7 Emerging Designers To Know From Copenhagen Fashion Week FW23

In addition to industry mainstays such as GANNI and ROTATE, Copenhagen Fashion Week serves as a stage spotlighting some of the most exciting emerging designers from the Nordic region each season. The Fall/Winter 2023 edition didn't fail to disappoint, highlighting promising names in the scene.

This season marked the first time CPHFW implemented its sustainability-focused strategy, where all showing brands are required to meet a minimum of 18 requirements that cover everything from finding a second life for samples to using preferred materials in at least 50% of each collection. With these rules, brands were challenged to not only showcase visually pleasing designs, but also to be more mindful and intentional in their production processes.

Hypebae selected seven emerging designers from CPHFW, including A. Roege Hove, P.L.N., VENCZEL and more. Continue scrolling to read about each rising brand.

A. Roege Hove

For the FW23 edition of her eponymous label A. Roege Hove, designer Amalie Røge Hove started her show with a naked model stepping onto the stage, reminding guests of Bella Hadid's famous spray-on dress at Coperni's last show in Paris. Two members of Røge Hove's team joined the model on the runway, dressing her in the creative's signature knitwear pieces. The show officially began after the first look was constructed with a sheer dress layered with a draped black-and-white piece tied at the front.

The designer explained that she hoped the audience would better understand the texture and material of her looks, which mainly feature ribbed knits made out of cotton and nylon. Those watching the show will likely have thought of Issey Miyake and the late designer's recognizable pleats as Røge Hove's trademarked material bobbed up and down on skirts and dresses, depending on the direction the knits were placed. The Woolmark Prize finalist introduced wool into her collection this time around, with heavier items layered atop the sheer ribbed knits to complete each look.

Gestuz

Gestuz, founded in 2008 by Sanne Sehested, joined the CPHFW schedule for the first time in 2020 but only presented its first FW23 this season due to the pandemic. Titled "DARK DESIRE," the collection was showcased at Thorvaldsens Museum also known as the first public museum of Denmark, where Sehested explored a "darker and sexier version" of the Gestuz muse. The creative director explained, "I wanted to create a rich and sexy vibe that would perfectly compliment both the darkness of the colors but also the darkness of the winter season. I looked towards quite classic elements and fancy dressing, but with a new take." She added, "'Traditional female' fashion elements such as lace, showing skin and tight fits are often judged as vulgar or too girly. I didn’t want to hide these things, but rather integrate them in the looks."

The museum's beautiful marble sculptures served as the backdrop to the looks featuring lace dresses, check-printed skirts and glittery separates. Corset tops arrived with matching trousers in straight silhouettes, followed by glossy shearling jackets and coats. The palette gradually moved from darker colors to brighter denim and all-white looks, which were accessorized with ultra-large gold chain necklaces.

ISO.POETISM by Tobias Birk Nielsen

Titled "COPENHAGEN OBSIDIAN SOCIETY (13)*," Tobias Birk Nielsen's FW23 collection was presented in a stone-filled space with rocks hanging from the ceiling. The set introduced a series of tech-focused wear with tie-dye elements referencing the rock inspiration. "Since I was a kid, I’ve been collecting stones. It started as a modest hobby inherited from my sweet grandma. When beginning, it mainly had a focus around a visual attention, simply to find beautiful and unique shape and colors," the designer explained in a press release.

Puffer jackets were paired with reflective track pants, while muted brown hues were seen on cargo pants and halter-neck dresses. Bulbous textures were added to a vest with matching oversized pants as the tie-dye theme continued on coats and skirts. The collection additionally included a collaboration with Kappa in a capsule range titled "AUTOFOCUS."