lake each summer—the collection embodies a pursuit for connection.

Rolf Ekroth is known to be a responsible brand, and much of what was on the runway was handmade. In addition to the floral prints being hand painted, the collection also features handmade lace collars and caps and a hand-knitted macramé bag. Similarly, the bombers are detailed with hand-knitted pendants, providing a distinctive touch of craftsmanship

He also collaborated with several other brands on this collection. Among them was Kalevala, the renowned Finnish jewelry brand, Ekroth has translated his hand-painted rose motif into versatile earrings. Handcrafted from 100% recycled silver, these pieces continue the tradition of repurposing jewelry. The earrings feature a flexible clip, perfect for styling with various outfits, from tops to skirts to scarves. A long dress with a distinctly grunge vibe was embellished with 180 earrings.

This narrative was embodied in various pieces, such as a life vest top with romantic floral prints paired with a full-length matching skirt. It was his statement against Finland’s drowning statistics. The floral theme was seen again in dandelion jeans decorated with 250 handcrafted pendants—each pair’s pendants requiring over 200 hours to create. The other predominant patterns, plaids, and camo, reinforced the feeling of clothes to wear outdoors.

Alectra Rothschild/ Masculina

Alectra’s clothes are for everyone and, as she states, “the girlie who GETS it – THE MASCULINA DOLL.” And what exactly is that aesthetic? This season, it was the interplay between being Queen of the Club and the transformation that happens to get there. Think delicate lingerie meeting dominatrix gear. Ruffles and slashed fabrics. Racer gear and nightgowns. Masculina is not either/or but both/and. A defiant celebration and peek into the designer’s world.

The collection features Oleatex as a sustainable replacement for leather made from recycled polyester and olives, and deadstock lace and silks from the deadstock fabric company Belgerian Fabrics. The showpieces are created from upcycled garments, fabrics, and stockings.

The collection is called “You are wasted here, you are a star,” which speaks to the position of trans people in our society. “We are wasted in this world because we are disproportionally experiencing extreme discrimination, homelessness, joblessness & violence for simply existing and obviously not appreciated for the Stars we are,” Alectra expressed.