How to nail the Scandi cool-girl fringe – from the woman with Copenhagen’s best bangs

Few fringes rival that of Copenhagen’s original cool girl, Jeanette Madsen. During the city’s recent fashion week – from the shows to a party celebrating her brand Rotate’s collaboration with cosmetics brand Caia – her impeccable sartorial choices were elevated by glossy, flaxen lengths and an eyebrow-grazing fringe.

Madsen has perfected the art of hair that feels effortlessly undone yet strikingly polished. Reminiscent of Dakota Johnson’s much-copied fringe, her look channels a modern bohemian spirit that feels incredibly now. So, what’s her secret? Vogue spoke to Madsen to uncover the secrets behind her signature style.

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“I had this fringe cut in back in 2001 – I already had some side bangs. Brigitte Bardot and [Debbie Harry] in the ’70s were my inspiration – their hair was always so sexy, effortless and glamorous at the same time.” Her fringe has now been there so long that it’s become part of her identity – people rarely recognise her when it’s tied up. “I also love that it covers my high forehead,” she laughs.

There’s much debate about how often you should wash your hair, but it’s a daily affair for Madsen. “I have a natural wave to my hair, so I need to wash it every day to keep it under control,” she says, adding that she loves Less Is More’s “really good” shampoo and conditioner.

Madsen’s styling secret? Once she’s washed her fringe, she gathers it at the front of her forehead, then uses a round brush beneath it to blow dry. “I don’t like it to look too lifted over my face, so I pull it down a little to ensure it’s flatter at the front,” she explains. “I twist it a bit at the sides for a ’70s tousled look, which is super quick and easy.”

True to low-maintenance form, Madsen uses very few products in her hair – but to tame frizz, she is a fan of hair oil, used sparingly: “Dyson just launched a new hydration oil that has already become a favourite,” she notes. Called the Omega Hydrating Hair Oil, it is incredibly lightweight and harnesses sunflower seed oil from Dyson’s Lincolnshire farms, alongside six other omega-rich plant oils, leaving hair shiny, soft and flyaway-free.

Ask your hairdresser to ensure the fringe is a little longer at the sides – which is what her stylist, Cim Mahony, does on hers. “It offers a natural look that blends in with the rest of the hair, whether you wear it down or pull it up,” she says. “I only really wear my hair up on holiday, and I love to use hair oil to help keep it all in place.”