Cherries, charms and pyjamas: unexpected trends from Copenhagen fashion week

Hej! For the last decade or so, Scandi-mania has made us lust after midcentury furniture and Fair Isle jumpers, swap the big light for candles, and turn into sofa detectives thanks to gripping crime dramas. So when Copenhagen fashion week (CPHFW) comes along twice a year, you don’t want to miss it.

The five-day event, which gives the “big four” fashion weeks some serious competition, is a golden opportunity to spot what trends might trickle, drip and cross-pollinate into how people dress/eat/drink well beyond Denmark. And it’s not just what happens on the catwalk that matters. From the street-style set, to where the locals are eating and sipping, the whole city turns into one massive mood board.

Here are 10 takeaways to note.

Relax! Forget fancy venues and heels

NYFW is all about plush hotels and Paris champions iconic landmarks, but during CPHFW show-goers found themselves sitting in a car park to watch wholesome Scandi brand Caro Editions’ debut show, venturing to a disused distillery for tailoring pro Remain, and scaling a former coal crane to check out the designer Astrid Andersen’s highly anticipated return to the fashion scene with herStel label. While American fashion editors could be seen grappling with the ancient cobblestone streets in stilettos, their Scandi counterparts whizzed past them in flats and on bikes. The Rishi effect seemed to have reached the Danish capital, too, with not an Adidas Samba in sight, and the flats of choice being trail shoes from Salomon, Puma’s Speedcat OGs (especially in red suede) and mesh ballet flats. Cowboy boots were also culled (too Trump-y). Instead, on rainy days, the local trendsetters wore motocross high-tops or simple cropped rubber boots. One to channel when the rain returns with gusto to the UK.

The new hipster bubbles

Champagne is the fashion cliche – see the Bolly-glugging of Eddie and Patsy – and prosecco has been the headache-inducing mass alternative. But CPHFW seems to be leading the charge for a new kind of bubbles. At the opening reception, waiters proffered flutes of sparkling tea. The alcohol-free beverage was also served from glass teapots as Cecilie Bahnsen unveiled her latest trainer collaboration with Asics. Come evening time, crowds flocked to low-key natural wine bars and bottles of biodynamic wine from Austrian wine producers Gut Oggau, with their distinctive face-sketched labels, dominating pavement side tables. Will it become a cult classic like the Portuguese Chin Chin vinho verde that struck a chord in the UK? Let’s see.

The kerchief comeback

While you might have just got your head around the idea of wearing a baseball cap everywhere, the Scandi set has moved on to bandanas. Knotted around heads, worn under and over caps, the 90s accessory was everywhere. Others ditched straw sun hats for brightly coloured canvas bucket and fishing hats, toggles et al. The trend extended to the catwalks too. Every model at Caro Editions wore a fold-over brim hat. First Princess Anne and now Copenhagen fashion week – this feels like a turning point for headgear. Secondhand sites are an excellent starting point for those who want to dip their toe in without spending a lot.

Fruity main character energy

Forget elaborate candelabras: tables were adorned with piles of gleaming red cherries. At the tailoring specialist La Bagatelle, mounds of cherries came on antique delftware; while at hip new restaurant Locale 21, the kind of joint you might see one of Carmy’s crew go to train at in The Bear, waiters served the fleshy drupes from giant silver bowls for dessert. Adding to the five-a-day theme were neat rows of polished plums at very fancy bedding brand Tekla, plump peas in their pods at COS, and fresh apricots served singly on individual vintage plates by jeweller Sophie Bille Brahe. It’s an easy one to replicate – via the veg shop and your local car boot.

Bags of charm

Before you see them you can hear the street-style set coming thanks to stacks of bag charms that jingle and jangle. Vintage it-bags such as Balenciaga’s City and Louis Vuitton Speedys came adorned with everything from plush teddy bears to tasselled door keyrings and kitsch holiday souvenirs. The more eclectic and naff the better. To replicate the look, dig out those landmark keyrings you picked up on holiday or get creative with beads and ribbon.

