Meet Cecilie Bahnsen, The Designer Bringing Danish Fashion To The Foreground

Copenhagen Fashion Week is gaining a lot of traction in the industry, and one of its biggest draws is Cecilie Bahnsen. The designer and her eponymous brand have quickly become a darling of style setters, attracting the attention of fashion glossies and behemoth department stores. All see the immense potential of this 35-year-old rising star. And she has garnered this while based in Copenhagen, Denmark—a city that often doesn’t register as a sartorial hub. 

Copenhagen is primarily known for its incredible output of product designers and architects, including Bjarke Ingels, Henning Larsen, and Jørn Utzon. They have put forward ideas that are based on minimalism, collectively forming an aesthetic that is easily identifiable to the global community. Danish fashion, however, doesn’t have the same kind of reputation, because there hasn't been serious contenders competing on the worldwide stage. 

Budding fashion designers are looking at the epicenters—New York, Paris, Milan, and London—to lay their foundations. It is a smart decision, considering all the attention that these cities get from the biggest names in media and retail. But this, too, has its pitfalls. With so many migrating to these reputed meccas, they’ve become oversaturated, causing emerging brands to get lost in the shuffle.  

Bahnsen, having studied in London and cut her teeth working at labels based in the city, was well aware of this dog-eat-dog nature and wanted an environment that would allow her to develop at her own pace. She was also perceptive to power that the internet and social media have in garnering visibility, and how she could easily communicate her message through these platforms. 

Still, it takes a clear message to really make an impact. And, in every sense, Bahnsen’s designs really embodies this principle. Since her first collection, she formed a brand identity seeped in femininity: gauzy baby-doll dresses in powdery pink, white blouses with billowy sleeves, and jackets with a school-girl quality. But even with these frilly characteristics, each frock is tailored precisely to the body, like a suit. She is also a master at textiles, imbuing the simplest silhouettes with details that add dimension.

Ahead, Bahnsen elaborates on her business.

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Barry Samaha: When did you start your namesake brand?

Cecilie Bahnsen: I launched the brand in spring 2016. The first collection was picked up by Dover Street Market in London, which was incredible and the best support you could kick off with.

Samaha: Why do you think that happened so quickly?

Bahnsen: I just went all in with the first collection. It was super textile-focused with embroideries. And I think they were looking for new brands for their new store in London. The timing and the couture elements really fit their aesthetic. We were in a showroom with 20 new brands, so I was really surprised when they placed their cards down, and then placed an order. 

Samaha: What is your design background?

Bahnsen: I graduated in 2010 from the Royal College of Art in London. I then worked at Erdem for four years, and then wanted to start something on my own. I’ve always wanted to try it, so I moved back to Copenhagen. I needed some peace and quiet to focus on what my own style was going to be. And then I launched my collection, and decided to present them in a showroom in London to have an international focus from the beginning.  

Samaha: How was it working at Erdem?

Bahnsen: I started as a design assistant and then eventually became a designer. It was an amazing place to work and learn. He’s fantastic.

Samaha: Did you learn about the business side at all?

Bahnsen: I was just focused on designing, but it was during an exciting time, around 2010, when his brand was growing incredibly. It gave me insight on what it takes to build a brand. 

Samaha: Erdem was really hot at the time. Why did you decide to leave?

Bahnsen: I just needed a different pace. In London, everything is super fast, and I really wanted to do something on my own. I felt that there wasn’t a brand like mine in Denmark, and I thought there was a possibility to succeed there. I wanted to try to do something for fashion that many have done for architecture. Luckily, I wasn’t the only person with that idea. Ganni was taking off. Saks Potts launched around the same time. There was hype and momentum. 

Samaha: How would you characterize Danish fashion?

Bahnsen: The beauty of Danish fashion is that everyone is different from one another. It’s really not one thing. For a long time, it was really minimalistic, but now everyone is turning that over its head and trying to think outside of the box. That’s why it is super interesting at the moment. Everyone wants to show their take on what Danish fashion is. It is undefined at the moment. 

