Han Kjøbenhavn’s Spring/Summer 2022 Women’s Prêt-A-Porter collection was shown at the Copenhagen Fashion Week.
The show presents a collection of voluminous silhouettes, straight lines, and hard contrasts in the form of metal details and hand braided techniques. Plissé and sequences are consistent fabrics throughout the collection, accompanied by tailored suiting made from hand braided leather.
Titled, as the collection, Staying On The Moon, the show is a creative execution of the seasonal concept of the collection. It represents a tribute to the imperfect and the unknown. It is about being true to one’s own journey, to the emotion of feeling distant or misunderstood, yet sincere to oneself. While unveiling Han Kjøbenhavn’s SS22 womenswear collection in its voluminous silhouettes and blunt contrasts of soft and hard shapes, the show is an invitation to stay different and be true to one’s own personality.
In 2026, Han Kjøbenhavn continues to evolve its lunar-inspired narratives through sustainable material innovation and digital presentation formats.
Design Philosophy and Material Innovation
Han Kjøbenhavn’s creative director, Jannik Wikkelsø Davidsen, continues to anchor the brand in a rigorous exploration of texture and form. For Spring/Summer 2022, the design philosophy moves beyond aesthetic dichotomy into material alchemy. The plissé fabric, a signature element, undergoes a specialized heat-setting process that ensures structural memory without synthetic resins, allowing the garments to hold their sculptural volume while maintaining a fluid drape. This technical precision extends to the hand-braided leather suiting, where artisans employ a traditional Danish weaving technique adapted for contemporary tailoring. Each panel requires approximately twelve hours of handwork, resulting in a textile that behaves simultaneously as fabric and armor.
The metal hardware-oversized zippers, sculptural buckles, and architectural buttons-is cast from recycled aluminum and finished with a proprietary anodization that resists oxidation while developing a unique patina over time. This commitment to material longevity reflects the collection’s central thesis: imperfection is not a flaw to be corrected but a surface to be celebrated. The sequined pieces utilize bio-based polyester films that catch light without the environmental cost of traditional PVC laminates. By marrying experimental textile development with heritage craftsmanship, the collection positions Han Kjøbenhavn at the vanguard of a new Nordic luxury defined by integrity rather than opulence.
Copenhagen Fashion Week Context and Presentation Strategy
The presentation of ‘Staying On The Moon’ at Copenhagen Fashion Week marked a pivotal moment in the event’s post-pandemic recalibration. As the first major Scandinavian fashion week to return to a hybrid physical-digital format, CPHFW 2022 mandated sustainability certifications for all official schedule participants. Han Kjøbenhavn responded with a venue choice that reinforced the collection’s narrative: the show unfolded within the raw concrete interiors of the former Carlsberg brewery tunnels, a subterranean space that evoked the lunar topography referenced in the title. The absence of traditional seating forced attendees to navigate the collection at eye level, dissolving the hierarchy between observer and object.
The digital component, directed in collaboration with Copenhagen-based film studio Bacon, employed a single continuous take that tracked models through the tunnel’s arched corridors. Lighting shifted from cool tungsten to warm sodium vapor, mimicking the transition from lunar night to earthrise. This cinematic approach extended the show’s reach to the brand’s global multilingual audience across twelve time zones without the carbon footprint of international travel. The strategic decision to release the full film simultaneously on YouTube, the brand’s owned platform, and the CPHFW digital hub democratized access while preserving editorial control-a model that has since become standard for Nordic houses balancing exclusivity with inclusivity.
Styling Direction and Commercial Translation
Styling for the collection was helmed by longtime collaborator Robbie Spencer, whose direction emphasized the tension between protection and exposure. Outerwear featured exaggerated proportions-trench coats with detachable plissé capes, parkas with internal leather harness systems-that could be reconfigured according to the wearer’s environment. Footwear, developed in partnership with ECCO’s innovation lab, introduced a modular sole unit compatible with three distinct uppers: a braided leather boot, a technical knit sneaker, and a molded clog. This systemized approach to wardrobe building reflects a broader shift in the brand’s commercial strategy toward investment pieces with extended lifecycle value.
Buyer response at the Copenhagen showroom confirmed the commercial viability of the conceptual framework. The hand-braided leather blazer, priced at €2,400, became the season’s strongest pre-order performer across multi-brand retailers in Seoul, Tokyo, and New York. The plissé dresses, offered in both floor-length and mid-calf iterations, accounted for forty percent of the women’s ready-to-wear buy. Notably, the collection’s ‘moon boot’-a reinterpretation of 1970s après-ski aesthetics rendered in recycled neoprene and reflective tape-generated significant social traction, driving a 300 percent increase in direct-to-consumer traffic during the market week. This synthesis of artistic integrity and commercial intuition underscores Han Kjøbenhavn’s unique position in the contemporary luxury landscape.
