With Oasis blaring and Søren Kierkegaards Plads as its stage, Alis celebrates its second life in a show that bridges '90s skate nostalgia with fresh Copenhagen energy. Creative director Tobias Birk Nielsen leans into the brand’s roots while introducing a new era of fluid streetwear – complete with womenswear, sun-doodles by his son, and styling by Pernille Teisbaek
Given that today’s Alis show continues to celebrate the notion of 'Comeback Culture', it was only fitting to open with an Oasis track. After all, the Britpop heroes are currently in the midst of the greatest comeback of all time (or, for some, they never really left). Either way, it was hard not to sing along to 'Champagne Supernova' as the first look came down the runway.
Speaking of comebacks, Alis creative director Tobias Birk Nielsen wasn’t expecting the brand’s reboot to be such a big deal. Sure, he knew Alis, a Christiania-born skate brand that achieved cult status in the '90s, held a special place in the heart of many Danes (to some degree, himself included) but he didn’t know just how much it meant to how many people. “We kind of were prepared for it, but it’s been quite overwhelming to be honest,” says Birk Nielsen. “I’m quite surprised when I meet people at my child’s school or wherever I am, a lot of people have a relationship to Alis – way more than I thought. In general, people find it really nice that Alis is getting a second life.”
And so, given its resonance in the local culture at large, Alis presented its spring/summer 2026 at Søren Kierkegaards Plads, a public waterfront square that finds the entire city as its backdrop (at magic hour, no less). “The show has a more clear focus on the brand’s connection to its hometown,” says Birk Nielsen. “We want to emphasise and embrace the rhythm and energy of Copenhagen.” Birk Nielsen, meanwhile, points to one apt quote from Kierkegaard, the renowned Danish philosopher for whom the location is named: “To dare is to lose one's footing for a brief moment – not to dare is to lose oneself.”
That particular brand of Danishness is also reflected in the looks. Specifically, the styling, which once again came courtesy of local It girl Pernille Teisbaek. “The styling very much portrays that young Copenhagen energy, where you can easily go from a dinner to a swim in the harbour to some training and meeting with friends,” says Birk Nielsen. “It’s embracing whatever you are doing in your day.”
As for the clothes, Alis 2.0 continues to explore streetwear with a high-fashion flourish. “We continue to tell the balance on how some of the roots from Alis 1.0 paves the foundation for the new Alis to build new layers and stories on top of it,” says Birk Nielsen. “The focus is on bridging these timelines.”
So according to SS26, what is the new Alis? Well, it’s super relaxed trousers – denim especially, sometimes coated to look a bit like leather. It’s cropped button downs and relaxed trousers. It’s single-breasted blazers worn with sweatpant shorts.
The strongest departure from its previous form, however, is the focus on womenswear. Having tested the water last season (and not just by way of relaxed mens clothes on women, but rather form-fitting dresses and bikini tops), this season Alis is doubling down on distinctly feminine woman’s garments. “Alis has never been either man or woman, but streetwear always has the tendency to feel more on the mens side,” says Birk Nielsen. “But the feedback came across very positive and it felt quite natural. For me, personally, after having done menswear for most of my career, I find it quite refreshing and fun.” This time around bikini tops were met with fluid trousers and floor sweeping checked skirts were paired with matching plaid jerseys. Cool trench coats and hoodies were met with micro mini shorts. In a less practical but very vibe-y moment, a bomber jacket was met with Alis tape underwear.
While Alis 2.0 relies less on graphic elements, there is one standout motif in this collection: a crudely drawn sun. It was made with the help of a guest designer, Birk Nielsen’s eight-year-old son. “For this season, I wanted to have this very positive, sunny expression in the graphic – very playful,” says Birk Nielsen, noting that his son also offers off-the-cuff, unfiltered feedback on his designs. “So I’ve been sketching a lot with my son, seeing how he draws a sun and how I draw a sun and trying to merge a universe and inspire each other.” The perfect expression of how Alis, a 90s classic, has been revived and embraced by the next generation.
See all the looks from Alis' SS26 collection below.
