Royal Danish Academy - SS22

The student’s at Royal Danish Academy set the tone with dramatic strings during their show named ‘Last Pieces’. The live music performance and the show were set in a stark white and sterile industrial venue with plastic sheets lining the runway.

Oversized space-claiming silhouettes was a common theme throughout, with wide hips reminiscent of 17th-century bustles, padded vests and exaggerated shoulders presented by various students. Graphic and patterned knits were eye-catching, while the genderless styling of the show was refreshing and the diverse casting welcomed. The textures and materials used by each designer varied - from wool to silks to sequins - giving each collection a sense of tactility.

See all of the collections below:

"Sculpt is a collection which focus on the shape of the female body and body expression. By reinterpreting the concept of shapewear and body sculpting, the collection explores the paradox between shapewear and everyday clothing while challenging the perception of the liberated female body."

"'Amorphia' is about the connection between the body and our clothes. It is about the body-transformative power of fashion. Clothes as an extension of the body, physically and metaphorically, a second skin to our own. To be an amorphous means to not have a definable shape. Fashion and our bodies change all the time, our bodies are reinvented through fashion. And in a way that is all there is: the body in a perpetual state of change, never reaching a final form."

"In times like these, where everything has been closed and out of reach, where we cannot procrastinate with things outside of our homes, we are forced to look more towards our inner world and the personal space we have created around us. Through methods taken from surrealism I have tried to explore and channel the objects within our personal space - our home."

"This collection serves as my first activist act to stop this horror. In order to 'F*CKING STOP BURNING CLOTHES' - 'Does one have to also self-immolate to make you aware?' (Flíček 2020). The collection calls for change and raises awareness. 'People must fight against the evil they feel equal to at that moment.' (Palach 1969). The collection is activistic and provocative, as it is inspired by the style called Soviet Brutalism, but its colours invite further debate."

"Álla Sinkevich’s work is rooted in craftsmanship, resourcefulness and longevity. The final project is focused on the sustainable life cycle of biodegradable materials and haptic possibilities of contrasting textiles. Raw wool from Odsherred, deadstock European linen and silk scraps used to produce contemporary and functional garments, creating aesthetically, technically and emotionally durable design."

"With 'The Crazy Pet' show I wanted to give some power back to the animals. The project is inspired by how some humans today use their pets as an accessory, and are looking alike."

"The collection is an exploration of how our heritage and previous generations affect us today. Each outfit is inspired by my family members, and most of the styles are made from old fabrics, like curtains and bedsheets, found in my childhood home."

"The title of my project is 'Polished Luksus' and it refers to my Polish my heritage and implies the aspect of luxury, or more generally the value of things and how we perceive the items depending on the context they are placed in. The idea of luxury, however, is being distorted and heavily influenced by the aesthetics of Camp, using materials inherited from my my relatives I tried to reconnect with my past and get to know my grandma I have never met."

“'Wicked Methods' explores the archetype of wicked stepmothers, and reinterprets these misunderstood, vilified women into feminist icons. The collection studies how dressing feminine and playing on an erotic capital to your own advantage can be a way of power dressing - even a feministic power move. The collection combines lace, repurposed denim, embellishment, leather scraps turned chainmail and (second-hand) fabrics in bold colours to emphasise how these women were shamed mostly for being loud, visible, opinionated and unapologetic."

"Caroline Hundsholt puts sustainability on the agenda with her poetic voice and unapologetic use of colours and pattern mixing in her graduation project ‘The Vow of Right Now’. The collection is made from exclusively second hand materials and unfolds not only in textiles and silhouettes, but also a book of Caroline Hundsholt’s poetry as a reflection of the challenges we face right now."

"I have been inspired by communities and experimented with creating together with my community to generate material to design from. I believe communities are important and nurturing for us as individuals and often underestimated in our Western society. The entire collection is made from stock materials varying from leather to truck tarp."

"'Logela' is an interpretation on the different feelings associated to the bedroom and isolation. These concepts are meant to be presented as a Performance Art piece, with the clothing guiding the narrative."

"'Splitting of the Subject' is an abstract visual representation of pregnancy and the transformation the body goes through. The title and initial inspirations comes from an essay by feminist philosopher Iris Marion Young, describing pregnancy as a phenomenological experience. The collection is exploring femininity, transformation and movement."

"My collection is about rediscovering the love for myself and rekindling the connection to my roots and honouring my cultural and ethnical background as a Kurd. Furthermore, the collection is about exploring the limbo in between art and fashion, that I find myself in. It is about the love we give and take."

"The project is a humorous walk through Frederik Taus’ previous projects and themes. Themes which break with gender norms, challenges the patriarchy as well as making fun of rich culture."