So you saw all the street style pics coming out of Copenhagen Fashion Week and want to know more about Scandinavian fashion? Well, to start, there are at least 26 fashion labels that should definitely be on your radar.
Minimalist, functional, and understated on the one hand and extremely edgy, unconventional, and extravagant on the other: That’s Scandi style. Scandinavians have managed to reconcile these two seemingly irreconcilable differences in way that’s harmonious and fresh, which is why they’ve become leaders in the fashion space. It’s their willingness to play with opposites and an inimitable nonchalance that sets them apart.
But which brands and designers make Scandinavian fashion what it is? Let’s take a closer look at the Scandinavian fashion landscape and call out some of the coolest fashion labels from Denmark and Sweden right now.
Overview:AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron
Scandinavian fashion at a glance
Fashion style/directionScandinavian brandScandi all-rounderFilippa KMajor print and colorGanniMinimalistTotemeMonochrome and futuristicHeliot EmilTimelessMalene BirgerCelebrity-approvedAcne Studios
Danish fashion
Fashion professionals, influencers, and everyone in between all want to go to Copenhagen Fashion Week. So much so that the Nordic fashion week has now found a place in the ranks of Milan, London, and New York. Some of the Scandinavian fashion brands showing their creations there, below.
Ganni
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Always in tune with the times, the Danish label Ganni is currently one of the hottest Scandinavian brands out there. In addition to the brand’s cool wardrobe basics, creative director Ditte Reffstrup is known for designing extravagant ready-to-wear pieces such as dresses and skirts with eye-catching prints that can be combined in a variety of ways and are particularly popular with celebrities, fashion influencers, and editors. Ganni also has lots of interesting sweaters, coats, jackets, and T-shirts as well as accessories, shoes, and lingerie in its range. The brand also regularly does collabs, most recently with The North Face and New Balance.
Shop GanniMalene Birger
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Malene Birger inspires its customers with feminine styles, clear lines, elegant cuts, and unusual details and materials—and yet the collections are extremely uncomplicated to wear. (So typically Scandi!) The Scandinavian label’s dresses, sweaters, shoes, coats, and jackets are particularly popular in fashion circles. Good to know: Malene Birger founded another label, Birger 1962, in 2014, to pursue her passion for interior design and art.
Shop Malene BirgerCecilie Bahnsen
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Like art for the body, designer Cecilie Bahnsen’s Danish fashion label combines couture craftsmanship with sculptural silhouettes that are reinterpreted for a contemporary audience. Cecilie Bahnsen has already gained experience at Erdem and John Galliano, and femininity and volume play a major role in every dress, skirt, and shirt. Each item of clothing is also made by hand using traditional techniques.
Shop Cecilie BahnsenSamsøe Samsøe
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Samsøe Samsøe was founded in 1993 when brothers Klaus and Preben Samsøe opened a small store of the same name in the old Latin Quarter in Copenhagen. Originally they only sold jewelry, but the label was soon expanded to include premium T-shirts. In 2000, Peter Sextus and Per-Ulrik Andersen took over the brand and transformed it into an international fashion house focusing on modern clothing, jeans, shoes, and accessories. With a nod to its Scandinavian heritage, Samsøe Samsøe is defined by a wearable aesthetic that combines typical Nordic minimalism with stylish street style pieces at affordable prices.
Shop Samsøe SamsøeHeliot Emil
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
The Danish label Heliot Emil offers futuristic designs that focus on a monochrome aesthetic with technical details. Signature elements, such as the large “HE” and silver-colored carabiners, can be found in most of the garments, which unmistakably bear the signature of the founders and brothers Julius Juul and Victor Juul. They reinterpret Scandinavian minimalism and experiment with form and function in every item of clothing. Among other things, they use 3D-printed elements with a zero-waste claim and try to change the industry with the help of technological practices.
Shop Heliot EmilBaum und Pferdgarten
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Danish designers Rikke Baumgarten and Helle Hestehave founded their label in 1999 after completing their studies in Copenhagen and have been on the road to success for some time now. Playful details on dresses, skirts, and blouses, as well as high-contrast designs and eye-catching prints on jackets and coats, are part of the typical style of the Scandinavian fashion label Baum und Pferdgarten, which is very popular with fashion fans worldwide.
Shop Baum und PferdgartenSaks Potts
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Danes Barbara Potts and Cathrine Saks don’t have much in common with the supposedly typical minimalism aesthetics that Scandinavian fashion is known for. The designs that the two designers have been creating for their Copenhagen label Saks Potts since 2013, however, is extravagant and very colorful.
