Stine Goya Copenhagen Fall 2023 Collection

Before there was Frozen there was Hans Christian Andersen’s Snow Queen, the starting point for Stine Goya’s fall collection. “I was just really inspired by his whole snow universe and the way he’s describing this lake that is crystallizing and the way he was also so ahead of his time [as] the female characters, especially in this story, were the brave ones, the strong ones, the heroines.” If only fashion headhunters would place more female designers in leading roles….

In any case, this woman-led brand is changing with the times and has ambitious plans for expansion. No longer are Goya’s hand-drawn prints the main plot line of her collections. For fall they were used full-scale mostly on parkas, while a single flower was isolated on the opening look, a statement-making coat. Filling in the spaces once occupied by prints were patterned jacquards, metallics, and sequin embroideries, like the bejeweled “snowflakes” that showed up on faux furs, and fell in orderly fashion down the sides of pants. The designer is smartly sticking by her signature—and Hailey Bieber-approved—checkerboard sweater.

Expanding on the snow theme, Goya was more generally inspired by famous ski resorts, like Aspen, and created looks for sport and après ski. The active looks, like a slope-ready close-to-the-body jumpsuit, were some of the strongest because Goya found ways to make them her own. Their counterparts were diamanté pieces, including some blingy slingbacks that veered into Tom Ford for Gucci territory. Liquid silk pants were all Goya, however, and the designer took her bow wearing a pair.

On the runway were a number of clear glass columns filled with what looked like ice-blue water that crystallized as the show progressed. Goya replicated this home-science experiment on a few pieces in the collection. There was a snow queen dress worn by a model with “iced” eyelashes. A handbag was similarly treated. Goya isn’t the only one to mourn the recent lack of snow, which is perhaps an effect of global warming; one of Demna’s recent collections for Balenciaga was inspired by the lack of the stuff. “I just really wanted to honor the cold and the icy winters,” Goya said.