Despite icy winds and a near-constant drizzle, traffic was steady throughout Copenhagen's Revolver trade show, with day two being particularly busy. This season, some 300 Scandinavian and international brands and designers had set up in the centrally located Øksnehallen to present their latest men’s and women’s offerings.
According to the many brand representatives we spoke to, the intimate feel of the show is one of its biggest assets. Said Morten Meldgaard, Wood Wood’s marketing and PR manager: “Most Copenhagen brands and designers that exhibit here know one another, so there are a lot of friendly “hellos” before doors open to visitors. I doubt that would happen at a bigger fair. Also, the brand-mix is very well-curated – our fellow exhibitors are compatible without being too similar, so to speak.” Over at Edwin, we caught up with Niels Mulder, the brand’s denim developer. This was his take on Revolver: “The atmosphere is great and we’ve had a busy few days, meeting a lot of Scandinavian buyers but also visitors from other countries. Scandi fashion rules at the moment, which gives the show even more relevance and weight from an international perspective.”
Designers showing on the official CPHFW schedule this season, as part of the so-called Revolver Runway scheme, included Mfpen, Sunnei and Heliot Emil. Some of these names also showed their work installation-style in the central aisle of Revolver, giving attendees the chance to inspect portions of the collections at closer range (always a good idea).
Here, nine of our Revolver highlights across denim, casualwear and sneakers:
Mini me
Swedish leatherwear contender Deadwood crafts its signature biker jackets from vintage leather garments sourced by the brand’s in-house team. Advocating sustainable principles through and through, the brand shuns seasonal drops, adding newness instead by teaming up with fellow creatives or adding new categories – such as the adorable kids bikers we discovered in the Deadwood booth. These little pieces are perfect replicas of the unisex adult versions, and they’re available for ages 3 and 5 years.
’90s in numbers
Champion is having a moment and it’s putting its archive to good use. A number of sneakers inspired by the brand’s ’90s roster of kicks were lined up at Revolver. These men’s styles demonstrate the breath of finishes used to spice up styles of decades past – berry-hued suede, all-black leather with an oversized logo; and discreet white leather with subtler detailing.
Teen spirit
Jackets (denim or corduroy) with shearling collars (real or faux) were big news at Revolver – and have been elsewhere on the show circuit. Danish brand Wood Wood’s version stood out from the crowd in raw denim and a slightly oversized silhouette. The same piece bore a poetic message on the back, Sad Songs Make Me Happy, putting the complicated transition from childhood to adulthood into words.
Shiny pairs
Swedish household name Filippa K’s Soft Sport line continues to evolve (with even bigger strides due to founder Filippa Knutsson’s return after a long hiatus). The latest offering plays nicely with contrast, blending soft neutrals in tactile, natural materials (cashmere, cotton etc.) with techier fabrics in metallic finishes. These silver-tone joggers – generous in cut with an elasticated waist – will give glamazons an extra incentive to hit the tracks, or sofa – or anywhere, really.
Blow-up
Henrik Vibskov continues to push his creativity with denim (among many other types of fabric). For F/W18, he’s used the material to sculpt pieces in line with the season’s collection title: Please Analyze Volumize Moisturize Me. And the denim looks, jeans and jackets, were certainly volumized (if not moisturized!). We particularly fell for this piece (photographed), with its wide, cropped sleeves – a good option for those who can’t see themselves in a trucker jacket but quite fancy wrapping up in denim.
Edwin X TIEDE (take two)
For the second consecutive season, Edwin has teamed up with Spanish born, London-based tattoo artist, TEIDE. Four styles from the range were on show at Revolver – two Japanese denim jackets and two pairs of jeans, all of which featured topstitching in red or green and intricate embroidery in the distinctive style of TEIDE.
Dylan’s day
There was plenty of news to discover at Dr. Denim’s booth. Gus caught our eye – a raw selvedge men’s jean in a roomy cut, displayed together with a classic jean jacket. On the women’s side (though this brand is essentially unisex at heart), there was a pale blue jean with a “sky high” rise and wide leg, slit to the knee. Dylan’s the name.
Padded power
Copenhagen-based rain jacket brand Packmack has added quilted styles to its gently growing repertoire. These pieces, which come with or without sleeves, sat next to Packmack’s core range of light, packable styles – some of which featured all-over prints (polar bears and skiers) courtesy of the brand’s collaborative partner Band of Outsiders.
Comfy kicks
New Balance is pushing its 247 style, the latest release of which took center stage in the brand’s booth at Revolver. This modern take on the New Balance saddle-strap construction is lightweight and flexible. Seen here are two women’s styles in new colors.
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