Shop Saks PottsRains
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Founded in 2012, Rains is a modern lifestyle brand for rainwear that creates waterproof designs for fashion-conscious people. Influenced by the Scandinavian tradition, Rains is rooted in both functionality and practicality, proving that proper rainwear does not have to come at the expense of thoughtful design. The brand’s rainwear, bags, and accessories are designed to withstand the stormiest weather conditions and look trendy at the same time.
Shop RainsStine Goya
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Colorful fashion, eye-catching prints, and statement silhouettes that put you in a good mood and allow you to express your personality: That’s Stine Goya. The designer founded her eponymous label in Copenhagen in 2006 and is now one of the highlights of the Scandinavian fashion industry. Anyone looking for an extravagant sweater, shirt, or dress is guaranteed to find what they’re looking for at Stine Goya. Incidentally, the label (like many other Scandinavian brands) attaches great importance to sustainability.
Shop Stine GoyaRemain Birger Christensen
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
According to designer Denise Christensen, Remain Birger Christensen’s creations are real wardrobe classics that you can keep in your closet for years and wear again and again. Each individual item of clothing created by the Copenhagen concept store can be combined to create a “seasonal uniform.” The collections include cozy knitted sweaters as well as smart separates. Well-known fashion influencers such as Linda Tol and Pernille Teisbaek have long been fans of the brand.
Shop Remain Birger ChristensenRotate Birger Christensen
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Smart move: Danish fashion label Birger Christensen has brought influencers Jeanette Friis Madsen and Thora Valdimars on board as designers (and free PR). The result is Rotate Birger Christensen, which offers great statement dresses for day and evening.
Shop Rotate Birger ChristensenGestuz
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Gestuz was founded in 2008 by Sanne Sehested in Denmark. The label stands for fashion with clean lines, feminine cuts, and a certain rock ‘n’ roll attitude. Reduced colors and minimalist cuts meet colorful prints to create the brand’s exciting and unmistakable look.
Shop GestuzMunthe
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Founded in 1994 and relaunched in 2014, Danish fashion label Munthe is one of Copenhagen’s most sought-after fashion brands. Designer Naja Munthe’s designs are known for their artistic hand-painted prints and dresses with feminine silhouettes that exude urban boho flair. Many Scandinavian influencers and fashion editors are fans and are often spotted wearing various pieces.
Shop MuntheHenrik Vibskov
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
If you have a penchant for conceptual design, Henrik Vibskov is the right place for you. The abstract creations of the fashion designer, who also works as an interior designer and musician, are unconventional and thrive on the tension between architectural cuts and unusual prints and textures.
Shop Henrik VibskovSecond Female
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
The Danish label Second Female was founded in Copenhagen in 2010 and has been designing timeless easy-to-wear essentials with clean lines for women ever since. The colors are usually soft, the silhouettes flowing, the fabrics look casually elegant. Typical key pieces in the collections are feminine blouses, dresses, and knitwear pieces as well as leather skirts and pants.
Shop Second FemaleSummery Copenhagen
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
It’s hard to believe that the popular Scandi label Summery Copenhagen was born out of an acute outfit crisis for creative director Cecilie Jørgensen in 2011: She quickly sewed two kufiya-print scarves together to make a shirt for a night out with friends, and et voilà: A new fashion label was born. In addition to the shirt in question, there are now various other tops, pants, dresses, jackets, and kimonos in many different cuts and colors, but always made of 100 percent cotton. Summery Copenhagen has remained true to its distinctive kufiya print, and fashion fans all over the world love the Danish label for it.
Shop Summery CopenhagenBecksöndergaard
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
BeckSöndergaard was founded in Copenhagen in 2003 with the vision of creating accessories for women who appreciate playful, individual designs that always allow for new styles. The brand quickly became known for its colors, contrasts, and unique print patterns. Since February 2019, the Becksöndergaard design team has been under the direction of Katrine Larsø Jensen (formerly Baum und Pferdgarten), who has made the brand a one-stop shop for handbags, hair accessories, and scarves.
Swedish fashion
If Danish fashion has a minimalist sister, then it’s Swedish fashion. While people in Denmark like to go for color, never shy away from a pattern, and like to combine unconventional styles, materials, etc., in Sweden the focus is on timeless, understated designs. The pieces are less playful and rich in contrast, but just as effortlessly cool in their own way.
Acne Studios
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
The epitome of Scandinavian cool (and great jeans!) and internationally the best known of the Scandinavian brands is the Swedish label Acne Studios. Founded in 1996 by Jonny Johansson, Acne Studios (short for “Ambition to Create Novel Expressions”) stands for high-quality basics and avant-garde fashion. Definitely always worth an investment? The label’s jeans, leather jackets, and cardigans. The cool shoes and blazers from Acne Studios are particularly popular with fashion experts too.
