From month to month, Stockholm-based Verona Farrell of Secondhandhuns scours and snapshots the best style throughout our region's streets (and hottest parties) for Vogue Scandinavia – sharing her musings along the way. This time round, she lensed what Copenhagen Fashion Week folk were donning for the show schedule
Fashion week has a strange way of making you think that how someone looks is the most interesting thing about a person. But if there’s one thing I believe, it’s that people are far more interesting than what they wear. When shooting street style, inevitably the looks I love the most belong to people whose stories outshine their wardrobes.
To satisfy my curiosity and get some context on the person behind the outfit, I’ve found that a quick “what do you do?” usually does the trick. The most memorable responses have been the ones least connected to fashion – like the guy in Dublin who so perfectly embodied the artsy nomad that I nearly asked if he’d found himself yet. Turns out he was a paramedic on his lunch break. Or the 80-year-old woman in Copenhagen, dressed head-to-toe in Bottega, who had just retired as a judge. Or the glamorous girl on a rooftop bar in Lisbon who, when asked about her job, replied without missing a beat: “I sell drugs! Do you want some?” I politely declined and silently thanked her for a great new anecdote to tell over dinner.
Keep scrolling to discover more people behind the street style – this time at Copenhagen Fashion Week.
The Dancer
Photo: Verona Farrell
During fashion week, a great ‘everyday’ outfit is almost impossible to come by. Personal style and practicality often take a back seat, replaced by looks that appeal to brands, photographers, and followers. Didde-mie Lykke’s outfit gave me the impression she had dressed for herself that morning.
I asked my usual “what do you do?” and she told me she was a dancer. My follow-up question, “Do you do that full time?” was met with total mortification when I found out she had just performed alongside Dua Lipa at Glastonbury. If you’re curious to see her in action, rewatch the music video for 'Back on 74' by Jungle – opening scene, red top, neck scarf. Goosebumps.
The Retired Veterans
Copenhagen is Scandinavia’s epicentre of beautiful, colour-averse, tattooed men. But don’t let their cool exterior give you the wrong idea.
Take Copenhagen locals Marc Berthelsen and Molly Moyell. After a couple of years in the fashion week rat race, they made a conscious decision to protect their peace and opt out. “I think in the beginning you’re almost a bit addicted to it,” says Molly, who has redirected his attention to writing about his journey through addiction. “I’m three years clean and sober now. That’s why my name is 'Molly'. When I got clean, I changed it… in my head it’s not a bad word, it just reminds me not to go back.” To his left, Fashion designer Marc is also shifting his focus inward, “Right now I’ve been sick with depression so working on that right now my mental health”.
Saying no in a business like fashion can feel borderline sacrilegious to some – and I’ve felt it myself – so my run-in with these lads was a welcome reminder that sometimes the best move is stepping back.
The Corporate Escapee
Photo: Verona Farrell
German influencer Linda Sza is a girl who can do both. In her words, switching career paths from consultant at Ernst & Young to full-blown fashion influencer was “the best decision ever.” Initially, her side hustle on social media was something she kept secret from her corporate colleagues.
“I worked only with men,” she says, and I nod sympathetically. “Because I was the only girl there, I didn’t want to look like the Barbie doll who’s doing fashion things on the side. I wanted to be taken seriously.” I wondered if her corporate past had given her an edge as an influencer – because behind fashion weeks and curated feeds lies a business of endless negotiations, countless stakeholders, and cut-throat competition. My hunch was right. “I think it shaped my work morals and work ethic a lot... I never, ever miss a deadline.”
The Model Off Duty
Furniture and spacial design student Sebastian Marott started his career in front of the camera as a model but has recently diverted his focus to his studies. “I think I’m trying to find new ways of expressing myself which is separate to my looks,” he says, adding “I want to do something that is my creation that I have control over”. When it comes to the social side of things though he admits “I have no control....There’s a lot of parties, and I’m one to attend”. A man after my own heart.
The First Timers Big Smilers
Photo: Verona Farrell
Outside the OpéraSport show, I overheard this sister duo happily chatting away in Portuguese. Initially drawn in by those amazing red earrings, I stayed for the vibes. Having flown in from Brazil for the festivities, I learned that Carolina Grilo, on the left, is a journalist, while her sister Amanda, on the right, is a fashion buyer. They spoke about how inspiring they found Copenhagen, with the kind of unguarded enthusiasm reserved for those utterly delighted to be part of its most novel event.
