CPHFW: Hot Fashion, Frozen Streets

January in Copenhagen didn't hold back. The sea wind cut through coat and attitude alike, chilling even a hard‑boiled Finn to the bone. When the frost made fabrics crackle with static and cling to skin, it didn't slow down the city's fashion crowd. The streets buzzed with one stunning look after another: pillbox hats, furs, and daring combinations around every corner.

The fashion week kicked off with cocktail soirées, bringing the city's style circles together to celebrate both community and fresh collections. At the same time, the event marked 20 years of history in true celebratory style. For me, it was a first time at these festivities, and it was genuinely fun to melt into the crowd as a slightly scruffy, glass-loving hippie.

During fashion week, we hosted the Heavy Glass Ritual at Poet Concept's gallery on January 28th, delivering a message that presence is a radical act. Savonian shamans Teemu and Kati Paananen filled the room with a hypnotic soundscape. Guests lifted the sculptural glass kuksas and tasted Coolhead's Finnish craft salmiakki beer. It was a reminder that slowing down doesn't mean stopping; it means noticing, connecting, and letting even small actions carry weight. Pausing becomes an act of resistance. At the Heavy Glass Ritual in Copenhagen, that pause was made tangible through the sculptural glass kuksas, drinking sculptures, a companion for the moment. It's an impractically heavy slab, impossible to drink from without slowing down, a deliberate weight that roots you in the present.

Alongside the kuksas, guests received a touch of genuine Lapland leaf gold from Kultaus Snellman and a piece of unique glazed JP Studio ceramics. Small objects with meaning and memories of the moment. The event was also covered in an article by Iltalehti. It was a pleasure to welcome guests such as culinary talent Akseli Herlevi and Luceral, the star of fashion and DJ culture we met at New York Fashion Week some time ago! Images by Tytti Porvari.

The shows themselves were interesting to explore, each with its own flair. The collaboration between Han Kjøbenhavn and artist D1ma, Corrosion, was a chillingly dystopian fashion opera staged in the vast Tunnelfabrikken warehouse by the harbor. Inside the air was icy and the bar served mostly vodka.. it was a drink choice that only deepened the stark aesthetic. Everything was cold, the models faceless, their presence raw. Bravo.

One unforgettable spectacle meant you had to rock sneakers and streamlined running leggings. I woke before the sun, around 6 am and ran through sleet to join the 66°North event. The program was a 6.6-kilometer run around the lakes. The actual distance felt more like 6.66 km because on my playlist, Iron Maiden's Number of the Beast blasted through the entire event. After the run, we were treated to refreshing Icelandic flavors: coffee and Skyr with granola and berries. The early-morning ordeal suited the brand perfectly. 66°North is an Icelandic brand making outdoor clothing, originally created for workers and fishermen facing the harsh North Atlantic weather.

The atmosphere at the fashion week events was electric. Photos: Bryndis Thorsteinsdottir

Copenhagen Fashion Week may be smaller in scale than giants like Paris or Milan, but it has emerged as a key trendsetter for those seeking innovative, sustainable, and thoughtful fashion. This year's 20th anniversary celebration placed a particular attention on responsibility, inclusivity, and Nordic aesthetics, combining functional fashion with personal expression.

I wanted to exhibit endangered handmade glass at fashion week because, let's be honest, fashion isn't just pretty fluff. It's one of the clearest ways our time talks visually. I'm fascinated by dropping glass into worlds where it doesn't quite belong, watching it meet unexpected surfaces, unexpected people, and the unexpected energy of a space. Fashion week was the perfect playground for that curiosity.

66°North had the fashion crowd breaking a stylish sweat.