Copenhagen Fashion Week spring 2027: a month ahead of the big four

Copenhagen Fashion Week showed its spring 2027 collections in early August, a month before the big four, New York through Paris, open the season. It was the event's 20th edition. Bikes and pastries filled everyone's feeds, but as Vogue's Laird Borrelli-Persson pointed out in her 12 August trend report, fashion is a serious export for Denmark: 45.4 billion kroner in 2025, about 7.1 billion dollars.

The week has another reputation to keep. It has led on sustainability requirements and on body diversity on the runway for years.

Carried over from 2026: polka dots and lingerie dressing

Spring 2027 in Copenhagen didn't tear up last season. Polka dots stayed. So did lingerie dressing: bra tops, bloomers, tap pants all moved from the innermost layer to the outermost. Vogue's reading is that a summer of wearing less made these pieces the natural next step.

The most theatrical strand was historical romance. Panniers walked. So did crinolines and corsets. Trailing fabrics and soft textures sat alongside them, which kept the season from turning into a costume drama.

Copenhagen spring 2027 trends: a polka-dot skirt on a summer street

Long shorts and a crisp shirt: the everyday pairing of spring 2027

Long shorts were the practical headline. Call them culottes if you prefer; either way, shorts are not getting shorter next spring. Paired with a crisp button-down shirt, they were one of the week's most repeated combinations.

On trouser width, Copenhagen split from menswear. Skinny jeans made news at the spring 2027 men's shows. The women's collections here stayed between slim and full, with one exception: legging-tight capris. Vogue's advice on those was to proceed with caution.

Basket weave, swim references and plush: Copenhagen's own additions

  • Basket weave. Designers wove textiles with the over-under technique of basketry, then cut garments from them.
  • Water. Splash rides at Tivoli, mid-city harbour baths and the Little Mermaid fed swim-inspired daywear.
  • Circles. Polka dots, sequins, even compact discs.
  • Plush. Fuzzy, squashy textures that Vogue described as triggering an ASMR response. Dopamine dressing can step aside.

The babydoll dress made the list too. Vogue credits Olivia Rodrigo with turning it into a hit, objections notwithstanding.

"A spring forecast from a city that commutes by bicycle comes with a built-in filter: if you can't ride in it, it's out." — Guushu Design Team