Ivan Grundahl Copenhagen Fashion Week S/S 2013

When discussing Scandinavian design, the Ivan Grundahl name is rarely used in vain. For decades now, his influence has flourished in his native Denmark, and it isn’t showing any signs of restraint on the international scene either.
His proposal for the upcoming spring/summer season remains pertinent to his traditional eccentric taste involving the use of smart, asymmetric cuts and flowing textiles.
Starting off with a flurry of warm colors (namely red, copper, violet and clay hues), the models pranced down the runway showcasing exquisite architectural shapes and uneven silhouettes. Harmoniously, the more angelic facet of the show started appearing with a muted silver, loose-fitting, linen suit – perhaps a bohemian answer to the questions of a modern working woman? Soft-volumes, and rigorous knee-length or ankle-length cuts give a unique fluid feel to the outfits.  Casually elegant shirt dresses, smart collars and long, vintage-seeming jackets continued to dominate the runway in ironic shades of white.

Once in awhile, a male model strutted down with a masculine response to the collection; dressed in loose-fitting harem pants with an uneven beige turtleneck, or in an unobstructedly cool white two-piece suit, to showcase what Ivan Grundhal sees as true Scandi-fashion.
The collection proceeded in these pastel colors and extremely lightweight cottons and linens presented upon fun, draping, Yamamoto-like cuts before taking a turn for a darker theme with six outfits.
As for the accessories, the overall mix of leathers and cinched-belts at the waist gave an extra edge to the ultra-feminine flow of the clothes. Not to mention the modesty and hipness of white and black sneakers paired with cozy textiles.

One thing remains to be said, this collection brings to mind the idea of pleasure without guilt: easy fabrics matched with the exquisite tailoring à la Grundahl to create a casual chic Scandinavian staple in anyone’s closet.