Ganni Copenhagen Fall 2023 Collection

Ganni earned its wings a long time ago, but for fall 2023 the company is adding four more, in the form of an abstract butterfly logo. At a preview of the collection, Ditte Refstrup talked about the company growing from two people in 2009 to the global concern it is today. This season, she took time to survey all that’s been accomplished—sort of like a butterfly who alights for a while before once again soaring up and away. This stocktaking comes in the wake of the pandemic and other global crises. “It felt like everyone had gone into this transformation, like everyone looked back and just changed their life, a little bit,” the designer said. In this collection, she continued, “you will see me growing up.”

Also dressing up. Like many others at the moment, Refstrup has a feeling for the structure of tailoring. The show opened with a charcoal pantsuit and closed with a blue skirt suit; both had curved sleeves and emphasized the waist. Balancing the sartorial elements was a large offering of dresses, from sequins to knits with many variations in between. One of the most charming was a buttercream yellow slip with a carwash hem that had delicate black ruffles that were placed like tendrils down the front. Similar ruffles edged a bra top and embellished a suit.

Denim was also an important part of the collection, and has been, Refstrup said, since the brand phased out leather. Jeans are little-d democratic and the brand’s ethos is fun fashion for everyone. It’s not for nothing that Refstrup has been described as “a modern hippie.”As such, it’s easy to see how she might be attracted to the colorful world and work of Esben Weile Kjær, a recent Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts graduate with a background in music. The two first hit it off on the dance floor, and they continue to keep in step.

By happenstance or fate, Kjær was asked to curate pieces from the collection of Arken, a museum of contemporary art, and create an environment in which they could live. The exhibition is called “Butterfly!” Its mascot is one of those winged creatures, and according to the museum’s copy, it wears death metal makeup. I asked Kjær if his beastie was smiling a happy smile or secretly plotting to take a bite out of someone, and he replied, “Both, it’s scary and cute.” Refstrup drew a parallel between Kjær’s butterfly and Ganni’s new logo, but there’s a deeper meaning as well. This is a brand that delivers color, novelty, and enjoyment (cuteness) that helps people deal with the turmoil in the world.

If Ganni is a “friendly” brand, it’s not just because of its aesthetics and price-point, but also because of Refstrup’s penchant for collaborations. This season the brand teamed up with Veneda Carter, who made jewelry, and once again worked with the Icelandic outerwear brand 66°North on some smart-looking and sporty pieces, creating continuity with last season’s collection. Ganni’s spring outing was “piecey”; this one had more of a through-line, proof that not only Refstrup, but the brand, is growing up and in new directions.