Samaha: What is your take on Danish fashion?

Bahnsen: For me, I define it in a very romantic way. I mix my heritage and working at Erdem and Galliano. Before I started my MA, I did textiles at Galliano. So, I really mixed my background with the minimalism associated with Scandinavian design. I think the combination of decadence and something refined and minimal is really what makes my brand special. 

Samaha: Your company is based in Copenhagen, right?

Bahnsen: Yes, it is. Copenhagen is easier when it comes to having studio space and setting up your business. I wanted to create my own vision and have time to focus on my brand. 

Samaha: Don’t you think you would have more visibility in London? You’ve worked there before, and had your first collection bought there.

Bahnsen: Yes, completely. But I also think you can have visibility when you are doing something completely different from what everyone else is doing—daring to create something out of a smaller city. I think, at the moment, people are inspired to go to Copenhagen Fashion Week. It is not a big city. It has a different pace, a different take on fashion. You are able to see something you haven’t seen before. 

Samaha: Would you say you’re a big fish in a small pond now that you’ve moved back to  Copenhagen?

Bahnsen: Yes, I think so. Also, with social media and Instagram, it doesn’t really matter where you are based anymore. Because Copenhagen Fashion Week starts earlier than others, it gets an insane amount of press and gets to live online. And people that attend, along with their followers, get to be a part of that story. 

Samaha: How long has Copenhagen Fashion Week been in existence?

Bahnsen: It’s been around for as long as I can remember. But I really think it’s taken off in the last three years. Many have put a lot of energy behind it. There is a big focus on sustainability. I don’t think you can be a Danish brand without considering that. I also think the city provides platforms to present shows in different ways. For example, we showed our collection by the sea. You couldn’t just do that in New York or Paris. There are possibilities to create things out of the box. 

Samaha: How are you funding this enterprise?

Bahnsen: It’s all me. It is important for me to have my own vision for what it is and what it has to be. And then you can bring someone on board if you have to. At the moment, we’ve grown with the right stockists and have been able to do it on our own. It gives me complete freedom, and that is what I wanted. 

Samaha: How do you see your business growing?

Bahnsen: This year, the U.S. has become out biggest market. Dover Street Market has been a great supporter from the beginning, but being in stores like Nordstrom brings us to different cities. We’re in all 11 Nordstrom stores and online as well.

Samaha: So you’re really relying on these wholesale accounts.

Bahnsen: Yes, the business is really relying on wholesale. We also have our own e-commerce site. We only launched it this summer, so it’s still new. We have around 105 wholesale accounts. For now, it’s about growing with the partners we have and making those relationships really strong so the customers know where to go. 

Samaha: How would define your customer?

Bahnsen: We’ve been really lucky in that the age of our customer is undefined. It could be 16-year-old that tags us in a picture on Instagram, or a 60-year-old. It really depends on the look and how you want to wear it. That is the beauty of the collection. I feel like customers are really buying into the idea of effortless comfort; into our designs that are super feminine but super strong at the same time. 

Samaha: Do you see this type of style resonating in the market?

Bahnsen: It’s just me. And it’s so nice that there is a space for that. When I was studying in school, everything was so androgynous or sporty. But it’s nice to see that people are coming back to craftsmanship, femininity, and getting dressed up. We always start with the textiles. Once you touch the garment, you can feel the quality and the design of the fabric. They are also super light. Even though they are voluminous, they are super effortless to put on. Even if it is a big gown, it is super comfortable. There is this relaxed Scandinavian-ness to it.   

Samaha: What if the market changes, and ultra feminine gowns are no longer on trend?

Bahnsen: Then we have to keep working until they want to buy feminine gowns again. We are not basing collections on trends. That is why we established ourselves quickly, in just four years. We are daring enough to repeat ourselves, and daring to not turn everything on its head. We want to be us. Falling in love with a garment is so important. That’s what makes our pieces timeless.         

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Follow Barry Samaha on Twitter ( @barry_samaha ) and Instagram ( @barrysamaha ).