(006) on the chicness paradox & Copenhagen Fashion Week
hot brands & products, what it means to be "chic", why I'm obsessed with Copenhagen Fashion Week, and some really cool clothes
“Chicness is, of course, amorphous—hard to pin down to a sum of parts, at once mystical and tangible.”
(via Raven Smith for Vogue in 2023)
To be chic (in the context of fashion and style) is, then, to master the paradox of tapping into the cultural zeitgeist while remaining impervious to its many mandates. To constantly toe the line between an in-the-know coolness and an intrinsically motivated sense of self, between an untouchable hotness and an understated humanity — sitting somewhere between the ephemeral and enduring.
While Tik Tok’s "things I find extremely chic" trend does little to capture this tension, it does remind us that there is a tremendous amount of subjectivity at play. One woman’s “ick” is another’s “it girl” — making it all the more mystical, and thus, impossible to accurately predict or quantify.
The Lyst Index, a barometer of fashion's hottest brands and products, attempts to do so with a ranking system that utilizes a blend of sales, search data, and social engagement over a three-month period. While it’s not exactly a chicness score, placement on a list of this nature can still throw off an intentional positioning on the balance beam that is the chicness paradox.
Hotness vs. the “Human Aspect”
The Lyst Index dropped its Q2 list about a month ago, crowning Loewe (#1) as the hottest brand in the world right now. No stranger to sold out pieces & viral runway looks, the brand dethroned Miu Miu (#2) and Prada (#3), both of whom slipped down a spot since last quarter. The it pieces of the quarter included a trio of sneaker styles, an $860 pair of red cropped trousers (#6), Dragon Diffusion’s 'Santa Croce Tote' (#5), fisherman sandals (#8), and social media darling, the Coach ‘Tabby’ bag (#3).
Last quarter, Alaïa made its Lyst debut at number 19 on the hot brands list, with searches (largely having to do with the ever-sold-out [and now trending in mesh] crystal Mary-Jane flats) spiking 49% in the three month period.
This ranking was revealed when the Q1 list went live to the public on April 24th. On April 28th, Alaïa’s creative director, Pieter Mulier, posted a quote on his Instagram saying he does not want to “turn Alaïa into a huge thing.”
Whether or not this post was a direct response to the Lyst ranking, and general halo effect being afforded to the brand by way of the famous flats, is neither here nor there — his word choice is significant. For Pieter, the soul (or “human aspect”) of a brand is what keeps it interesting and attractive — not its ability to create and sell a hot product.
While brands aren’t people, they solidify their chic status in a similar way. They have to continuously be aligned to the general desires of the day while remaining blissfully ignorant of them to maintain their integrity and POV. They too must balance hotness (as defined by Lyst’s mix of sales and chatter) and humanity (as prioritized by Alaïa’s Pieter Mulier). This tension between visibility, commercial success, and personalized ethos is at the chore of what it means to be a truly “chic” brand.
Chicness in action: Copenhagen Fashion Week
Speaking of “things I find extremely chic”... COPENHAGEN. FASHION. WEEK.
There are a couple of reasons why CPHFW is my favorite week of fashion month. First, I feel incredibly drawn to a number of contemporary designers that show in Copenhagen each year. There is a sort of effortlessly preppy-meets-sporty-meets-girly-meets-eclectic vibe to the week that really resonates with my personal style. It’s the only fashion week where I catch myself saying “I’d wear this exact outfit” over and over again when watching live streams and scrolling the Vogue Runway app.
Second, the street style is, time after time, the BEST.
Perhaps the big three (Milan, New York, and Paris) are too far gone to even play the street style game. Though a lot of fashion’s biggest players are showing in these cities, attendees getting dressed head to toe by brands (sometimes in identical looks) has slowly but surely moved personality and experimentation away from the center of the attendee (and onlooker) experience.
I don’t feel this is the case in Copenhagen — at least not yet (and hopefully not ever). I’d actually go as fas as to say that CPHFW street style captures the very essence of what street style should be. Show-goers tend to do it just as described by editor and content creator Camille Charrière,
“When you’re doing street style, you’re attending as yourself and should keep your personality, otherwise you’re not adding any value to the fashion conversation, which is the whole point.” (via Vogue Business, April 2024)
This, once again, captures the need for a persistent “human aspect.” It’s maintenance, as Camille asserted, is the whole point.
It is personality that makes things interesting and lends an air of chicness to those captured strutting down the street between shows, presentations, dinners, and parties. Full look policies at major shows, that turn influencers into live mannequins, serve a purpose but (as a mere couch critic) I’ll take the Copenhagen girls 10/10 times.
**NOTE: this is, of course, not universally true or intended to throw stones at anyone. There are fashion girlies in every city that thrive during fashion month, turning out LOOKS city after city.**
With all that said, I’ll leave you with some of my favorite pieces from some of the brands that showed last week. Enjoy!
For your continued reading & viewing pleasure…
Some of the things I mentioned, quoted, and considered while writing this post:
EYCE (Elevating Your Customer’s Experience) by
on Gab Waller’s sourcing bizBrands vs. influencers: Who holds more power? by José Criales-Unzueta for Vogue Business
Gorgeous street style photography via @karyastreetstyle and @noorunisa and @despi_naka
How Did Copenhagen Fashion Week Become The Most Eco-Friendly (And Coolest) One? by Héloïse Salessy for Vogue Philippines
P.S. @noorieana is my CPHFW style icon every time and 100% deserves your follow.
Stay chic! See you next month!
W13 💋
Thank you for the shoutout! Love this post 💓
Very well said as always babe