Shop Acne StudiosToteme
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Toteme is the brainchild of style expert and former blogger Elin Kling, who specializes in elegant, luxurious basics for busy women. Her “uniforms,” as she likes to call her collections, can be summed up as follows: muted colors, purist cuts, the finest materials and no frills of any kind.
Shop TotemeFilippa K
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Minimalist, functional, high-quality: Filippa K has been the epitome of Scandinavian fashion since 1993. Founder Filippa Knutsson started her label with the aim of creating a curated wardrobe for women and men—timeless, durable, and easy to combine. Classic trench coats and elegant blazers are just as much a part of the Filippa K range as uncomplicated tops, casual sweaters, jeans, and cool sportswear. You can build on everything. Sustainability has also always been a high priority for the Swedes: production is fair and environmentally friendly, and clothing is also recycled. By 2030, all collections are to be produced 100% sustainably.
Shop Filippa KStand studio
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
If you’re looking for a real statement coat or jacket at an affordable price, you should definitely take a look at Stand Studio’s online store. Since Nellie Kamras founded her label in Stockholm in 2014, Stand has been the epitome of extravagant outerwear made of leather and (fake) fur and is worn by Scandinavian fashionistas up and down the country. The collection has since been expanded to include accessories, pants, skirts, and tops—but the colorful coats and jackets remain the Swedes’ workhorse.
Shop Stand StudioRodebjer
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
After being approached several times about her self-designed outfits, Carin Rodebjer decided to found her own label in 1999 and make her wonderfully relaxed designs accessible to a wider public. The Swedish designer feels inspired by both her adopted home of New York and her hometown of Stockholm. Rodebjer’s designs are feminine and suitable for everyday wear: casual suits, sweaters, caftans, dresses, and kimonos can easily be styled from day to evening mode.
Shop RodebjerTiger of Sweden
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
The history of the traditional Swedish label Tiger of Sweden goes back over 100 years. It all started with men’s suits. The founders Marcus Schwartzman and Hjalmar Nordstrøm then produced uniforms for the Swedish army. The label has since succeeded in liberating the suit from the office and making it suitable for everyday wear as a relaxed, elegant item of clothing. Tiger of Sweden is often mistakenly perceived as a classic men’s outfitter, but it also produces Scandinavian clean chic looks for women too, including dresses, skirts, sweaters, and shoes. The brand also has a great timeless jeans collection.
Shop Tiger of SwedenHouse of Dagmar
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Behind the House of Dagmar brand, founded in Stockholm in 2005, are sisters Karin Söderlind, Kristina Tjäder, and Sofia Wallenstam. The three of them combined their individual fashion backgrounds and have been running the label, named after their grandmother Dagmar, together ever since. Classic cuts and luxurious styles with a twist and attention to detail are typical of House of Dagmar. The heart of every collection from the Swedes: Statement knitted sweaters and the odd elegant dress. In addition to Pernille Teisbaek, Princess Sofia of Sweden is a fan.
Shop House of DagmarStutterheim
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Functional clothing can’t be stylish? Not true at all! Since 2010, the Swedish label Stutterheim has stood for fashionable and functional rain jackets and accessories, all of which are made by hand. In addition to classically timeless designs for women, men, and children, the Scandinavian label also attracts attention time and again through designer collaborations (for example with Marni or Band of Outsiders).
Shop StutterheimJ. Lindeberg
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
The Swedish label J. Lindeberg has its origins in golf and tennis. The label’s designs for men and women are correspondingly sporty, but in keeping with the current zeitgeist, they can also be ideally combined with jeans and the like for everyday wear away from the green and court. So it’s no wonder that it is currently experiencing a real renaissance, as tenniscore in particular has been a hyped aesthetic in fashion for several seasons now.
What makes Scandi style so special?
Scandinavians are incredibly stylish. There’s no doubt about that. But what exactly is the difference to French women, who are just as effortlessly cool? The answer is probably the importance of comfort and functionality. Anyone who has ever walked the streets of Copenhagen or Stockholm will know: You won’t see high heels, uncomfortable straps, or delicate materials here. Street style is written in capital letters. This means: limited edition sneakers from New Balance, Asics & Co. meet striped T-shirts, well-fitting pants, and cool workwear jackets. Depending on the season, there is less or more layering, but one thing always remains: personality.
A version of this post was previously published on Glamour Germany.
The post Scandinavian Fashion: 26 Fashion Labels You Should Know appeared first on Glamour.
