Han Kjøbenhavn’s AW25 show blended raw emotion with sculptural silhouettes, drawing from creative director Jannik Wikkelsø Davidsen’s own past
This evening, a couple thousand cool kids piled into an industrial warehouse space to take in Han Kjøbenhavn’s autumn/winter '25 show. “It’s people that are connected to Han Kjøbenhavn,” says creative director Jannik Wikkelsø Davidsen of the massive crowd of attendees. It’s Instagram followers, friends and friends of friends. Customers and fans. Basically anyone who feels something for the brand. “It’s a mutual relationship and I want to give a little bit back,” he says. “People who aren’t normally part of this kind of show get a chance to feel the emotions and connect with the show on another level.”
Emotion is a word that comes up when discussing most Han Kjøbenhavn collections and this one is no different. Wikkelsø Davidsen is long past drawing on aesthetic themes or ideas. Instead, he relies on feeling, with just a dash of autobiographical nostalgia. “This is personal – it’s about my upbringing,” he says. “It’s about characters in my life, it’s about my path from where I came from to where I am now. It’s told in a way that’s artistically appealing.” There’s reference to his local football club in the Han-branded jerseys, references to the concrete-heavy surroundings in the Copenhagen suburbs in the shades of black and grey. There are even nods to his mom’s closet, in the potpourri of materials on display – faux fur, leather and distressed denim, in particular.
If it sounds straightforward, it isn’t. Wikkelsø Davidsen continues to explore the more sculptural elements of the Han Kjøbenhavn universe, by way of exaggerated razor-sharp shoulders, gowns that hug every curve and hoof-like puffy boots. What’s different this time around is a sense of optimism peeking through the darkness, like a flower coming through the cracks in the concrete. Specifically, it’s found in a muted purple that can’t quite be characterised as a pop of colour, yet there’s something hopeful in finding it nestled among that aforementioned palette of black, grey and cream (it’s best deployed in a muppet-like fuzzy dress). “It represents the hope,” says Wikkelsø Davidsen, noting that it’s no small feat to keep a brand like Han Kjøbenhavn alive for sixteen years. “That’s f***ing wild, in this industry, in this economy and everything. So we wanted to give a bit back and invite people inside.”
See the full Han Kjøbenhavn autumn/winter '25 collection below.