Pastry perfection

Don’t expect to come across any of the giant croissant hybrids that have made a spectacle of pastry of late at Copenhagen’s bakeries: the Danes’ concept of chicness even extends to their cakes. Catering at the shows included bite-size carrot cakes and mini loaves of banana bread. At the lo-fi bakery Andersen & Maillard there were queues out the door for its neat cube-shaped croissants filled with strawberry jam and cream cheese, while buns from Juno (founded by former Noma pastry chef Emil Glaser) were rounded to perfection then topped with a single blackcurrant. You can always cheat by slicing shop-bought banana bread into cubes.

Supersized scrunchies

The hottest accessory wasn’t a designer it-bag, but a supersized scrunchie. Scrunchies with the span of small tea saucers were plopped over low buns and quickly overtook claw clips. Pico’s silky flower-shaped rosettes are particularly popular. Elsewhere, long locks and sharp bobs came strewn with silky ribbons and tiny bows. Off the back of the coquette trend, many bathrooms will have scrunchies already in storage. Otherwise, a bit of ribbon around a low pony will give a more subtle nod to the OTT trend.

Flat-white-to-go fatigue

A Dane walking around slugging a drink on the go is a hard sight to spot. Instead, the coffee culture is all about the sit and sip. La Cabra is a favourite, where drip coffee is standard. Iced matcha is another go-to but many Copenhageners confessed to being caffeine-free. At one buzzy cafe, Sonny, staff wearing oversized grey T-shirts and Birkenstocks dole out golden lattes with hot oat milk, turmeric and fresh cinnamon. Take your cue and order your coffee to stay.

Night-to-day dressing

Trust Tekla to make everyone lust after sateen PJ sets. But the Danes don’t just keep their PJs for bed. Within hours of their launch, Tekla’s long-sleeved tops in blush pinks and sky blues were spotted out and about teamed with beaten-up denim. The Scandi brand Mandiberg’s striped cotton PJ pants were seen with shirting, while two-tone pyjama sets from Hay Stores flipped day-to-night dressing rules on its head. Key to taking this look and running with it is to add some jazzy jewellery, so it seems purposeful rather than frazzled.

Cross-pollination dressing

Rather than sticking to one fashion theme, show-goers in the city mixed and matched with wild abandon. Coquette was fused with sportswear: think pretty broderie anglaise tops and ribboned cardigans paired with athletic shorts and trackies. Casual jorts were smartened up with neat, boardroom-ready knitted tops and kitten heels, while striped rugby tops clashed with everything from crochet knits to streamlined tailoring. Take this as a gentle nudge to venture outside your comfort zone.

What’s hot – and what’s most definitely not – this week

Going up

EIP dressing | Happy Emily in Paris release day (sorry Francophiles!). Last season Emily Cooper gave us trauma bangs. This time around, we’re predicting a worrying boom in boleros.

Shag pile carpet | The retro floor covering is making a comeback, as homeowners lean into the boho aesthetic. See: & Other Stories’ latest campaign featuring Nadia Lee Cohen rolling around on an olive and peachy pink deep pile at a 70s Hollywood villa.

Rhinestones | We’d buy Dolly Parton’s new lipstick line for the vajazzled packaging alone.

Going down

Calligraphy | Farewell to fancy embossed invitations: texts and emails are trending among thrifty brides and grooms to be. Emojis optional.

Annual leave | Gen Z are taking time out between corporate jobs to enjoy their own “mini-retirements”, enjoying weeks of travel and baby boomer hobbies such as gardening. Aspirational tbh.

Ginger beer | Kylie Jenner just namechecked an “Arnold Palmer”, which combines iced tea and lemonade, as her go-to drink. Prepare for an influx on alcohol-free menus.

Chloe Mac Donnell, deputy fashion & lifestyle editor, solves your wardrobe dilemmas

Q: I am 5’3” and a size 16, with short legs and a long body. I really like the wide-leg trousers that are on trend but I cannot find any that fit well and don’t make me look like an Oompa Loompa. Help please. – Gemma, Suffolk

A: Start by measuring the length of your leg – go from the top of your inside thigh down to your lower ankle. Most online brands and secondhand sellers will offer a size guide and you can then easily compare your measurements to them.

For example, M&S have a dedicated petite section, some with a 27-inch inside leg. To get a perfect fit, find a local tailor who will be able to alter them to your liking. It might sound like a lot of effort and expense, but it’s worth it to get a pair of trousers that will fit you perfectly and be on trend.

Got your own style question? Send it to fashionstatement@theguardian.com.