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Day 3 of Copenhagen Fashion Week quelled the short-lived summer sun with sporadic showers, courtesy of Storm ‘Hans’. In the garden of Statens Museum for Kunst, or the Danish National Gallery, the wet conditions left for less-than-desirable runway conditions, with muddy grounds and soaked bramble the bucolic setting for OpéraSPORT’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection.
“We are having our first show under the open sky and surrounded by nature. We are super excited and think it will bring a lot to the feeling of the show to be outside,” explained the brand’s founders Stephanie Gundelach and Awa Malina Stelter.
The burgeoning label fuses Parisian flair with Copenhagen silhouettes, and it was in this saturated setting where its collection, inspired by the shades of high summer, sartorially referenced its setting and European disposition.
As anyone who has spent time in continental Europe can attest to, it’s always best to expect the unexpected with the best arrangements often those made on a whim.
So, despite the uncooperative climate, OpéraSPORT achieved its aim of forging modern wardrobe staples for the contemporary woman.
From my time in Denmark, I’ve learned that the Copenhagen cool girl does life differently.
She isn’t caught up in the minutiae of life, favours her silk sets to be a little crinkled rather than ironed-straight, doesn’t care if her stilettos are slightly damaged from dirt and like to keep things playful, like embracing cubist prints for a trip to an art gallery. The only thing she’s preoccupied with is whether or not she’s having a good time.
It’s this type of woman that OpéraSPORT tapped to model its 25-piece collection, mixing street-casted locals and Scandinavian talents for a ‘less is more’ approach to their show. “It’s a part of our DNA to design and create clothes that can be worn by anyone at any time,” the founders noted.
For this, Gundelach and Stelter embraced the romantic elements associated with a balmy summer day.
The shade of a sky on a bluebird day was spun into softly draped silk dresses accented with ruching and knot details and layered under a wrap tie-up skirt. Earthy elements were explored through practical pieces like a white pinstripe button-up or khaki cargo pants. Sunshine was embodied in high-octane yellow polos contrasted with black collars. But the biggest motif was the designer’s use of grommet-esque floral lace.
“The collection has been designed with a deep appreciation for the elements and shapes of nature. From earthy tones, the hues of the sky, the graceful silhouette of clouds, a blooming flower to the radiant warmth of the sun,” the designers noted.
“We translated this into our designs by using, for example, the most beautiful flower lace and details like small roses on some of the styles. We also found inspiration in the traditional Spanish dresses, which led us to incorporate delicate dots, laces, and ruffles into this collection.”
Even in the more subdued silhouettes, like a sportif black one piece, the floral motif ‘bloomed’ through off-cut fabrics fashioned into rosette neckties or belts.
“Our showpieces, crafted from leftover fabrics, hold significant value for us. We believe they play a crucial role in unifying the entire collection,” Gundelach and Stelter added. “
With an abundance of ideas and designs, we selected elements that align with our essence, are distinct, timeless, and serve a functional purpose. This ensures that our final designs truly reflect our vision and style.” And of course, are accented by a flirty twist or sheer nuance, leaving for something subversive and unexpected.
Tying this ‘anything goes’ collection together was a sense of everydayness, with the pieces not specifically day or evening wear, but a happy medium that would suit both settings.
With the brand embracing the tender ‘Opéra’ half of its namesake rather than the quintessential athletic silhouettes the label has presented in the past, this softer and understated approach to functional everyday wear has found its stride with the right crowd.
