Drawing inspiration from iconic Danish actress Marguerite Viby, Nicklas Skovgaard crafted a sweetly feminine AW26 collection, fit for a modern movie star
Walking into Nicklas Skovgaard’s show this afternoon, guests clocked that something was notably absent: chairs. “When we were working on the show, I was like, ‘Can we actually ask people to be standing up for the show’?” says Skovgaard, ever the empath. “But I mean, it’s like, 12 minutes.” There was, of course, a purpose to the standing-only approach. Returning to the notion of uncomplicated yet effective performance (perhaps you recall the designer’s debut, in which longtime collaborator Britt Liberg, dramatically dressed and undressed in a slew of looks), Skovgaard broke from the standard runway conventions. Instead, guests gathered in tight, winding rows as models – performers, really – pushed their way through the crowd, like a celebrity navigating their way through a throng of onlookers.
It was a fitting (and engaging) setup, given that the starting point for the collection was the sort of iconic actress for which crowds would gather. Danish actress Marguerite Viby emerged in silent films in the late 1920s, finding stardom in the so-called ‘talkies’ in the 1930s. “She’s described as being very much a sweetheart – a darling,” says Skovgaard. “Denmark’s darling.” But in contrast to that whimsical facade was the seriousness with which she approached her work. “She held this really interesting duality,” says Skovgaard. As an overt ode to Viby, models sported pencil thin eyebrows.
Viby’s ability to shape shift was exemplified by her most famous film, Mille, Marie og mig (Millie, Marie and Me), a black and white classic in which the actor embodies three roles: a vampy and glamorous cabaret dancer by night (“She’s dressed in a 30s tuxedo and big gowns – she’s singing and her hair is nicely done,” notes Skovgaard), a practical medical student by day and an unexpected combo of the two (that’s the titular “me”). It was that dichotomy, and the Venn-diagram centre in which they meet, that Skovgaard found his muse. “My brain holds so many contrasts,” he says. “It’s about taking one thing and putting it or matching it with something that feels very opposite.” Throughout the collection, this juxtaposition often occurs in one garment. A simple nightgown dress, typically realised in a light as air fabric is instead constructed from a heavy wool. Elsewhere, the wool is met with featherweight gauzy skirts or a ripple of leather peplum. “It’s a lot about exploring that tension between control and expression,” says Skovgaard. “Creating these silhouettes that hold both characters.”
Where previous collections favoured volume that shot from the hip (yes, the bubble skirts), this season emphasises the waist, amping up the femininity ever further. “It feels a bit more romantic,” says Skovgaard. Fret not – the volume has not been lost. Sharply tailored bodices give way to voluminous circle skirts; a striking silhouette that still feels very much in the designer’s wheelhouse. Also on offer for the first time is knitwear; delicate double layered cardigans and knit Ts that balance old school femininity with Scandinavian practicality. But the contrasts didn’t stop there. The whole affair was set to the beguiling sounds of a cellist, who brings electronic elements to a classical art form.
Though Skovgaard’s reference point began in black and white, the collection was deliciously vibrant – colour blocked purple and orange, hits of slime green and candy pink – like Dorthy landing in a softly hued Oz.
The great thing about a standing show? We were already on our feet to hoop and holler as the designer took his bow.
See the full Nicklas Skovgaard AW26 collection below.
