As all eyes have moved onto New York Fashion Week, I’m still happy to have discovered the smaller yet sophisticated Copenhagen Fashion Week. One of the most delightful “discoveries”—this, of course, for someone living on the other side of the world—is By Malene Birger.  The house was launched five years ago by Danish designer Birger, who seems to be quite well appreciated by British Vogue. (And, may I say, when I opened up French Vogue’s February issue yesterday, guess whose ad I saw?)  But the publicity is well deserved. And By Malene Birger’s latest outing proves it. Autumn/Winter 2010 collection was relaxed and elegant with a occasional infusion of luxe. Take the fur vest that the first model strutted down an indoor field of autumn leaves… luxurious yet approachable. At other times, comfy sweatpants were paired blazers for a cofident, easy-going look.

Where to Buy

As of the moment, By Malene Birger is relatively hard to come by in the States but is carried by a few selected retailers. (Check for current stockists on Label Finder.) But ladies in Hawai‘i can still experience By Malene Birger via the selections on Net-A-Porter. The Spring/Summer 2010 Collection is definitely fit for a luncheon at The Kahala or sunset cocktails at the Halekūlani. It’ll definitely be worth the hunt.

Want to see more?

Catch the S/S 2010 show here and A/W 2010 here on Copenhagen Fashion Week TV by clicking on the By Malene Birger link on the site.

Sources

• Copenhagen Fashion Week

After all the visits to Kaila Hawai’i since the Gudrun & Gudrun post over the weekend–I never thought fashion from the remote Faroe Islands would be such a draw–take a look at the runway show for Gudrun & Gudrun’s Autumn/Winter 2010 collection from last week’s Copenhagen Fashion Week. Until I saw this, I never thought wool could actually be so crazy cool. Of course, tattoos usually help.

Source: Copenhagen Fashion Week TV; Copenhagen Fashion Week

P.S. Several songs on the soundtrack are by group Toro Y Moi, though I’m not sure if they did do the first track.

Gudrun & Gudrun’s Autumn/Winter 2010 showing in Copenhagen reminded me that style doesn’t always originate in the world’s urban centers, an idea that we should take more to heart in the Pacific region.  Gudrun & Gudrun, in fact, comes from the very antipodes of the fashion capitals. The label was founded by two women from the Faroe Islands, a remote chain of islands in the North Atlantic with a population of just 45,000 with a language closely related to Old Norse. The label’s unique look comes from the isolation of the Faroe Islands paired with an occasional burst of energy from Europe.

However, it’s not just Gudrun & Gudrun’s distance that makes G&G gear simultaneously comforting yet so cool. Key to the label’s sensibility is their credo of ”slow fashion”, which was developed into a book of the same title. The core material of their collection is wool and hide from the islands’ sheep, introduced by the Vikings over 1,000 years ago. The chilling, rugged environment creates wool of exceptional quality and resiliance.  Not only are the label’s materials sourced from its home. The label’s most exquisite pieces are handcrafted by women from the Faroe Islands in the comfort of their homes, not in some invisible, nameless factory.

But as these runways shots from G&G’s showing at Copenhagen Fashion Week A/W 2010 (see more of the collection here), G&G is not about folklore of yesteryear. Some of these pieces are ineffably modern and edgy but emanate a surprising warmth nevertheless. I would imagine Vikings from some futuristic, sci-fi saga suiting up in these kind of deconstructed sweaters and boots.

It’s this kind of fashion that makes me miss the chill of winter. Thankfully, G&G does offer a Spring/Summer collection for those who brave warmer climates. Nevertheless, I’d say aim for something short-sleeve like the Nicolai Hole vest. Of course, the  Sweater with Diamonds is still tempting for anywhere with heavy air conditioning.

Gudrun & Gudrun – The Breakdown

Who Wears It

Apparently, G&G is popular amongst the Faroese themselves. It comes as no surprise as that G&G counts the Japanese amongst their main international fans.

Rarity Factor

Despite the Japanese fan contingent, G&G is not widely available, making a G&G Faroese sweater a visual standout. Even on the web, G&G is a rarity, except for this post we found from distant Finland. However, judging from the hipness of the G&G image, I doubt this will last for much longer. G&G has received coverage from the likes of WWD and Italian Vogue. The label will also be having showings in New York, Milan, and Paris.

Website

http://www.gudrungudrun.com

For a company from somewhere so isolated, G&G has created quite an up-to-date website. Its current incarnation features video footage of dances from New York’s Stephen Petronio Dance Company wearing G&G pieces.

How to Buy

Much of the G&G collection is available from its online store in USD. As tempting as many pieces are, I’m afraid how much it would cost to ship half way around the world. Of course, G&G does have a flagship store in Torshavn, the Faroese capital, which is becoming a visitor destination of its own. (Check New York Times’ visit back in 2007 here.)